Washington: The US space agency has identified 13 candidate landing regions near the lunar south pole, as it prepares to send humans back to the Moon under the Artemis program in 2024.
Each region contains multiple potential landing sites for Artemis III, which will be the first of the Artemis missions to bring crew to the lunar surface, including the first woman to set foot on the Moon.
“Selecting these regions means we’re one giant step closer to returning humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo,” said Mark Kirasich, deputy associate administrator for the Campaign Development Division. Artemis.
“When we do, it will be unlike any mission that has come before, as astronauts venture into dark areas previously unexplored by humans and lay the groundwork for future long-term stays,” he said. Kirasich in a statement Friday afternoon.
Each of these regions is within six degrees of latitude of the lunar south pole, and collectively they contain several geological features.
Specific landing sites are closely tied to the timing of the launch window, so multiple regions ensure flexibility to launch year-round, NASA said.
All the regions considered are scientifically significant because of their proximity to the lunar south pole, “which is an area that contains permanently shaded regions rich in resources and in terrain unexplored by humans.”
“Several of the proposed sites within the regions are among some of the oldest parts of the Moon and, along with the permanently shadowed regions, offer an opportunity to learn about the history of the Moon through unstudied lunar materials previously,” said Sarah Noble. , Artemis Lunar Science Leader for NASA’s Planetary Science Division.
The analysis team weighed landing criteria, including the goal of landing close enough to a permanently shadowed region to allow the crew to perform a moonwalk while limiting disturbance on landing
This will allow the crew to collect samples and perform scientific analysis in an uncompromised area, providing important information about the depth, distribution and composition of the water ice that was confirmed at the Moon’s south pole.
All 13 regions contain sites that provide continuous access to sunlight for a period of 6.5 days, the expected duration of the Artemis III surface mission.
Access to sunlight is essential for a long-term stay on the Moon because it provides a source of energy and minimizes temperature variations.
Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon.
Meanwhile, NASA’s long-awaited Artemis 1 moon rocket is likely to launch in late August.
NASA has tentatively selected 3 launch dates: August 29, September 2, and September 5 for the uncrewed mission.