The Artemis Mission

NASA’s Artemis Mission is an endeavor to establish the first long-term presence on the moon and land the “first woman and person of color on the moon” (NASA, 2021) as well. The Artemis Mission is the next step in the human exploration of the moon and plays a major role in utilizing the moon's resources to prepare for future missions to Mars and eventually beyond. This blog post will explore the Artemis mission and its significance for the future of humanity.

Why the Moon?

NASA chose the moon as the destination for its Artemis program for several reasons, such as the moon's proximity to Earth, which makes it a more accessible target for exploration. According to NASA, the moon is a "proving ground" for the technologies and capabilities that will be needed for future missions to Mars and beyond (NASA, 2022). For example, the Moon's surface has a similar gravity and terrain to Mars, making it an excellent place to test landing and takeoff technologies that will be needed for future missions. This includes testing different types of landing systems, such as precision landing and soft-landing techniques, as well as testing propulsion systems for takeoff. Additionally, the Moon provides an opportunity to test different types of habitats and life support systems, and new communication and navigation systems for deep space travel. Furthermore, scientific investigation of the moon's surface and resources has the potential to enhance our understanding of the early solar system and the origins of life on Earth. These reasons, among others, make the moon a compelling target for the Artemis program and a crucial step toward the sustainable human exploration of deep space.

What is the Artemis Mission?

The Artemis Mission is a series of three missions aimed to send humans back to the moon. The first mission, which was the Orion mission, was an uncrewed test flight that was launched on November 16th, 2022 (Wall, 2022). On December 11, 2022, the Orion spacecraft successfully returned to Earth, making it the “crowning achievement of Artemis I” and “a major step forward” (NASA, 2022). Following the success of the Orion spacecraft, the second mission, known as Artemis II, is set to be crewed and will test the systems and protocols necessary to reach the moon. The spacecraft is expected to launch in 2023, with the mission lasting “just over 10 days” before the astronauts return (NASA,2022). The final mission, Artemis III, will be the first crewed moon landing in over 50 years, with astronauts spending several weeks on the moon conducting experiments and demonstrating the technologies needed for a sustainable human presence. NASA will also be achieving a significant milestone by “sending the first humans to explore the region near the lunar South Pole” (NASA, 2022).

Why is the Artemis Mission important?

The Artemis mission is important as it aims to achieve historic feats such as advanced space exploration technologies and conducting valuable scientific research. The work accomplished by this mission will further develop our knowledge of our solar system and beyond.

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Bibliography

NASA. (2018, August 27). First flight with crew important step on long-term return to moon. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-first-flight-with-crew-important-step-on-long-term-return-to-the-moon-missions-to

NASA. (2022, November 15). Artemis III: NASA’s first human mission to the lunar South Pole. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/artemis-iii

NASA. (2022, December 11). Splashdown! NASA’s Orion returns to earth after historic moon mission. https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/splashdown-nasa-s-orion-returns-to-earth-after-historic-moon-mission

NASA. (n.d.). NASA: Artemis. https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/

Wall, M. (2022, December 9). NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft set for return to earth on Dec. 11. Space.com. https://www.space.com/artemis-1-orion-spacecraft-ready-for-return-earth