ABOUT ARTEMIS MISSION
- The Artemis mission, initiated by NASA, represents a monumental step in the exploration of space and the broader vision of humanity’s quest for knowledge and progress.
- Named after the Greek goddess of the moon, Artemis aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface, establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, and pave the way for future missions to Mars and beyond.
- NASA’s ARTEMIS (Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of Moon’s Interaction with the Sun)mission is touted as the next generation of lunar exploration and is named after the ‘goddess of the moon’.
- It is a robotic and human Moon exploration programme led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States, with the involvement of other government space agencies and private spaceflight companies bound together by the Artemis Accords.
- What is the ARTEMIS Mission?
- A Historic Endeavor: The ARTEMIS mission, short for “Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun,” represents a collaborative effort between NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and a team of dedicated scientists and engineers. Launched with the primary objective of studying the Moon’s interaction with the solar wind, this mission is set to revolutionize our understanding of our celestial neighbor.
- Exploring the Moon’s Magnetosphere: One of the central focuses of the ARTEMIS mission is to explore the Moon’s magnetosphere. This unique region, influenced by the Moon’s feeble magnetic field, interacts with the charged particles of the solar wind. By analyzing this interaction, scientists hope to gain crucial insights into the fundamental processes that govern celestial bodies’ magnetic fields.
- Twin Spacecraft Approach: To accomplish this monumental task, the ARTEMIS mission employs a twin spacecraft approach. ARTEMIS-P1 and ARTEMIS-P2, repurposed from previous lunar missions, work in tandem to provide a comprehensive view of the Moon’s interaction with the solar wind from two different vantage points. This dual perspective allows scientists to capture a more complete and detailed picture of the lunar environment.
Artemis Programme at a Glance
- With the Artemis programme, NASA aims to land humans on the moon by 2024 and land the first woman and first person of colour on the moon.
- NASA will establish an Artemis Base Camp on the surface and a gateway in lunar orbit to aid exploration by robots and astronauts.
- The gateway is an important multi-purpose lunar outpost orbiting the moon for NASA’s sustainable lunar operations.
- Other space agencies are also involved in the Artemis programme. For example,
- Canadian Space Agency, providing advanced robotics for the gateway
- European Space Agency, providing the International Habitat and the ESPRIT module, which will deliver additional communications capabilities among other things.
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, contributing habitation components and logistics resupply.
- Significance of the ARTEMIS Mission
- Pioneering Lunar Science: The ARTEMIS mission is not just another lunar exploration endeavor; it represents a leap forward in lunar science. By studying the Moon’s interaction with the solar wind, scientists aim to unlock the secrets of lunar magnetic anomalies, how they affect the lunar surface, and their potential implications for future lunar exploration and colonization.
- Enabling Future Missions: Beyond expanding our scientific knowledge, the data collected by the ARTEMIS mission is instrumental in planning and executing future lunar missions. Understanding the lunar environment and its potential hazards is vital for ensuring the safety and success of upcoming endeavors, including Artemis III, NASA’s mission to land “the first woman and the next man” on the Moon.
- Earth and Space Weather: The ARTEMIS mission’s findings also have broader implications. By shedding light on the complex interactions between celestial bodies and the solar wind, scientists can improve our understanding of space weather and its impact on Earth. This knowledge is essential for safeguarding our technological infrastructure and ensuring the safety of astronauts on long-duration missions beyond Earth’s protective atmosphere.
Key Points of Artemis I Mission
- Artemis I is an uncrewed space mission and the first integrated flight test of NASA’s Deep Space Exploration Systems:
- Orion spacecraft: Orion spacecraft remained in space without docking to a space station, longer than any ship for astronauts has ever done before.
- Space Launch System (SLS) rocket: It is the most powerful rocket in the world and travels 2,80,000 miles from the earth for over four to six weeks during the course of the mission.
- Newly upgraded Exploration Ground Systems at Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
- In addition to Orion, SLS carried 10 small satellites that will perform their own science and technology investigations. SLS and Orion were launched in 2022.
- The primary goal is to assure a safe crew module entry, descent, splashdown and recovery.
- The mission will end with the Orion spacecraft’s ability to return safely to the earth.
Importance of Artemis Mission
- Renewed Lunar Exploration: Artemis marks humanity’s return to the Moon after nearly five decades since the Apollo missions. This resurgence of lunar exploration reflects our enduring curiosity about the cosmos.
- Gateway to Mars: The Moon serves as a testing ground for technologies, strategies, and scientific investigations that are crucial for future missions to Mars and other deep-space destinations.
- International Collaboration: Artemis emphasizes international collaboration, with NASA partnering with space agencies like the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and others. This collaborative approach fosters peaceful cooperation in space exploration.
Goals of the Artemis Mission
- Sustainable Lunar Presence: Artemis seeks to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by 2024. This presence will involve extended missions, lunar habitats, and resource utilization.
- Scientific Exploration: The mission aims to expand our understanding of the Moon’s geology, resource potential, and its role in the history of the solar system.
- Innovation: Artemis encourages the development of cutting-edge technologies, such as the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft, which will have applications in future space endeavors.
Future Missions in the Artemis Programme
- Artemis 2 will have crew on board and will test Orion’s critical systems with humans onboard.
- Eventually, the learnings from the Artemis programme will be utilised to send the first astronauts to Mars.
- NASA plans on using the lunar orbit to gain the necessary experience to extend human exploration of space farther into the solar system.
| Brief History of Moon Exploration | ||
| Exploration Mission | Year/Time Period | Mission Information |
| Luna 1 and 2 | 1959 | The Soviet Union’s uncrewed Luna 1 and 2 became the first rover to visit the Moon. |
| Apollo 11 and others | 1961-1968 | US began trying to put people in space as early as 1961. It sent three classes of robotic missions to the moon between 1961 and 1968. Eight years later in 1969, Neil Armstrong along with Edwin Aldrin became the first human to step on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission. After 1969, 12 American astronauts walked on the surface of the Moon until 1972. |
| Clementine & Lunar Prospector | 1990s | In the 1990s, the USA resumed lunar exploration with robotic missions Clementine and Lunar Prospector. |
| Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) & LCROSS | 2009 | USA began a new series of robotic lunar missions with the launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS). |
| ARTEMIS | 2011 | NASA began the ARTEMIS Mission. |
| Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) | 2012 | Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft in NASA’s Discovery Program studied the Moon’s gravity. |
| Other International Missions Apart from the USA, the European Space Agency, Japan, China and India have sent missions to explore the Moon. China landed two rovers on the moon’s surface, which include the first-ever landing on the Moon’s far side in 2019. | ||
| Moon Exploration Efforts of ISRO | |
| Chandrayaan 1 | Chandrayaan project began in 2007 with an agreement between India’sISRO and Russia’s ROSCOSMOS for mutual cooperation. Mission Findings: The result of the mission confirmed presence of lunar water. Other findings were: Evidence of lunar caves formed by an ancient lunar lava flow. Past interior tectonic activity as evident from the faults and fractures coupled with meteorite impacts. |
| Chandrayaan 2 | It was India’s second mission to the moon and comprised a fully indigenous orbiter, lander (Vikram) and rover (Pragyan) housed inside Vikram lander. |
| Chandrayaan 3 | It was launched in July, 2023 and goes beyond simply reaching the moon. It intends to carry out research to investigate the lunar environment, including its geology, history and resource potential. The spacecraft is made up of an ISRO-developed lander and rover that are intended to safely land on the lunar surface, gather data and carry out a number of scientific experiments. |
Potential Impacts
- Scientific Discovery: Artemis will expand our knowledge of the Moon, its history, and its potential resources. This information may have implications for future lunar mining and resource utilization.
- Technological Advancement: The mission is driving the development of innovative technologies that can benefit various sectors, including healthcare, communications, and transportation.
- Inspiration: Artemis inspires future generations to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and fosters a sense of wonder and exploration.
- Space Economy: Successful lunar exploration may open up opportunities for the space economy, including lunar tourism and resource extraction.
Way Forward
- Technological Upgradation for Future Missions: As the mission aims to learn how to live and operate on the surface of another celestial body where astronauts are just three days from home, there is a need to prove the technologies we need before sending astronauts on missions to Mars.
- International Cooperation on Artemis for Peaceful Objectives: It is required not only to bolster space exploration but to enhance peaceful relationships between nations. Therefore, at the core of the Artemis Accords is the requirement that all activities will be conducted for peaceful purposes, as per the tenets of the Outer Space Treaty.
Conclusion
The ARTEMIS mission is not just a scientific endeavor; it is a testament to human curiosity and the unending quest for knowledge. With its ambitious goals, groundbreaking research, and potential to shape the future of space exploration, ARTEMIS stands as a beacon of inspiration for generations to come.
In conclusion, the ARTEMIS mission is a monumental undertaking that has the potential to redefine our understanding of the Moon and its place in the cosmos. As we await the mission’s ongoing revelations, we can’t help but be excited about the incredible journey of discovery that lies ahead.
