By Brooke Edwards
Have you seen the Moon in the night sky lately? Soon you’ll be able to look up and realize there are humans on its surface. This will be the result of NASA’s ambitious Artemis program, which will once again send humans to the Moon, including the first woman and a person of color.
Artemis I will be the first test run of the SLS (Space Launch System) and the Orion Crew Capsule, though the only crew member on this first mission will be astronaut Snoopy, who “flew” most recently as a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. No launch date has been set as of this writing, but NASA plans to launch Artemis I in either March or April.
To coincide with this first Moon mission, a new season of “Snoopy in Space” will launch this spring on AppleTV+ and Peanuts and GoNoodle will partner to produce short videos and curriculum for students.
The SLS is currently the most powerful human launch system and the only one capable of getting astronauts to the moon. Artemis I is a test flight to prove SLS is safe and reliable enough to transport humans.
Artemis I will go around the Moon and return to Earth. To get there, the Orion Crew Capsule will launch on top of a powerful rocket. Once in space, Orion will separate from the rocket and deploy solar arrays to give it a boost. On board Orion is an Interim Cryogenic Propulsion System (ICPS), which, in simple terms, is a system that will give Orion the boost to escape Earth orbit and head toward the Moon. The European Space Agency (ESA) has provided a service module for Orion which not only stores water and oxygen, but also gives propulsion. Both components will help Orion get to its destination and return to Earth, where it will splash down in the Pacific Ocean.
Once Artemis I is successfully completed, Artemis II planning will commence, This will be a crewed flight around the Moon in 2024. Artemis III will be the long-awaited event that returns humans to the lunar surface. The first of its kind since 1972, the mission will use a human lander to send astronauts down to the surface, as Orion orbits the Moon. This mission will take place no earlier than 2025.
Missions to follow will support the ambitious plan of a long-term human presence on the Moon and in lunar orbit. The first step of Artemis IV will be constructing the Gateway, a small space station orbiting the moon. Crews visiting the lunar surface will first fly to the Gateway in the Orion Crew Capsule. Once docked, astronauts heading to the lunar surface will board a SpaceX Starship, which will ferry them down and back again. With huge plans, little time, and a tight budget, NASA has partnered with private space companies like SpaceX to help keep the goals of Artemis moving forward.
The goal of returning to the Moon, and eventually sending humans to Mars, is also an international cooperation between NASA, Canada’s Space Agency, ESA, and JAXA (Japan’s Space Agency). While a Canadian is expected to fly on Artemis II, (no crew members have been selected yet), astronauts from the four agencies will fly on Artemis missions.
As humanity expands into space, our efforts are going to require worldwide cooperation. As we visit Mars and eventually beyond, countries will have to set aside their differences to work together on common goals. Until that time comes, Artemis will help here on Earth by creating economic growth and jobs, advancing science and technology, and even finding answers to common medical problems.
By the end of this year, we will be seeing a glimpse of our lunar future. Perhaps someone close to us will be making that journey someday. The universe is huge, and we have only begun to explore.
Brooke Edwards is a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador. She lives in Manistee and has given area presentations and hosted night-sky viewings at Fifth Avenue beach. Follow her on Instagram @brooke_of_stars
