When NASA sends astronauts to the
surface of the Moon in 2024, it will be the first time outside of watching
historical footage most people witness humans walking on another planetary
body. Building on these footsteps, future robotic and human explorers will put
in place infrastructure for a long-term sustainable presence on the Moon.
NASA
recently proposed a plan to go from limited, short-term Apollo-era exploration
of the 1960s, to a 21st Century plan in a report to the National Space Council.
With the Artemis program, we will explore more of the Moon than ever before to
make the next giant leap – sending astronauts to Mars.
“After 20 years of continuously
living in low-Earth orbit, we’re now ready for the next great challenge of
space exploration – the development of a sustained presence on and around the
Moon,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “For years to come, Artemis
will serve as our North Staras we continue to work toward even greater
exploration of the Moon, where we will demonstrate key elements needed for the
first human mission to Mars.”
On the surface, the core elements
for a sustained presence would include an emphasis on mobility to allow
astronauts to explore more of the Moon and conduct more science:
·
A lunar terrain vehicle or LTV, would transport crew around the
landing zone
·
The habitable mobility platform would enable
crews to take trips across the Moon lasting up to 45 days
·
A lunar foundation surface habitat would house as many
as four crew members on shorter surface stays
Astronauts
working on the lunar surface also could test advanced robotics, as well as a
wide set of new technologies identified in the Lunar Surface
Innovation Initiative, focusing on tech development in the areas such as of
in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and power systems. Rovers will carry a
variety of instruments including ISRU experiments that will generate
information on the availability and extraction of usable resources (e.g.,
oxygen and water). Advancing these technologies could enable the production of
fuel, water, and/or oxygen from local materials, enabling sustainable surface
operations with decreasing supply needs from Earth.
Another key
difference from Apollo and Artemis will be use of the Gateway in lunar orbit, built with
commercial and international partners. The lunar outpost will serve as a
command and control module for surface expeditions and an office and home for
astronauts away from Earth. Operating autonomously when crew is not present, it
also will be a platform for new science and
technology demonstrations around the Moon.
Over time, NASA and its partners
will enhance the lunar Gateway’s habitation capabilities and related life
support systems. Adding a large-volume deep space habitation element would
allow astronauts to test capabilities around the Moon for long-duration deep
space missions.
While the
goal of Apollo was to land the first humans on the Moon, the Artemis program
will use the Moon as a testbed for crewed exploration farther into the solar
system, beginning with Mars. This is America’s Moon to Mars space exploration approach. A
proposed multi-month split-crew operation at the Gateway and on the lunar
surface would test the agency’s concept for a human mission to the Red Planet.
For such a mission, NASA envisions a
four-person crew traveling to the Gateway and living aboard the outpost for a
multi-month stay to simulate the outbound trip to Mars. Later, two crew members
would travel to the lunar surface and explore with the habitable mobility
platform, while the remaining two astronauts stay aboard Gateway. The four crew
members are later reunited aboard the lunar outpost for another multi-month
stay, simulating the return trip to Earth. This mission would be the longest
duration human deep space mission in history and would be the first operational
test of the readiness of our deep-space systems.
The report
also highlights a robotic return to the surface beginning next year for
scientific discovery. The Moon is a natural laboratory to study planetary
processes and evolution, and a platform from which to observe the universe.
NASA will send dozens of new science instruments and technology demonstrations
to the Moon with its Commercial Lunar
Payload Services initiative. Some of these robotic precursors,
including the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover or VIPER, will study the terrain, and metal
and ice resources at the lunar South Pole.
The Space Launch System rocket,
Orion spacecraft, human landing systems and modern spacesuits will round out
the agency’s deep space systems. As part of the Artemis III mission, the first
human expedition back on the Moon will last approximately seven days. NASA
plans to send Artemis Generation astronauts on increasingly longer missions
about once per year thereafter.
With strong support in NASA, America and its
partners will test new technologies and reduce exploration costs over time.
Supporting infrastructure including power, radiation shielding, a landing pad,
as well as waste disposal and storage could be built up in the coming decades,
too.
“The U.S. is still the only nation
to have successfully landed humans on the Moon and spacecraft on the surface of
Mars,” the report states. “As other nations increasingly move out into space,
American leadership is now called for to lead the next phase of humanity’s
quest to open up the future to endless discovery and growth.”
Full report:
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/a_sustained_lunar_presence_nspc_report4220final.pdf
Infographic showing the evolution of
lunar activities on the surface and in orbit.
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