NASA Artemis: USA’s Space Agency believes in its commitment to sending people to the moon. With their latest and greatest lunar explorations program.
NASA hopes to learn more about the moon, through Artemis. They hope to establish a base in order to take the next ‘giant leap’ in space exploration. Manned missions to Mars.
The Artemis mission has various goals, NASA specifies these as:
- Prove the use of the latest in space technologies, capabilities, and business approaches needed for deep space exploration, including that of Mars. Ascertain American leadership in space along with a diplomatic presence on the Moon while expanding the American global economic impact.
- NASA wants to increase its private and global partnerships. The US space agency also hopes to inspire youth to participate in and pursue careers in STEM
NASA’s Lunar Dock plans:
- NASA has Lunar Dock plans to hasten the process of sending Humans to the moon, accelerating mission frequencies in the next 5 years.
- The new and powerful SLS Space launch system is going to thrust astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft to the lunar orbital Gateway that NASA plans to create in partnership with commercial partners.
- The first space launch, Artemis 1, will use the SLS and Orion spacecraft. The unmanned mission will take place in 2020 for a first test flight.
- Once the Artemis 1 test flight is successful, NASA’s consequent mission, Artemis 2 will pave the way to the orbit of the moon and make a return landing to Earth.
- NASA’s Artemis programme is an expansive space and lunar exploration programme. If all else goes as planned, Artemis 3 will take the first woman to the lunar surface along with the next man.
The Financial Dirt-holes for Artemis:
- NASA is facing huge problems when talking about the developing space programme, Artemis 1 and there is no saying when it will be ready.
- Jim Bridenstine, the NASA administrator conveyed to a Senate committee that the budget plans for Artemis won’t be ready until February 2020. This means a huge delay in the costing of Artemis missions. Consequently, a delay in the Artemis mission is bound to happen.
- The estimates of costs also depend extensively on the commercial investments that may be gained for the moon launchpad.
- Earlier cost estimates for NASA’s Artemis lunar programme came $20-30 billion over the current estimates by the USA space agency. In a later interview, the NASA Administrator backs away from the statement saying that private investments could bring the cost well under $20 Billion.
- The cost estimates for NASA’s Artemis mission will only be presentable to the US congress in the 2020 fiscal year’s budget process. This sets the date for the Artemis mission on a track for 2021 at the earliest.
