Humans have always been drawn to explore, discover, and learn as much as possible about the world—and worlds—around us. It is not always easy, but it is in our nature. For the benefit of all mankind, NASA and its partners will land the first woman and the first person of color on the surface of the moon with Artemis.
After two test missions, Artemis III, scheduled for 2025, will be the first human return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years. NASA will make history by sending the first humans to explore the region near the South Pole of the Moon.
On the way
NASA spacecraft « Orion” will be the crew that will deliver crew to and from Earth and to and from lunar orbit. Orion is the only spacecraft capable of returning crews to Earth at lunar entry speeds. During a successful mission ” Artemis I » was recently tested unique Orion’s heat shield in these extreme return conditions. Four astronauts will lift off from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Space Launch System (SLS) , the only rocket powerful enough to send Orion, its crew and their supplies to the Moon in a single launch. The crew will be drawn from the most diverse astronaut corps in history, each with unique skills and intensive training.
First, the crew will go into Earth orbit, where they will perform a system check and adjust the solar panels on Orion. Then a powerful push from intermediate cryogenic engine SLS will help Orion perform a translunar injection maneuver, setting its course to the Moon.
For several days, the crew will travel to the Moon and perform engine adjustments to intercept the Moon’s gravitational field. At the right time and place, Orion will perform a series of two engine firings to launch the spacecraft to the Moon nearly rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) . Out of hundreds of potential orbits, NASA chose NRHO to meet the long-term goals of Artemis. NRHO will provide near-constant communication with Earth and access to sites throughout the Moon. Because it is gravitationally balanced between the Earth and the Moon, this orbit maximizes fuel efficiency. During future missions, NASA and its partners will assemble the lunar space station Gateway at NRHO, which will serve as the hub for Artemis missions.
NASA chosen by SpaceX to provide a human landing system that will transport Artemis III astronauts from Orion orbit to lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon and back. SpaceX plans to use a unique concept of operations to improve the overall efficiency of its lander. After a series of tests, SpaceX will fly at least one uncrewed demonstration mission that will land a Starship on the lunar surface. When Starship meets all NASA requirements and high crew safety standards, it will be ready for its first Artemis mission.
Before launching the crew, SpaceX will launch a storage facility into Earth orbit. A series of reusable tankers will transport fuel to a storage facility for refueling the human landing system. The uncrewed Starship Human Landing System will then enter Earth orbit and rendezvous with the repository to fill its tanks before firing the translunar injection engine and heading about six days later to NRHO, where it will await the Artemis III crew.
When both spacecraft arrive at NRHO, Orion will dock with the Starship Human Landing System in preparation for the first expedition to the lunar surface in the 21st century. After the crew and their supplies are ready, two astronauts will board the Starship and two will remain in Orion. Orion will undock and move away from the Starship to remain in NRHO for about one orbit around the Moon, which will last about 6.5 days. This will match the duration of the surface expedition, so when Orion completes its orbit, the two-person surface crew will complete their work on the surface in time to return to meet the spacecraft.
NASA has targeted places around South Pole for the era of Artemis, human exploration of the moon. The extreme, contrasting conditions make it a difficult place for earthlings to land, live, and work, but the region’s unique characteristics promise unprecedented scientific discoveries in deep space. Using advanced technology, including autonomous systems, the crew of the Starship will land at a carefully selected location within a radius of 100 meters.
On the moon
After landing, the crew’s first task will be to ensure that all systems are ready for the lunar surface. They will then rest, eat and recover for the first full day of the expedition.
While on the Moon, the astronauts will perform scientific work in the Starship and conduct a series of lunar walks, leaving the Starship to explore the surface. Astronauts will put on modern spacesuits, exit through the airlock and descend on the Starship elevator. NASA chosen by Axiom Space to provide Artemis III surface suits and space access systems. These suits will give astronauts a greater range of motion and flexibility to explore more of the landscape than during previous lunar missions.
During their lunar journeys, the astronauts will take photos and videos, survey the geology, obtain samples and collect other data to achieve specific goals. scientific goals . The view from the south pole area of the Moon will be very different from photographs taken during the Apollo missions in the equatorial region of the Moon. The sun will hover above the horizon, casting long, dark shadows over the terrain, which the crew will explore using headlamps and navigational instruments. The information and materials collected by the Artemis III astronauts will improve our understanding of the mysterious South Pole region, the Moon and our Solar System.
Flight control teams on the ground will communicate with the crew as they relay what they see, hear and feel. With the reach of the mission and the ability to send high-quality images and videos to earth using advanced communications technology, they will share a new, uniquely human experience with the world.
On the way home
When their extraterrestrial expedition is complete, the two astronauts will lift off the surface of the Moon and return to NRHO on the Starship to reunite with their crewmates in Orion. After docking, the crew will spend up to five days in orbit, transferring samples between the probes and preparing for the journey back to Earth.
When they reach the optimal NRHO launch point, when all four astronauts return to Orion, they will undock and ignite Orion’s engines, launching the spacecraft past the Moon and allowing it to coast to Earth. The crew will travel about 24,855 miles (about 40,000 kilometers) per hour as they enter Earth’s atmosphere. Using 11 parachutes, the spacecraft will land in the Pacific Ocean, where it and its crew will be recovered with the support of the US Coast Guard and the US Navy.
Artemis III will be one of the most complex projects of engineering and human ingenuity in the history of deep space exploration. The astronauts’ observations, samples, and collected data will advance our understanding of our solar system and home planet, while inspiring the next generation.
This mission will mark the beginning of a future in which humans will have permanent access to the Moon and planetary exploration missions will be available. Each Artemis mission will increase our knowledge, improve our operations and test our technology in preparation for the first human mission to Mars.
Artemis III mission map
