NASA Artemis Moon missions

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NASA’s Artemis Program: Returning Humanity to the Moon
NASA’s Artemis program represents one of the most ambitious undertakings in modern space exploration. Named after the Greek goddess of the Moon and twin sister of Apollo, Artemis is the United States' flagship initiative to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 70s. But Artemis is more than just a return; it’s a leap forward—aiming to establish a sustainable presence on and around the Moon, paving the way for human missions to Mars and beyond.

Background and Vision

The Artemis program was formally announced in 2017 and fully outlined in 2019, underlining a renewed national and international commitment to lunar exploration. The core objective of Artemis is to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, marking a new chapter in space history that reflects diversity and global cooperation.
Unlike Apollo, which was driven by Cold War competition, Artemis is about science, sustainability, and partnership. NASA’s long-term goal is to develop a robust lunar economy and test the technologies necessary for long-duration missions deeper into the solar system.

The Three Core Missions

The Artemis program is structured in a series of missions, with three main phases currently planned and more to come:

Artemis I: Testing the Waters

Launched on November 16, 2022, Artemis I was an uncrewed mission designed to test NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft. It orbited the Moon before returning to Earth after a 25.5-day journey, splashing down successfully in the Pacific Ocean on December 11, 2022.
Artemis I was crucial in proving that the integrated systems—Orion’s heat shield, communication, navigation, and life-support systems—were ready to carry humans. The mission traveled over 1.4 million miles, reaching a maximum distance from Earth farther than any spacecraft built for humans had ever traveled.

Artemis II: The First Crewed Mission

Scheduled for September 2025, Artemis II will carry four astronauts—including the first woman and Canadian astronaut—to orbit the Moon. This 10-day mission will not land on the surface but will test Orion’s life-support systems and the crew’s ability to navigate deep space.
The Artemis II trajectory includes a lunar flyby that will bring the crew about 8,889 kilometers (5,523 miles) from the Moon’s surface. This mission will be the first time humans venture beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. It will be a key precursor to the lunar landing planned for Artemis III.

Artemis III: Humanity Returns to the Lunar Surface

Planned