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If all the pieces of the puzzle fit together, in 2024 humanity will return to the Moon. Artemis III is what the mission is called, and it will transport male and female astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft who will be tasked with setting foot on the satellite again.
If you think about it, 2024 is not that far off, so NASA really needs to step things up. While on one front you’re fighting to get the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule ready for flight, there are ground activities to think about as well.
Last week, NASA announced the start of the first stages of moonwalk training for astronauts. Using the famous Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, engineers have already started, using a demonstration version of the new spacesuits for use by astronauts, testing tools, and developing training techniques.
That basically means that before teaching astronauts what to do on the Moon, NASA first has to figure out what it needs to teach them.
“These first tests will help determine the best complement of facilities for hardware development and the requirements for future missions and Artemis training.” Daren Welsh, the extravehicular activity test lead for these Artemis readiness tests, said in a statement.
“At the same time, we will be able to gather valuable feedback on spacewalk tools and procedures that will help inform some of the mission objectives.”
It is very likely that once on the surface astronauts will have to go down and up stairs, collect soil samples, swing hammers and use a variety of other tools, walk on the moon, and of course plant another American flag on the surface.
The Artemis lunar program has 4 missions planned for the immediate future. Artemis I will launch to the Moon in 2021, unmanned, Artemis II will simply surround it with people on board in 2023, and Artemis III is the one where the actual landing will take place. Artemis IV and subsequent missions will also be able to dock with the Lunar space station that NASA calls Gateway.
