So, We’re Going Back to the Moon?
We are! And, if NASA’s hopes and plans are met, not just “back,” but this time to stay.
What is Artemis 1?
The uncrewed Artemis 1 mission — delayed multiple times but set to launch as soon as Saturday — is the first in a series of planned missions that mark NASA’s return to the Moon. As soon as two years from now, Artemis 2 will take a crew to lunar orbit. Artemis 3 is the planned mission that will return humans to the lunar surface, landing the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon. That mission is scheduled for 2025, though many observers wonder if such an ambitious schedule can be met.
Dates and plans are likely subject to change, but the Artemis program (named for Apollo’s twin sister) is moving forward. It is the first effort to send humans to deep space since the end of Apollo in 1972, 50 years ago.
