Artemis program facts for kids
An artist's picture of Orion spacecraft arriving the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway (right) in lunar orbit.
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| Named after | Apollo's twin sister Artemis |
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| Founder | NASA |
| Legal status | Ongoing |
| Purpose | Crewed lunar exploration |
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Budget
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$50 billion (2024; estimate) |
The Artemis program is an exciting international space project. Its main goal is to send humans back to the Moon by 2025. This time, it will include the first woman and the first person of color to walk on the Moon. The United States, through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is leading this big effort. It's the first time humans will land on the Moon since the Apollo program's last mission, Apollo 17, in 1972.
The Artemis program officially began in December 2017. It brought together many earlier plans the U.S. had for returning to the Moon. NASA hopes that Artemis will lead to a continuous human presence on the Moon. One day, this program might even help us send humans to Mars and other parts of our Solar System. Many different companies and international organizations, like the European Space Agency, are working with NASA on Artemis.
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Why Go Back to the Moon?
The Artemis program isn't just about visiting the Moon. It's about learning how to live and work there. Scientists want to study the Moon's resources, like water ice. This ice could be used for drinking water or even to make rocket fuel.
Building a Lunar Base
NASA plans to build a place called the Artemis Base Camp on the Moon. This camp would be near the Moon's South Pole. It would have a habitat where astronauts can live. There would also be rovers for exploring the surface. This base would help us prepare for longer missions to Mars.
Future Missions to Mars
The Moon is a great stepping stone for going to Mars. By practicing on the Moon, we can test new technologies. We can also learn how humans handle long stays in space. This experience will be very important for a journey to Mars, which is much farther away.
How Artemis Works
The Artemis program uses powerful new rockets and spacecraft. These are designed to carry astronauts and supplies to the Moon.
The Space Launch System (SLS)
The Space Launch System (SLS) is NASA's most powerful rocket ever built. It's taller than the Statue of Liberty. The SLS is designed to launch the Orion spacecraft and other heavy cargo. It will provide the massive push needed to escape Earth's gravity and travel to the Moon.
The Orion Spacecraft
The Orion spacecraft is the capsule where astronauts will live during their journey. It can carry up to four astronauts. Orion is built to travel far beyond Earth orbit. It will take astronauts to the Moon and bring them safely back home.
The Gateway Space Station
The Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, or just Gateway, is a small space station. It will orbit the Moon. Gateway will be a place for astronauts to stop before going down to the Moon's surface. It will also be a science lab and a place to refuel spacecraft. It's like a small outpost in lunar orbit.
Artemis Missions
The Artemis program has several planned missions. Each mission builds on the last one.
Artemis I
Artemis I was an uncrewed test flight. It launched in November 2022. The Orion spacecraft flew around the Moon and came back to Earth. This mission tested the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft. It made sure they were safe for astronauts.
Artemis II
Artemis II will be the first crewed mission. Four astronauts will fly around the Moon. They will not land. This mission will test Orion's systems with humans on board. It will also prepare for the first lunar landing.
Artemis III
Artemis III is planned to be the mission that lands humans on the Moon. This will include the first woman and first person of color to walk on the lunar surface. They will spend about a week exploring the Moon's South Pole.
International Partners
Many countries are working with NASA on Artemis. These partnerships make the program stronger.
European Space Agency (ESA)
The European Space Agency (ESA) is a key partner. ESA is building parts of the Orion spacecraft. They are also contributing modules for the Gateway space station.
Other Partners
Other countries like Canada and Japan are also involved. Canada is providing a robotic arm for the Gateway. Japan is working on technologies for lunar exploration. These partnerships show that space exploration is a global effort.
See Also
Images for kids
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Planned missions of Artemis program
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Artist's rendering of the lunar module (left) and space capsule of the Constellation program
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Artist's impression of an early SLS launch
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Models of the first three commercial robotic landers selected for CLPS. From left: Peregrine by Astrobotic Technology, Nova-C by Intuitive Machines, and Z-01 by OrbitBeyond.
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NASA's VIPER rover
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Planned evolution of the Space Launch System, the primary launch vehicle for Orion
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SLS for Artemis 1 on its mobile launcher, getting ready for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of launch
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NASA's Orion spacecraft undergoing final tests.
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A conceptual advanced Gateway depicting what Gateway could look like in the late 2020s.
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Phase 1 early Gateway with Power and Propulsion Element (left), Habitation and Logistics Outpost (center foreground), and cargo spacecraft (center background) depicted
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Gateway as of October 2020 which includes European, Japanese, and Russian modules
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An artist's rendition of an Artemis astronaut wearing the xEMU spacesuit and xPLS life support backpack during an EVA on the Moon.
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A render of the Artemis Base Camp
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A render of the Foundational Surface Habitat
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NASA Habitable Mobility Platform based on the past Constellation Space Exploration Vehicle.
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NASA's baseline Lunar Terrain Vehicle
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xEMU suit for lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA)
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OCSS suit for launch and reentry
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The Orion capsule in the Pacific Ocean, following the Exploration Flight Test-1 mission
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Planned missions of Artemis program
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Phase 1 Gateway with an Orion and HLS docked on Artemis 3
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Concept of surface operations
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Artemis I planned flight path
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See also
In Spanish: Programa Artemis para niños
