Mission Artemis- Talk of the Town

Hello everyone! Welcome to today's blog! Today we will be talking about NASA’s latest and most talked about mission, Artemis, and what NASA’s plans are for the future.  

As each day, week, month, and year go by, NASA has been building up such strong plans and missions for the future. On May 14, 2019, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine had publicly announced the start of the Artemis mission. Artemis was named after the goddess of the Moon in Greek mythology who is also known to be Apollo’s twin sister. The end goal of this mission is to reestablish human presence/life on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972 and with the help of life on the Moon, NASA will be able to send humans to Mars. 

The Artemis Program is a collaboration of government space agencies and private spaceflight companies such as the European Space Agency as well as agencies from Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Biden seeks a budget of $27.2 billion for this mission and according to the budget details, The White House has requested $500 million more for Artemis than the program received from Congress at the start of 2023. 

The mission overall has many major hardware components. Some include the Space Launch System (SLS), Orion spacecraft, Lunar Gateway space station and the commercial Human Landing Systems. 

With the help of these many different space agencies, private spaceflight companies, and the spectacular scientists at NASA, NASA will yet again change our lives and take another big step forward in space exploration. 

One of the key aspects of the Artemis program is the development of innovative technologies to support lunar exploration. For example, Toyota is building a lunar rover for the Artemis III mission, which will allow astronauts to explore previously inaccessible areas of the Moon.

Additionally, NASA has invited the public to design navigation technologies for the Artemis missions, fostering collaboration and innovation.

The Future of Artemis

The Artemis program is not just about returning to the Moon; it is about establishing a long-term presence there. NASA plans to build the Lunar Gateway, a space station that will orbit the Moon and serve as a staging point for lunar missions. This gateway will enable sustainable exploration and provide a platform for scientific research and international collaboration.

Mission Artemis represents a bold step forward in human space exploration. By returning to the Moon and establishing a sustainable presence, we are not only advancing our understanding of the lunar environment but also preparing for the next giant leap: sending humans to Mars. The Artemis program is a testament to human ingenuity and the spirit of exploration, and it promises to inspire generations to come.

Stay Curious, Stay Current

-Eishita Singh