The US space agency NASA has announced that it will send the first woman and the first person of color to the moon in 2023, as part of its ambitious Artemis program. The mission, named Artemis III, will mark the first human landing on the lunar surface since 1972, and will also have some key differences from the previous Apollo missions.
NASA’s Artemis program aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by the end of the decade, and use it as a stepping stone for future exploration of Mars and beyond. The program is named after the Greek goddess of the moon and the twin sister of Apollo, the god of the sun and the name of the first lunar program.
The Artemis program will use a new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), and a new spacecraft, the Orion, to carry astronauts to the moon. The program will also involve the construction of a lunar outpost, called the Gateway, which will orbit the moon and serve as a staging point for missions to the surface and deep space.
The Artemis III mission will be the third flight of the SLS and Orion, following two uncrewed test flights, Artemis I in 2022 and Artemis II in 2023. The mission will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and will take about six days to reach the moon. The crew will consist of four astronauts, two of whom will descend to the surface in a new lander, while the other two will remain in orbit in the Orion.
A historic and diverse crew
NASA has not yet revealed the names of the Artemis III crew, but has confirmed that it will include the first woman and the first person of color to walk on the moon. The agency has said that it will select the crew from its current pool of active astronauts, which includes 18 women and 14 people of color.
The first woman and the first person of color to land on the moon will join an exclusive club of 12 men who have done so before, all of whom were white Americans. The last person to walk on the moon was Eugene Cernan, the commander of the Apollo 17 mission, who left his footprints on the lunar soil on December 14, 1972.
NASA has said that the diversity of the Artemis III crew reflects its commitment to inclusivity and equity in its workforce and its missions. The agency has also said that the mission will inspire the next generation of explorers, especially girls and children of color, who will see themselves represented in the lunar pioneers.
A different landing site and a different goal
The Artemis III mission will also differ from the previous Apollo missions in terms of its landing site and its goal. The mission will target a region near the lunar south pole, which has never been explored by humans before. The region is of scientific interest because it contains permanently shadowed craters that may harbor water ice and other resources that could be used for future exploration.
The goal of the mission is not only to land and return safely, but also to collect and analyze samples, conduct experiments, test new technologies, and demonstrate the feasibility of living and working on the moon for longer periods of time. The mission will also prepare the ground for the next phase of the Artemis program, which will involve sending more crews and more equipment to the moon, and eventually building a lunar base.
The Artemis III mission is expected to last about 10 days, of which about seven will be spent in lunar orbit and about three on the surface. The crew will spend about 24 hours on the surface, during which they will perform at least two extravehicular activities, or moonwalks, each lasting about six hours. The crew will also deploy a new rover, called the Lunar Surface Science Mobility System, which will help them explore the terrain and carry payloads.
The Artemis III mission is a bold and ambitious endeavor that will usher in a new era of lunar exploration and discovery. The mission will not only make history by sending the first woman and the first person of color to the moon, but also pave the way for the future of humanity in space.
