The Artemis Program, established in 2017, aims to return humans to the Moon and eventually establish a permanent base to support missions to Mars. It involves key elements like the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System, Lunar Gateway, and Human Landing System.
Apollo's Lunar Module was designed for a single return journey to the Moon's surface, marking the historic first human landing on the Moon by Apollo 11 mission.
Artemis III, currently planned for September 2026, will mark humanity's first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years. This mission is a significant milestone in NASA's Artemis program.
President Barack Obama announced the cancellation of the non-Orion elements of the Constellation program at the Kennedy Space Center. This decision led to the proposal of additional funding and the development of a new heavy-lift rocket program for future space missions.
President Obama signed into law the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, which included the immediate development of the Space Launch System and continued development of a Crew Exploration Vehicle for missions beyond low Earth orbit. This act also invested in space technologies and robotics capabilities tied to the overall space exploration framework.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to re-establish the National Space Council, chaired by Vice-President Mike Pence. This action demonstrated the administration's commitment to space exploration and development of human spaceflight programs.
The Space Launch System generated 8.8 million pounds of thrust on liftoff, making it 1.3 million pounds more powerful than the Saturn V rocket used in the Apollo missions.
On December 11, 2017, President Trump signed Space Policy Directive 1, initiating a change in national space policy to lead an integrated program for a human return to the Moon and missions to Mars and beyond.
On March 26, 2019, Vice President Mike Pence announced the acceleration of NASA's Moon landing goal by four years, with a planned landing in 2024.
On May 14, 2019, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced that the new program would be named Artemis, after the goddess of the Moon in Greek mythology.
On 31 May 2019, three companies were awarded lander contracts: Astrobotic Technology, Intuitive Machines, and OrbitBeyond.
On 29 July 2019, NASA announced that it had granted OrbitBeyond's request to be released from obligations under the contract citing 'internal corporate challenges'.
On 10 January 2020, NASA's 22nd astronaut group, nicknamed the 'Turtles', graduated and were assigned to the Artemis program. The group includes two Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronauts and may be part of the first crew to fly to Mars.
On 30 April 2020, NASA announced that the Gateway station, a key to NASA's vision for a 'sustainable' crew presence on or near the Moon, was declared optional in mission planning. Originally intended to be in position near the Moon for the Artemis 3 mission in 2024, the Gateway will no longer be part of the Artemis 3 mission, but NASA is not backing away from the program.
The Trump administration was reported to be drafting a new international agreement outlining the laws for mining on the Moon, as per Reuters.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine officially announced the Artemis Accords, consisting of a series of bilateral agreements between the governments of participating nations in the Artemis program.
The Artemis Accords were signed by the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates on this date.
Orion spacecraft performed a burn on Day 16 to exit distant retrograde lunar orbit, sending it back towards the Moon for another flyby approximately 128 km above the Moon's surface.
The first flight-worthy Orion crew module was due to be launched on 30 November 2020 as part of the Artemis program.
On 9 December 2020, Vice President Mike Pence announced the first group of 18 astronauts, the 1st Artemis team, who could be selected as astronauts for early missions of the Artemis program. The group includes 9 male and 9 female astronauts from different backgrounds.
Artemis 1 spacecraft, including the SLS and Orion, used the Moon's gravity to slingshot back toward Earth and successfully landed in the Pacific Ocean on December 11, 2020.
Artemis is a NASA program that aims to return humans to the Moon and eventually land astronauts on Mars.
On April 16, 2021, NASA contracted SpaceX to develop, manufacture, and fly two lunar landing flights with the Starship HLS lunar lander.
NASA is addressing safety challenges for Artemis II, including troubleshooting a battery issue and addressing challenges with a circuitry component responsible for air ventilation and temperature control. These efforts are crucial to ensure the success of the mission and the safety of the crew.
On 23 June 2021, Masten Space Systems announced it was delayed until November 2023 due to the COVID pandemic and industry-wide supply chain issues.
On September 25, 2021, NASA released its first digital, interactive graphic novel, 'First Woman: NASA's Promise for Humanity', in celebration of National Comic Book Day.
During the Artemis I mission, a camera on the tip of Orion's solar array captured the uncrewed Orion capsule and the far side of the Moon six days into the mission.
On day 13 of the Artemis I mission, the Orion spacecraft captured an image showing both Earth and the Moon as it reached its maximum distance from Earth.
On November 15, 2021, an audit of NASA's Office of Inspector General estimated the true cost of the Artemis program at about $93 billion until 2025.
On Day 6 of its mission (21 November), Orion reached and performed a flyby of the Moon, flying approximately 130 kilometres above its surface.
Weather delays due to Hurricane Ian forced NASA managers to reschedule the launch window for Artemis 1 to a period between 23 September and 4 October, reflecting the impact of external factors on space missions.
A fuel supply line leak in a quick disconnect arm on a ground tail service mast caused a delay in the launch of Artemis 1, leading to further adjustments in the launch schedule. This incident showcased the technical complexities involved in space missions.
Artemis 1, formerly known as Exploration Mission-1, was an uncrewed mission that occurred in November-December 2022. It served as an extensive test of the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion module. The mission included orbiting the Moon and venturing into deep space before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean near California.
The Artemis 1 mission, with robots and mannequins aboard, was launched on 16 November 2022 as part of the Artemis program.
The Orion spacecraft captures a portion of the far side of the Moon in a photograph taken on 21 November.
During an Artemis 1 livestream on Nov. 28, 2022, the Orion spacecraft takes a photograph of Earth and the Moon using a camera on one of its solar arrays.
The Orion spacecraft successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 12:40pm EST on December 11, 2022, concluding its 25.5 day mission.
NASA announced the Artemis program, aiming to send astronauts back to the moon and one step closer to Mars.
NASA and its partners plan to land the first woman and first person of color on the surface of the Moon with Artemis III, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
NASA made an announcement on April 3, 2023, regarding the Artemis mission to return humans to the moon.
NASA announced an additional contract to Blue Origin to develop a second crewed lunar lander, which will make its first crewed flight as part of the Artemis 5 mission. The Blue Moon lander is smaller than the SpaceX HLS lander, with 20 tons of payload capacity and fueled with a combination of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants.
A report published on December 2, 2023, indicated that the Artemis III moon landing is likely to be delayed by several years. The Artemis I test flight is a crucial part of NASA's plan to return humans to the Moon, and the delay in the first two missions is expected to impact the timeline for the Artemis III launch.
The delay in the Artemis missions is primarily due to safety concerns and technical issues with the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion capsule. The delay has been announced to ensure crew safety and resolve battery and circuitry issues.
NASA's deputy associate administrator of Exploration Systems Development emphasized the importance of crew safety and the need for all partners to deliver on time for the Artemis program. The program aims to conduct science at the Moon with astronauts and prepare for future human missions to Mars.
Engineers showcased the launch arrangement within a full-scale model of the Orion spacecraft, providing insights into the spacecraft's capabilities and functionality.
The Artemis III mission will mark humanity's return to the lunar surface, with NASA making history by sending the first humans to the lunar South Pole region. It is part of NASA's Artemis program, aiming to expand our understanding of the solar system and home planet, and prepare for future human planetary exploration missions.
NASA conducted an integrated ground systems test for the Artemis II crew at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The test aimed to assess the crew timeline for launch day.