UNITED STATES: NASA has announced that it is on track to launch a crewed mission around the Moon in late November 2024, following the success of an unmanned test flight.
The mission is part of the Artemis program, which is a bold plan to return humans to the Moon for the first time since the end of the Apollo missions in 1972.
NASA officials recently gave an update on the Artemis program. They talked about the success of Artemis 1 and explained what Artemis 2 and 3 are supposed to do.
Artemis 1 was the first mission in the Artemis program, which wrapped up in December 2021. The mission saw an uncrewed Orion capsule travel more than 1 million miles and journey around the moon for more than 25 days.
The mission was a huge success, with the Orion capsule returning safely to Earth. The mission provided valuable data that will help NASA prepare for future Artemis missions.
Artemis 2 is scheduled to take place in late November 2024, and it will be the first crewed mission in the Artemis program. The mission will take a four-person crew around the Moon, but the crew will not land on the lunar surface.
NASA is set to reveal the members of the Artemis 2 crew later this year, and it has been announced that one of the crew members will be Canadian.
“We’re looking forward to that crew going on Artemis 2,” said NASA assistant administrator Jim Free.
“Based on what we discovered on Artemis 1, nothing is now preventing us from moving further,” he added.
Artemis 3 is scheduled to take place about 12 months after Artemis 2, and it will be the first mission in the Artemis program to see astronauts land on the south pole of the Moon.
This is a significant milestone for the Artemis program, as it will mark the first time humans have set foot on the lunar surface in over 50 years.
However, Free cautioned that there are still significant developments that need to occur before the mission can take place.
“Our objective has always been for a 12-month period, but Free noted that important advancements must take place. We’re still staying with those 12 months, but we’re always focusing on the creation of all the necessary gear.”
According to Free, products still in development include spacesuits and a lunar lander being manufactured by SpaceX. These are important parts of the Artemis program, and they must be built to the highest standards to keep the crew safe.
NASA hopes to establish a long-lasting human presence on the moon and eventually launch a trip to Mars. As part of the Artemis mission, NASA plans to send a woman and a person of colour to the Moon for the first time.
This is a significant step forward for the space agency, as only 12 people — all of them white men — have set foot on the moon. The Artemis program is an ambitious undertaking that requires a significant investment of time, money, and resources.
However, NASA is committed to making it a success, as it has the potential to unlock discoveries and push the boundaries of human exploration.
Artemis 2 and 3 are important steps in the program, and NASA is working hard to make sure they are successful.
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