Exploration of the Red Planet truly began on July 6, 1997 when NASA’s Sojourner rover touched on Mars. Since then, our curiosity has only expanded and we are ready to take the next step. NASA has set an ambitious goal to land humans on Mars by the 2030’s and is well on it’s way to achieving the impossible yet again. This pioneering mission, named Artemis, was named after Apollo’s twin sister, just like this mission will be twin to the successful Apollo landings. 

The Artemis mission consists of several different check points. First, we must land humans on the Moon yet again. Doing this is a crucial test to ensure that we are truly prepared for what will come on Mars. For this section of the mission, astronauts will rely on the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion capsule to get them into orbit and onto the Lunar surface. 

SLS marks a new era in spaceflight with a never before seen power capability. With inputs from over 1,000 companies across the United States, it’s the only rocket that can achieve this landing through a single mission. 

The Orion capsule will safely deliver the astronauts to the Lunar Gateway (a station orbiting the Moon) where they could then land on the Lunar surface. However, recent complications with time and budget issues have encouraged NASA to cut out this portion of the mission. The Lunar Gateway will no longer be a part of the Artemis missions. However, there is still a large possibility that the idea has not died out yet. Alterations to the plan have not yet been announced, but it’s safe to assume that it will be a simpler version of landing on the Moon. This landing is set to occur somewhere near 2024 and if the project remains on schedule, we could make history again very soon. 

After we have landed the first woman and the next man on our satellite, NASA is looking toward the Red Planet next. The Lunar landing will be used to test out some technology and prepare us on our voyage to the Red Planet. 

The next few years are packed with exciting advancements, and it won’t be long before humans will set foot on another planet.

Resources

NASA