The Road to the Moon

Reaching the Moon should be straightforward, considering humanity's past achievements. The last lunar mission took place in the 1960s, where it took less than ten years to develop a rocket, lander, astronaut crew, and mission strategy. So why is the current timeline extended?

Since 2017, NASA has made it a priority to return to the Moon. However, the agency has been strategizing human missions into deep space—whether targeting the Moon, asteroids, or Mars—for much longer. Consequently, the necessary infrastructure has been in development since the early 2000s.

At the core of this initiative is the Space Launch System (SLS), a powerful rocket designed to propel humans and equipment into deep space. NASA has been working on the SLS since 2011, but a test flight had yet to occur. Recently, engineers completed a vital series of tests that set the stage for an imminent launch.

The tests were designed to emulate a launch, aiming for precision within ten seconds of an actual lift-off. Unfortunately, NASA's simulation only managed to reach thirty seconds before liftoff, where a hydrogen feed leak halted the test.

Despite this setback, engineers concluded that the results were satisfactory. Out of over one hundred functions tested, only thirteen were not completed. Most of these, as confirmed by the chief engineer, have been validated through prior tests.

With this milestone achieved, NASA is now ready to focus on launching the rocket into space. Although an official launch date hasn't been set, it is anticipated to occur in the coming months—likely in September or October. This mission, dubbed Artemis I, marks the initial step toward humanity's return to the Moon.

Perched atop the rocket will be an uncrewed Orion capsule. The plan involves sending the capsule towards the Moon to demonstrate its ability to transport astronauts along the same trajectory. After orbiting the Moon, Orion will return to Earth, aiming to splash down in the oceans a few weeks later.

The next mission, Artemis II, is scheduled to follow approximately eighteen months later. This mission will see astronauts approach the Moon for the first time in fifty years, although they will not land. Then, Artemis III is expected to take place around 2025 or 2026, sending the first astronauts to the Moon since 1972.

Looking ahead, NASA intends to sustain lunar exploration over the next decade, a departure from the previous program's premature end. According to leaked documents from Ars Technica, NASA aims for an annual lunar mission starting in 2027.

Initial missions will focus on constructing the Lunar Gateway, a proposed space station orbiting the Moon. Subsequent missions will emphasize surface operations, including deploying a rover for astronaut exploration and establishing a habitat for extended stays.

Nevertheless, the objectives may be overly ambitious. Congressional funding for NASA has consistently fallen short of what's required for a swift return to the Moon. A more realistic timeline could see missions occurring roughly every eighteen months. This pace may only hold if NASA relies solely on the SLS; however, SpaceX's Starship, a similarly capable rocket, may soon provide additional pathways for lunar exploration, should NASA choose to collaborate.

This first video showcases the initial launch attempt for NASA's new moon rocket, highlighting the excitement and challenges of the Artemis I mission.

The second video features the official NASA broadcast of the Artemis I launch to the Moon, detailing the mission's significance and objectives.

This article was initially published by The Quantum Cat, a newsletter focused on space and physics. Sign up for free today!