SLS vs Starship: From Orion EFT-1 to Artemis I

Our Moon calls us back — but which rocket gets us there? This episode of Galaxy traces NASA’s winding path from Orion’s 2014 test on a Delta IV Heavy to the night Artemis I finally lit Pad 39B, while a stainless-steel rival rose at Boca Chica. Inside, we follow how budgets, jobs, and politics shaped the Space Launch System, why RS-25 heritage wasn’t a shortcut, and the quiet engine-controller glitch that stalled the schedule. We explore the Lunar Gateway plan that morphed, the five-year mandate from Huntsville, and how a legal showdown froze NASA’s chosen lander. Meanwhile, SpaceX’s rapid-fire SN8 belly flop, SN10’s near-save, and the methane-fueled Raptor redrew expectations — and questions — about cost, cadence, and cooperation. If you want a clear, no-hype look at how Orion, SLS, and St