In what can be termed as the next chapter of human space exploration, NASA is all set to embark on a human mission to the moon, 50 years after its first successful moon mission.
Earlier in March 2019, the Trump administration had urged NASA to accelerate its latest moon-landing plans by four years to 2024. The request came a few months ahead of the 50th anniversary of the first lunar footsteps by Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
NASA has named the program Artemis after Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology and promises the first moonwalking team will include a woman.
The pair would land on the lunar south pole, where vast reserves of frozen water could be tapped for future explorers. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine — who's pushing Artemis every chance he gets — stresses the goal is sustainability this time around, with the moon serving as a critical training ground for Mars expeditions, perhaps in the 2030s.
Interestingly, the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) efforts of soft landing on moon's South Pole failed after lander Vikram lost contact with Chandrayaan-2. All eyes are now on NASA, especially when it says that this will be a mission which will be capable of landing on any surface.
Indiatvnews.com brings to you highlights of NASA's plan to stay on the moon till 2024.
Highlights of NASA's moon 2024 mission:
- NASA says this time they have the capability to land anywhere on the moon
- NASA will send its astronauts to the moon to stay by 2024
- NASA has named the program Artemis after Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology
- The new moon mission to have much more payload than ever
- NASA is developing a rocket that it says is the most powerful
- NASA has named it SLS - Space Launch System
- This system is developed to the needs of deep space
- This will be a human mission
- The lander on the mission will be capable of landing anywhere on the moon's surface
- NASA calls it the next chapter of human space exploration
More details on NASA's moon 2024 mission:
NASA’s replacement for the Apollo-era Saturn V rocket — the Space Launch System or SLS — is still in development. Its launch debut has slipped repeatedly and, according to Bowersox, will now occur no earlier than the end of next year. This initial test flight will send an Orion capsule around the moon with no one on board.
The space agency still needs to come up with new lunar landers, rovers and spacesuits.
VIDEO: NASA's moon 2024 mission
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