The development of the Artemis programs will generate excitement in Cape Canaveral and Houston in the coming months. The only course initially set by the Trump administration was to return to the moon and then go to Mars. It’s very simple: it goes straight! The first goal was 2029 for the moon, and it was then brought forward four years: now, in 2025, man must set foot on our gray satellite (although the deadline may be delayed). The fact that NASA used private contractors (to build the various modules) helped make this mission somewhat complex and confusing for the general public. Especially since Donald Trump initially only hinted that there would be a return to space visits, without specifying how or why. Since then, “blocks” of information have accumulated – we’ll explain that to you – and while it may seem a little complex, the technological developments necessary for these missions to the moon and Mars are nonetheless spectacular. and fascinating. Judge for yourself!
Here’s the first Artemis crew to land on the Moon: and for the first time ever, a woman and a person of color will set foot on our satellite!
Artemis:
This is the name of the missions that are expected to bring humans back to the moon in 2025 (or later), though apparently after a series of tests that will take place over the past few years. The equipment used for these voyages and lunar exploration has its own lunar targets, but is not only designed for use on the moon: it is adapted to the planet Mars in terms of both rockets and modules. Housing and transport, exploration machines (rovers, robots), etc. Everything used on the moon is tested for exploration on Mars!
But what will they do on the moon? Transport Donald Trump there? NASA responds on its website with these three goals: “Discovery, Economic Opportunity and Inspiration for a New Generation”. They tell us… it’s a bit abstract!? Yes ! At the economic level, NASA specifies: “Artemis missions enable the growth of the lunar economy by boosting new industries, supporting job growth and strengthening the demand for skilled labour.” » And as everyone knows, if the lunar economy collapses, anything goes! A good observer will easily analyze that “growing the lunar economy” will not be very difficult!!!! Stop kidding, there could be some very useful rare metals up there, for example.
Presentation of the Artemis program at the Space Center in Houston
In any case, there’s no doubt that the “adventure-discovery” component of Artemis will be interesting, particularly when it comes to visiting the moon’s water resources and their likely exploitation. As for the third part: “Inspiring a new generation,” there is no doubt that it will work. NASA revisits its popular creativity and we can even say that it is America as a whole that is rediscovering several of its vocations: to make technological leaps and make us dream!
A station around the moon and another on it!
Compared to the Apollo programs (which were the first to put humans on the moon), there are significant innovations: instead of transporting a ship from Earth, which remains in orbit around the moon for a single mission, a station called Getaway is being built here all the time to stay in orbit around the moon (a bit like the International Station around the Earth). It is the SpaceX launch vehicle that must transport the elements into the orbit of the moon.
The future gateway station in orbit around the Moon will be built gradually. She will be more humble at first.
Once the station is in orbit, space missions can shuttle back and forth between the moon and its orbit. A habitable base should also be created on the moon. At the slightest problem in this base, the astronauts can return to their rocket placed next to it and return to the station rotating in orbit.
Artist’s picture for the future moon base: ESA /Pierre Carril)
They will ask us, “And what to do if, after an explosion, the entire moon with its base and astronauts begins to drift in space, like in the Cosmos 1999 series?” We asked NASA the question, but we’re still waiting for the answer!
Presentation of the Artemis program currently at the Houston Space Center
Camping on the moon and mars
It’s a little more than camping, but to descend and reenter the moon, establish a base there, and use exploration methods, NASA and its partners are developing a wealth of technology that can be reused on Mars. For example, although science fiction novels have been telling us about “two-legged robots” for a century, we’ve never really seen them used since then. This time it will be like this: Several types of robots – including a biped – are being developed to replace human excursions to extraterrestrial surfaces where possible. The rovers will also be new.
Presentation of a bipedal robot project at the Houston Space Center
From the Moon to Mars: Exploration Campaign
The first manned mission to Mars doesn’t have a “little name” yet — it’s currently part of the Artemis program — but is set to launch very soon: Initially, the first launch is due in the early 2030s, if any, and is ready. And of course the Artemis missions to the moon have to be successful before the Mars program can start. The equipment must indeed be in perfect condition, because for a crew so far from Earth there is no possibility of rescue or outside help: absolutely no margin for error! The journey between Earth and Mars alone should take 9 months. Then you have to wait for a good configuration between the planets to be able to start the return flight.
Presentation of missions to the planet Mars at the Houston Space Center
Even before the launch to Mars, the first samples of extraterrestrial soil must return to Earth, as several probes have already been sent there.
Mars Rover Vehicle Navigator unveiled at Cape Canaveral
Currently, an exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral shows the developments of an impressive “Mars Rover Vehicle Navigator” (MRVN) resembling those seen in science fiction films (including Lost in Space). At the Space Center in Houston, for example, new skintight suits (you only had to look at the Star Trek series to invent them!) that require much less oxygen than their predecessors are being shown in public displays. For example, still in the space center we can see how plantations are transported to Mars so that the crew can get renewable food (plants, fruits, vegetables)!
www.mars.nasa.gov
Space Launch System (SLS): the launch rocket
Since the success of the space shuttles, we’ve known that navigating real space is almost as easy as imagined in science fiction movies. The biggest difficulty remaining is escaping a planet with gravity like Earth! For this reason, technological research has not changed the fact that astronauts, as before, must sit on top of a large cylinder containing tons of fuel that burns at high speed, on the same principle developed by engineers after World War II who had done this participated by building the first rockets.
The SLS that was supposed to take the Artemis missions into space
Just a quick reminder: the rocket to put three Gugusses and a satellite into low Earth orbit can’t be the same as the one needed to transport tons of material into lunar orbit. For example, the flight from Cape Canaveral to the International Train Station today takes three hours. But for the moon… it takes three days! The SLS rockets are therefore around 100 meters high (between 98 m and 111 m) and can be supported by two launchers. They are therefore potentially 1 meter larger than the Saturn Vs used for the Apollo missions. The hull of the SLS, developed (among others) by Boeing, consists of two stages, with the first separating after deflating to lighten the remaining parts during the further journey.
The SLS rockets have been in development since 2011, when no mission was planned at that time, just “just in case.” They currently cost $2.2 billion per unit, which causes controversy because if the private space industry barely existed in 2011, companies like SpaceX have since developed heavy launch vehicles that are much cheaper than the SLS. You should know that an entire Artemis mission will cost 4.1 billion and therefore more than half of the budget goes to funding the SLS! In any case, the first test of the SLS was carried out successfully on November 16, 2022. The SLS’s next flight will be manned and carry men around the moon. And during the third, the astronauts will finally land.
The Orion ship
The Orion ship
The SLS rocket we just talked about is designed to launch objects into space. They may be satellites with interplanetary trajectories, but above all they are about the Orion ship and its voyages to the moon or to Mars.
On the one hand, Orion consists of a command module: a small habitable capsule built by Lockheed Martin that houses the crew. And on the other side there is a service module (built by the European Space Agency) that groups the equipment serving to support: propulsion, power generation, part of the life support system. There is a third element between the two parts: a 1.50 m long airlock.
Presentation of the Orion capsule currently at the Houston Space Center
The rescue tower
If you don’t know anything about missiles, you’ll ask us, “Why is that little pointed tower up there?” This is the “rescue tower.” Its usefulness: should a problem ever be detected during the launch phase (e.g. a possible explosion), this tower aims to rip out the small capsule in which the astronauts live from the rocket, them out of the rocket in a few seconds to drive danger zone. There are engines on the sides for this purpose, and the manned capsule is underneath. On the other hand, if there is no problem, the tower detaches from the SLS 3.30 minutes after launch when the rocket is no longer in the earth’s atmosphere. This very useful safety system is not new, but fortunately it has only been used successfully once, and that was in 1983 by the Soviets, when one of their Soyuz aircraft caught fire on the steps before imminent launch.
Spaceship: the lunar lander
Spaceship: the lunar lander
The Starship lander is being developed by SpaceX, which is causing the entire Artemis program to fall behind schedule. In fact, it would be difficult to go to the moon without a lander. It is intended to provide the elevator between the moon and its orbit. It can also return to Earth on its own by landing vertically. In fact, it is equipped with two types of engines: one for space flight and one for atmosphere. But – still the same problem – this 50 meter high spacecraft cannot leave Earth’s atmosphere on its own. To do this, it must be placed on a 69-meter high launch vehicle, also built by SpaceX and called Super Heavy. A kind of competitor to the SLS. Although the elements of Starship Super Heavy are reusable, they must not have exploded! However, when things spiraled out of control during a test launched from Texas in April 2023, the SpaceX company had to detonate its rocket four minutes after launch, losing all equipment and delaying the program. Another problem since the start of the launch (4 minutes before the explosion): the launch pad had already been completely destroyed by the power of the engines, the rocket had dug a crater under it and pulverized everything that was on the ground. Vicinity. Note that the SLS launch vehicle also caused unforeseen damage when it was launched from Canaveral in November: notably by shutting down the elevators in its launch tower… However, the ground installations are also set to be reused…
In any case, it may be a good idea on the part of NASA to obtain tenders from private companies, but the coordination between the various manufacturers is not optimal!
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The development of the Artemis programs will generate excitement in Cape Canaveral and Houston in the coming months. The only course initially set by the Trump administration was to return to the moon and then go to Mars. It’s very simple: it goes straight! The first goal was 2029 for the moon, and it was then brought forward four years: now, in 2025, man must set foot on our gray satellite (although the deadline may be delayed). The fact that NASA used private contractors (to build the various modules) helped make this mission somewhat complex and confusing for the general public. Especially since Donald Trump initially only hinted that there would be a return to space visits, without specifying how or why. Since then, “blocks” of information have accumulated – we’ll explain that to you – and while it may seem a little complex, the technological developments necessary for these missions to the moon and Mars are nonetheless spectacular. and fascinating. Judge for yourself!
Here’s the first Artemis crew to land on the Moon: and for the first time ever, a woman and a person of color will set foot on our satellite!
Presentation of the Artemis program at the Space Center in Houston
The future gateway station in orbit around the Moon will be built gradually. She will be more humble at first.
Artist’s picture for the future moon base: ESA /Pierre Carril)
Presentation of the Artemis program currently at the Houston Space Center
Presentation of a bipedal robot project at the Houston Space Center
Presentation of missions to the planet Mars at the Houston Space Center
Mars Rover Vehicle Navigator unveiled at Cape Canaveral
The SLS that was supposed to take the Artemis missions into space
The Orion ship
Presentation of the Orion capsule currently at the Houston Space Center
Spaceship: the lunar lander
