Why NASA Is Returning to the Moon
(CNN) – It’s time to go back to the moon.Almost 50 years after the last Apollo mission ventured to the lunar surface, NASA has established a program that promises to land humans on unexplored lunar regions and, eventually, the surface of Mars – and it all begins with Artemis I.It’s no coincidence that the Artemis program is named for the twin sister of Apollo from Greek mythology.
Artemis will pick up where the famed Apollo program left off in 1972 by sending crewed missions to the moon, but in a new way.Goals of the Artemis program include landing diverse crews of astronauts on the moon and exploring the shadowy lunar south pole for the first time.
The ambitious effort also aims to establish a sustained presence on the moon and create reusable systems that can enable human exploration of Mars and, perhaps, beyond.RELATED: 15 Pics To Show Why You Should Watch the Artemis Moon Rocket LaunchBut none of this is possible without first taking one big leap.
When Artemis I launches on November 16, the uncrewed mission will test every new component that will make future deep space exploration possible before humans make the journey in 2024 and 2025 aboard Artemis II and Artemis III, respectively.The mission team expects liftoff of the new Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft on Wednesday from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.After launching from Earth, Artemis I will go on a 25.5-day mission.
