But why are we going back to the Moon anyway? We’ve been there, right?
Our understanding of the Moon today is vastly different from that during the age of Apollo. Once thought to be bone-dry, scientists have found that the Moon has vast deposits of water ice, especially at the south pole, near which Artemis 3 is set to land. There, water ice has accumulated for billions of years from a variety of sources, kept stable in permanently shadowed regions (PSRs). Yet on the rim of some craters in the polar region, the sun shines nearly constantly. It’s the perfect combination of power for solar panels and water for drinking, making oxygen and making rocket fuel. In 2024, NASA will send a rover called VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) to that region to scout out what will surely be a dramatic landscape.
Finding water on the Moon has the potential to be a game-changer. NASA’s current mantra for crewed exploration is “Moon to Mars.” By utilizing water ice on the Moon, NASA hopes to learn how to “live off the land” in an environment with a lot of radiation, vast differences in temperature, nasty dust, and more — training ground for living on Mars.
Some are advocating astronauts settle down in lunar lava pits, shielded from many of those hazards. It would be high-tech return to our species’ cave-dwelling roots as we plan forays to the Red Planet, perhaps fueled by lunar ice turned into rocket fuel.
But NASA’s goals aren’t just settlement — they’re also scientific. The Moon’s water harbors clues to the ancient past of our solar system and the surface offers places for special kinds of work. The far side is perfect for radio astronomy. Shielded from the Earth, it’s very, very quiet there.
NASA is not alone in this Moon rush. Private companies are sending robotic missions. And Russia and China are collaborating on plans for a Moon base and space station. China is pushing ahead, having demonstrated real chops at developing a serious program of space exploration. It’s not quite the Cold War, but it’s gotten Washington’s attention.
How are we doing this?
With rockets, of course!
But seriously, NASA is partnering with other countries and agencies, most notably ESA, whose service module for Orion serves as the spacecraft’s power and support vehicle. NASA is touting its global partnerships, and multiple countries have signed the Artemis Accords, pledging cooperation and careful stewardship of the Moon and space environment.
Not everyone thinks it’s enough to prevent overexploitation, unnecessary scarring of an ancient world or even conflict and hostilities with other players. A lot of policy and legal reflection is underway.
Advocates believe Artemis can be our first baby steps — if not giant leaps — in becoming a multi-planetary species while also benefiting our home world through innovation and perhaps even showing us more cooperative ways of living together.
How can I follow the mission?
That’s the easiest question of all. Your best bet is NASA TV, which will begin coverage a couple of hours ahead of the first launch window. You can find it on NASA’s website and on YouTube. NASA will also cover Orion’s first outbound trajectory burn later that night; a full schedule of the planned programming is on NASA’s site.