NASA's Artemis mission will aim to explore the vast lunar surface after more than 50 years.
The international space agency will be doing this breakthrough challenge for the first time in hopes of venturing deeper into knowledge about the moon.
If this goes smoothly for NASA, this could be the start of another huge exploration of another planet. This time, the agency might experiment with it on Mars.
NASA Artemis Mission is Just the Beginning
(Photo : NASA from Unsplash)
NAS is inching closer to achieving its "moon to Mars" objectives through the Artemis mission.
The decade-long exploration of the moon has brought various findings to scientists. While some managed to discover unusual rock formations, others unearthed interesting stuff that once existed on its surface.
In the next few days, the Artemis program could pave the way for future crewed missions in space.
According to the BBC's report, the first step that NASA will take is to send the Space Launch System on a test flight on Sunday, Aug. 29. This gigantic rocket will fly from Florida's Kennedy Space Center, which will hint at the start of the Artemis I program.
The maiden flight will not involve any astronauts onboard. However, if this succeeds, NASA will push the crewed mission for another trip in space.
The rocket will carry the Orion spacecraft, which is designed to go to far-reaching parts of space where no humans have yet traveled. The same payload will deliver the first woman who will touch down on the moon.
NASA will have to focus on the succeeding flight since its 1972 Apollo mission. Having said that, the scientists will aim to bring more sustainability to the moon and connect the dots for a deeper solar system probe.
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'Proving Ground' For Martian Travel
Back in 2018, Jim Bridenstine, the former NASA administrator, said that the moon was a "proving ground" for the next-level space trip, particularly on the red planet.
According to Space.com, the organization has previously identified its objectives as roaming on the moon and Mars. More importantly, the astronomers wanted to expand their studies to see if living there would be feasible in the future.
Having said that, the group is keen to make the Artemis program a "stepping stone" to improve their upcoming explorations on the Martian lands.
The challenge here will be the longer trips. Compared to a three-day trip to the moon, the astronauts will need to withstand the longevity of the Mars exploration, which might last for up to 500 days.
NASA will peek into the study of "limited gravity" on this natural satellite. It will also evaluate and monitor if humans will bear its impact once they reach Mars.
With that in mind, the Artemis 1 flight will involve rigorous mapping of resources. This would mean that experts will be looking for hydrogen reserves in the icy craters of the moon.
Although it has not started yet, NASA has already set its plans to initiate the Artemis 3 program by 2025. At that time, they will deploy new technologies and check if they will work on the red planet.
NASA's current goal is to finish the Artemis I mission soon. The success of the program will dictate if humans can live on another planet outside the Earth. This is the very reason why the agency needs to pass this crucial test of fate for humanity.
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Written by Joseph Henry
