The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has revealed detailed plans for its Artemis program, which focuses on sending astronauts to the Moon’s north and south poles.
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Image of American astronaut on the Moon in 1972 – Photo: Webshots |
These areas remain largely unexplored. The scale of this program is significantly larger than the six Apollo missions (USA) that took place from 1969 to 1972.
These missions were considered successful; however, technical limitations and a lack of understanding of the lunar surface resulted in all six landings occurring in flat regions. Consequently, the rock and soil samples returned to Earth were quite similar and deemed younger than the materials found in the mountainous areas at the Moon’s poles, which are farther from Earth.
In 1959, a Soviet probe captured images from the Moon’s poles for the first time, revealing that most of the surface is covered with countless craters and a rugged terrain, presenting a true challenge for any spacecraft wishing to land there. Additionally, communication with ground control would be disrupted in these areas.
To date, NASA believes it can overcome these obstacles. A series of robotic lunar missions are planned to explore the rugged terrain before humans return to the Moon. The first unmanned spacecraft is set for launch in 2008, with the primary mission of mapping the Moon in detail. By 2010, additional spacecraft will be tasked with identifying suitable landing sites for humans. Moreover, a satellite communication system will be established to ensure astronauts can maintain contact with ground control from any location on the Moon.
Once all these missions are completed, NASA intends to send approximately 10 explorers to the Moon across five missions, starting from 2015 or as late as 2018. They will collect rock and soil samples from various locations, including the poles; conduct experiments, and search for signs of water to lay the groundwork for establishing a future lunar base. This plan has sparked considerable controversy due to its estimated cost of about $100 billion. (Times)
Doan Nhat
