The Artemis program from the NASA it is the new chapter of human exploration of the Moon more than half a century after the Apollo program. Unlike its predecessor, with Artemis the aim is not only to bring humans back to the lunar surface, but also to build a base on our natural satellite and start the first prolonged human stay on the Moon. The program currently has 10 missions (Artemis Artemis Itook place successfully in 2022 and tested all launch, lunar orbit and return to earth operations.
It could start in the next few weeks Artemis IIfor whose launch from Kennedy Space Center Three windows have been established in Cape Canaveral (February 6-11, March 6-11, April 1-6). Artemis II will be the first mission of the program with a crew on board: the 4 astronauts on board will be the first to enter lunar orbit since the Apollo era, and will also reach the absolute distance record of humans from Earth. We will have to wait for the actual moon landing Artemis IIIcurrently scheduled for 2027 or 2028.
The Artemis program, birth and objectives
The name of Artemis program draws its origins from Artemis, goddess of hunting and the Moon, who in mythology is the twin of Apollo (the name of the program that brought man to our natural satellite between the 1960s and 1970s). The project is carried out mainly by NASAwith the collaboration of some US companies (Boeing, Lockheed Martin And SpaceX) and international partners such asESA (European Space Agency), the JAXA (Japanese Space Agency) and the CSA (Canadian Space Agency).
The program, under study since 2011, will bring the first female astronaut and will install a permanent station there by the end of the 1930s.
Artemis’s missions
At the moment, 10 Artemis missions have been planned, the expected dates of which are only indicative since they could be delayed or postponed.
Artemis I
The launch of Artemis I it took place on November 16, 2022 after a series of postponements. It was a mission unmannedthe goal of which was to test all SLS and Orion operations in real-world conditions. During the mission, Orion executed two close lunar flybys and it inserted correctly orbits the Moon. 25 days later it finally returned to land by landing in the Pacific Ocean.
Artemis II
It is the first crewed mission and involves a flight plan similar to that of Artemis I, however with four astronauts on board the Orion capsule (the commander Reid Wisemanthe pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch And Jeremy Hansen). In fact it is the preparatory mission for the actual moon landing. The launch of SLS from Kennedy Space Center will take place this year in one of three launch windows set up by NASA (February 6-11, March 6-11, April 1-6).
Artemis III
Scheduled for 2027-2028Artemis III will see the return of humans to the Moon since the Apollo program. NASA has already announced that the mission will carry the first woman on the Moon and the first person of color. The European Space Agency, on the other hand, announced in November that the Artemis III crew will include a German astronaut.
Artemis IV
Scheduled for 2028in addition to the moon landing, Artemis IV has as its objective the assembly of an orbiting station module Lunar Gateway.
Artemis V
More will be added with the Artemis V mission two modules to the Gateway and it will be the first moon landing of the Artemis program which involves the use of a lunar rover. The mission is scheduled for 2030.
Artemis VI
Artemis VI is scheduled for release 2031 could see the end of assembly of the Lunar Gateway with the transport of the last module of the space station. A further moon landing is also expected.
Artemis VII
This mission scheduled for 2032 will see transportation to the lunar surface of the Lunar Cruisera lunar vehicle developed by the Japanese space agency with the collaboration of Toyota.
Artemis VIII
Scheduled for 2033this mission marks the beginning of the last phase of the program: Artemis VIII will in fact see the transport to the Moon of first human lunar habitat (Foundational Surface Habitat) and the first logistical infrastructures for the construction of a settlement on the Moon.
Artemis IX
The Artemis IX mission, scheduled for 2034will see the expansion of the lunar base construction.
Artemis
Artemis first long-term stay of humans on the Moon. At the moment the American space agency has not discussed any subsequent missions to the X.
The SLS rocket and the Orion capsule
For this new program a new rocket, the Space Launch Systemand a new capsule, Orion.
Space Launch System (SLS)
The Space Launch System (SLS) is a US super heavy non-reusable launch vehicle. Propulsion occurs via 2 side boosters (non-recoverable) solid propellant e 4 engines liquid propellant. The Space Launch System is currently the most powerful operational rocket and is designed to be able to carry crew and cargo to Mars in the future. The goal of SLS is to put the Orion spacecraft on a lunar trajectory.
Orion
Orion it is the spacecraft for transporting the crew into lunar orbit. It has a capacity of 4 people and, if this first Moon landing is successful, it could also be proposed again for the landing on the red planet in the future.
