Artemis – the US lunar return program

Half a century after NASA sent humans to the moon as part of the Apollo program, the U.S. space agency has named a mission that will put a human foot on the surface of the Silver Globe again. The manned mission to the moon, planned for 2024, will be called Artemis and will involve a woman.

So far, only 12 CARs have walked on the moonób. All were male. The new Artemis mission is to have a specially reserved seat for a woman. The name of the program itself is also a nod to the fairer sex. Artemis in Greek mythology is the sister of Apollo, whoórego was named after a program of successful manned missions to the moon.

– Apollo had a twin sister – Artemis. It just so happens to be a moon goddess – said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine at a press conference, at which heórej presented the name of the manned lunar mission. – We have highly qualified astronautsów and I think it’s very beautiful that 50 years after Apollo, the Artemis program will carry the first woman to the Moon – he added.

The Artemis program is to use a Space Launch System heavy lift rocket, whichóra has been in development since 2011 and its first launch is scheduled for next year, as well as being under testóIn the Orion manned spacecraft. There was also earlier talk of using the Gateway space station, whichóra is to be placed in orbit wokóMoon, but this one currently remains in the early design phase.

The program began with Donald Trump’s 2017 directive that theórej has ordered the returnót American astronautów on the Moon. Two years póLater, in March 2019., Vice President Mike Pence announced a 2024 deadline for humans to land on the Silver Globe again. President Trump even changed the budget assumptions by giving NASA an additional $1.6 billion for this purposeów.

– The president has given our agency a sizable financial boost to send another crew, including the first woman, to the Moon’s South Pole by 2024. This includes an additional $1.6 billionóin funding. Among other things, this will allow us to speed up the development of theój Space Launch System rocket and Orion vehicle. The funds will also allow to support the development of the systemóin landing – admitted Bridenstine.

Because of the Artemis program, financial support for the permanent presence of American astronautsóin space, about whichórej also móThe decision, made by Vice President Pence, has been postponed until 2028.

Despite hype announcements, many expertów doubts that the mission in ogóle will come to fruition. Meeting the ambitious schedule borders on a miracle, especially given the huge opóSLS rocket development delays and the fact that Congress has not yet signed an increased budget for the agency and it is unclear when it will do so.