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Artemis Program
The Artemis Program by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was formally established in 2017 as part of the Space Policy Directive-1. The program is intended to be the first human presence on the Moon since 1972 with Apollo 17, along with landing the first woman and person of color on the Moon. The program's long-term goal is to establish a permanent base on the Moon before sending humans to Mars.
Artemis Base Camp Render
The Artemis Program was established on December 11, 2017, when President Donald Trump signed Space Policy Directive-1 which plans for a program led by the U.S. with private business partners for humans to return to the Moon, with later missions to Mars. The directive amended the National Space Policy of the United States by replacing the paragraph
Set far-reaching exploration milestones. By 2025, begin crewed missions beyond the moon, including sending humans to an asteroid. By the mid-2030s, send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to Earth;
with
Lead an innovative and sustainable program of exploration with commercial and international partners to enable human expansion across the Solar System and to bring back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities. Beginning with missions beyond low-Earth orbit, the United States will lead the return of humans to the Moon for long-term exploration and utilization, followed by human missions to Mars and other destinations.
Artemis 1 was originally scheduled to launch in late 2016, but delays caused the launch date to be pushed back to August 29, 2022. On the date, engine sensor problems caused a further delay, pushing it back to September 3. However, a fuel supply line leak in a quick disconnect arm on a ground tail service mast pushed the date back to between September 23 and October 4. The leak was repaired but weather delays due to Hurricane Ian caused NASA launch managers to call off the launch window and push the date back to November 14 with backup options for the 16th and 19th. Eventually, November 14 was ruled out and preparations were made to secure the SLS at the launchpad for Hurricane Nicole, and the launch was set for November 16.
Finally, on November 16 at 1:47:44 AM EST, Artemis 1 successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center.
Artemis 1 Launch
The mission was completed at 9:40 AM PST on December 11, when the Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. The splashdown occurred exactly 50 years after the Apollo 17 Moon landing, which saw the last manned mission to land on the Moon.
Orion Spacecraft after splashdown
As of February 2, 2024, Artemis 2 is scheduled for no earlier than September 25, 2025, with the goal of having a 4-person lunar flyby. Artemis 3 is scheduled for September 2026 with a 4-person lunar flyby and a 2-person lunar landing, and Artemis missions 4-6 will deliver different modules to the Moon. The first long-term stay is planned for 2034 as part of Artemis 10, and a year-long mission for Artemis 11 in 2035.
Artemis Program Phase 1 Mission Plan
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