NASA wants to build a base on the Moon and land astronauts there again within about two years, the space agency announced on Friday.
NASA boss Jared Isaacman shared the exciting plans at a news conference at Kennedy Space Center in the United States.
The first mission, called Artemis III, will send four astronauts – three from the US and one from Italy – into orbit around Earth next northern-hemisphere summer, to test out new Moon landers built by two different companies.
A later mission, Artemis IV, planned for 2028, will aim to land astronauts on the Moon for the first time since the Apollo missions last visited over 50 years ago.
The new Moon base will be built near the Moon’s south pole, a very different area to where the Apollo astronauts landed long ago. Robots, rovers and landers will be sent ahead to prepare the site before any astronauts arrive to stay there.
Astronauts will wear lighter, simpler spacesuits for their first Moon walks, while a more advanced suit for longer trips is being developed and tested separately.
Isaacman said the plan is partly about keeping up with other countries also working hard to explore the Moon. Astronaut Frank Rubio, who will fly on Artemis III, admitted that living on the Moon for longer periods will be “incredibly ambitious,” but he’s confident the mission will succeed.
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