"Artemis 1" paves the way for a future settlement on the Moon

From 2030, long-term settlement should begin, not only on the Moon, but possibly on Mars as well. The implementation of that plan begins today (29.8), with the first test flight. Artemis 1 will be an unmanned flight, but it is only the first step in a mission that aims to land humans on the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. Lunar settlement plays an important role in Mars exploration, as astronauts want to use the surface of the Moon as a stopover on the long journey to the Red Planet. According to the "Artemis" partners, the American space agency NASA and the European Space Agency ESA, the "Artemis" program will show what has changed in the last fifty years in space exploration.

A lot has been done since 1972. Ambitions became bigger and the technique developed further. The "Artemis" program envisages sending people to the moon in 2025, as well as building a more permanent settlement through further trips in the coming years. "In the beginning, people will be on the moon for only a week, and in the next "Artemis" missions they should stay there for a month or two, until permanent settlements are finally established," Jürgen Schlutz, a space engineer from ESA, explains to Deutsche Welle. As part of this program, women and people of all skin colors will set foot on the moon for the first time.

What is the "Artemis" program?

Today's launch is the first of six missions to the moon that are planned until 2028. The Orion spacecraft will be unmanned during the Artemis 1 mission. It's basically a security test. However, subsequent missions should be manned.

The Artemis program was launched in 2017 and is supposed to renew space travel. It is a joint project of the NASA and ESA agencies, as well as the space agencies of various other countries. We want people to continue exploring space. The moon is our closest neighbor. It has resources and other properties that can be used for research, but it is primarily important for us to gain a foothold in space with "Artemis", explains Šlut.

NASA named the program after Apollo's twin sister, Artemis, who is the moon goddess in Greek mythology. The mission takes off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 14:30 CET. The Orion spacecraft is supposed to fly to the Moon and will be on the way for 26 to 42 days. For at least six days, the spacecraft will circle the moon's orbit, before returning to Earth and landing in the Pacific.

Safety test for future manned flights

The goal of this space flight is to test the safety of Orion and the Space Launch System (SLS) ahead of future manned flights, says Šluc. "With the 'Artemis' program, people should return to the moon. The first mission, "Artemis 1", tests the transport systems that should make this possible," emphasized Šlut.

Orion is a partially reusable spacecraft. It is equipped with solar panels and an automated landing system, as well as primary and secondary propulsion mechanisms, which take the spacecraft from Earth's orbit to the Moon. The European Space Agency, along with European companies such as Airbus, played a central role in developing the technology for this space flight. Although "Orion" can accommodate a crew of six, the "Artemis 1" mission will have only two passengers: dummies Helga and Zohar, which are equipped with sensors to measure radiation.

When will the first people live on the moon?

The long-term goal of the "Artemis" program is to settle the planet Mars. According to Sluc, the Moon is an important stop on the way – a kind of outpost for Mars explorers. The first lunar landing site, Artemis Base Camp, should be built by the end of this decade.

Both the Chinese and Russian space agencies also plan to set up their own base, the International Lunar Exploration Station, in the early 2030s. In the base camp, missions will be able to stay for up to two months and it will be used as an outpost to optimize technology and living conditions. Astronauts will get there in less than a week, which is an impressive feat, considering that just 200 years ago it took explorers four weeks to get from Europe to the Americas.

Aiden Cowley, an expert in materials research at the European Space Agency (ESA), explains that systems and technology needed for life on other planets will be tested on the moon. "The conditions for life on the moon are difficult. One of the biggest challenges is protecting astronauts from radiation. We are investigating the creation of residential modules whose exterior is made of regolith (moon dust), in order to protect them from this radiation," explains Kauli.

Systems for resource management, radiation protection and power generation will also be tested on the Moon, which will then be transferred to Mars. A trip to Mars takes half a year, so the Moon is a more accessible research field.

"We can't just call someone when we need new tools, but with the help of a 3D printer, we can print tools and other objects from materials that are on the moon," says Cowley.