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Artistic representation of NASA astronauts at the Moon South Pole, performing early work to create the Artemis Base Camp. ; | Credit: NASA
When NASA is preparing to put astronauts to the moon in the next few years, the agency thinks “how to live and operate from the ground, on other planets” especially Mars.
These comments were presented during the Virtual Artemis 4 landing site science seminar on September 10. Jacob Bleacher, NASA’s chief research scientist. Bleacher, a planets geologist who learns, has NASA’s powers “for the development of technology and architecture to explore the moon and Mars,” says his biography of his agency.
Bleacher said the Great Artemido program would eventually be sought for much longer on the moon than a short two or three -day Apollo mission from the seventies and 1970s. “In the past, we learned from Apollo to the moon, but we are really a different trajectory here,” he said. “We want to start learning to live away from the ground.”
The seminar was aimed at asking scientists and other participants in the community to help and determine the landing places of the candidates with the highest scientific potential for the “Merit Science Figures” of the community, “the agency added. Some of the factors dealt with are learning about the evolution of planets, processes that affect the lunar regolith or dust, as well as goals in areas such as solar science or physical sciences.
NASA did not follow the seminar separately. Over the past decade, scientists have a better understanding of the South Axle Basin, where Artemis astronauts will descend. This science is said to be one of the highest priorities for 2013 and in 2023. In the decadal surveys of the planets, which are essentially an agreement between the community on which space missions are preferred, among other documents, for scientific purposes.
The Artemis 4 is officially planned not earlier than 2028, although this is waiting for the progress of other missions of the Artemis program. (Perspective, NASA has not yet begun any astronauts about the program, although one crew-Moonceling Artemis 2 is preparing for the mission-only when only April 2026)
The Artemis 4 astronauts will spend six days on the lunar surface, return the lunar soil samples to the ground, collect data using astronauts’ observations and mission instruments, and carry out up to four extraravhicular activities (lunar paths) with a state of up to 1.2 miles (2 km) from the mission.
It will take some time to choose the exact landing site, although the NASA mission will be built in the Lunar South Pole, where astronauts may be accessible to ice and other critical minerals that could use future excursions.
And part of what Bleacher would want is not only the infrastructure of longer lunar missions, but also an incentive for the commercial industry to work with the agency on a long journey. He emphasized that the cost and complications of the lunar missions mean that NASA would continue to look for partners, which means US commercial partners and international agencies.
“What are we trying to understand what we – NASA, the US government – we have to implement, congratulates and encourages that partnership so that we can actually create that long -term stay on the moon, maybe even constant stay on the moon? And what really promotes the development of that lunar economy? We can give? “
As the name shows, Artemis 4 will be the fourth mission of the larger artemis program, including dozens of other nations working together in accordance with Artemis agreements to re -put astronauts’ shoes on the moon while creating an American -led deep space exploration system.
Unreasonable mission called “Artemis 1”, 2022. Flew around the moon and back again. Four astronauts seek to do the same next year 2 Artemis 2: NASA Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as the Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Another mission would be Artemide 3, currently to land on the moon. In the official NASA schedule, the target date is 2027, but this is waiting for the SpaceX Human Landing System (HLS) readiness to carry people. Artemis 4 will be another mission after that.