CAPE CANAVERAL – SpaceX achieved a major milestone Saturday when two Starship vehicles successfully docked in orbit and transferred over 10 tons of cryogenic propellant, marking the first-ever orbital refueling of a fully reusable spacecraft.

The demonstration, essential for NASAs Artemis lunar program, lasted 45 minutes as the target Starship received liquid oxygen and methane from its sister vessel. Both spacecraft returned to Earth and were caught by the launch towers mechanical arms.

This is a game-changer for deep space exploration, said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. Orbital refueling is the key to sending humans to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

The successful test paves the way for the Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface by late 2027. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that an uncrewed Mars cargo mission could launch as early as 2028.

Competitor Blue Origin is developing similar refueling technology for its New Glenn rocket, but remains years behind SpaceX in demonstration flights.