NASA recently discussed its plans with the Artemis program. The space agency will explore more of the Moon, and it will develop missions to Mars. Two decades of continuously living in low-Earth orbit have passed, and NASA’s next projects seem to follow their finally their well-deserved course.
The work for a sustained presence on and around the Moon is what NASA needs to focus from now on. Jim Bridenstine, NASA’s Administrator, stated: “Artemis will serve as our North Star as we continue to work toward even greater exploration of the Moon, where we will demonstrate key elements needed for the first human mission to Mars.”
NASA is Ready for the Next Significant Challenge of Space Exploration
A lunar base surface environment would host up to four crew members on shorter visits. On the surface, the essential elements for a sustained presence would comprise an emphasis on movement. Astronauts would be allowed to explore the Moon more. They would be transported around with an LTV (lunar terrain vehicle).
Their work would include tests on advanced robotics and tech development in the places such as ISRU (in-situ resource utilization) and power systems. Moreover, rovers will transport lots of tools such as ISRU experiments that will provide information on the extraction and the availability of useful resources (oxygen and water).
More About NASA’s Plans
Advancing the before-mentioned things could allow the development of water, fuel, or oxygen from local materials. The supplies needed from Earth would significantly decrease as sustainable surface operations increase.
The Artemis program, unlike the Apollo one, will utilize the Moon as a testbed for astronauts’ exploration of Mars. This project is America’s first Moon to Mars space exploration mission. For such a task, NASA requires a four-person crew exploration to the Moon and gather enough information from there to finally reach Mars.
