NASA returns to the Moon - and beyond | BBC Newscast
NASA's Artemis 2 mission successfully launched with four astronauts heading to orbit the moon, marking the furthest humans have traveled from Earth since 1972. The mission serves as preparation for establishing a permanent moon base and eventual Mars exploration, with the crew testing systems and conducting reconnaissance for future lunar landing sites.
Summary
NASA's Artemis 2 mission launched successfully on Wednesday night, carrying four astronauts on a journey to orbit the moon without landing. The crew includes commander Reed, pilot Victor Glover (the first Black person to travel toward the moon), Canadian Jeremy Hansen (the first non-American), and mission specialist Christina (the first woman to travel to the moon). The launch experienced some delays due to technical issues with the termination system and launch abort system, but these were resolved within 50 minutes.
The mission represents a significant shift from the politically-motivated Apollo program of the 1960s-70s to a more purposeful exploration initiative. Unlike the Cold War-era space race between the US and USSR, today's competition is primarily between the US and China, with Russia playing a diminished role. The Artemis program aims to establish permanent infrastructure on the moon, including a lunar gateway docking system and eventually a moon base at the south pole where frozen water has been discovered.
The crew is currently testing all systems aboard the Orion capsule while in Earth orbit, including life support, navigation, and communication systems. They are documenting their experience extensively through social media and real-time communication with Earth. The mission will take them to the far side of the moon, where human eyes have never directly observed the lunar surface before. This reconnaissance will help identify optimal landing sites for future missions.
The moon base concept involves utilizing lunar resources like water ice to create oxygen and hydrogen for rocket fuel, potentially using 3D printing with lunar soil for construction materials. The moon serves as both a scientific time capsule - preserving evidence of the early solar system due to lack of atmosphere and weathering - and a stepping stone to Mars exploration. NASA projects that Artemis 4 will achieve the first lunar landing around 2028, with human Mars missions potentially occurring in the late 2030s to early 2040s.
Key Insights
- Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock argues that the Artemis program represents a fundamental shift from Apollo's political motivations to purposeful exploration, stating this mission is 'going to the moon with purpose' rather than political saber rattling
- Tim Peake reveals that astronauts experience more crushing chest pressure than fighter pilots during G-forces because they lie on their backs, requiring special 'gulp breathing' techniques to avoid suffocation feelings
- Aderin-Pocock describes the moon as a 'time capsule' of the early solar system because its lack of atmosphere means anything that landed on its surface hasn't been weathered or eroded like on Earth
- Tim Peake explains the vast scale difference in space missions: the space station is 400km away (a few hours' drive), the moon is 400,000km (4-day journey), while Mars is 400 million km requiring a three-year mission
- Aderin-Pocock identifies the current space race as primarily between China and America rather than the old US-USSR competition, with Russia now playing a 'third level' role in space exploration
Topics
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