New era in space exploration: Life and work on the Moon will begin for mankind in the 2030s
NASA announced its goals after the Artemis lunar exploration program launched last week. NASA, which does not want to stop with taking people to the Moon, wants people to be able to live on the Moon from the end of 2020s.
After 50 years, the American Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) has launched Artemis, the follow-up to Apollo's lunar exploration program. On November 16, NASA launched the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, currently the most powerful space rocket in the world, carrying the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis 1 mission.
Howard Hu, who is in charge of the Orion spacecraft, told the BBC that it was an incredible feeling to watch the launch of the SLS rocket, saying, "This is the first step we have taken into long-term deep space exploration, not only for the United States but for the world."
Stating that they will send astronauts to the Moon if the first step is successful, Hu said that they are working for people to live on the Moon until 2030: "We will send people to the surface. They will live on Moon and conduct scientific studies."
Launched on November 16, the Orion capsule contains three lifeless mannequins. A mannequin named General Moonikin Campos is in command of the spacecraft. In addition to Moonikin Campos, there are two other mannequins, Helga and Zohar. Thanks to these lifelike models, NASA will be able to measure the amount of radiation astronauts will be exposed to on their journey to and from the Moon in the future.
Orion, which sets off with a total of 24 cameras, is expected to land in the Pacific Ocean on December 11. NASA President Bill Nelson says the SLS is the most powerful rocket in the world. Nelson, who made statements about the mission in March, when the rocket was carried to the launch pad, said: "This is the only rocket that can send humans into deep space right now. It is the most powerful rocket in the world. Orion will go farther than any spacecraft that has ever flown humans, any spacecraft built for humans. It will stay in space longer than any spacecraft designed for astronauts."
some related news link for further readings:
The head of Nasa's Orion lunar spacecraft programme has said humans could be active on the Moon for “durations” before 2030.
eandt.theiet.org
The Artemis 1 mission will kickstart the next era of crewed space exploration.
www.space.com
Head of Orion lunar programme says Artemis 1 mission is ‘first step to long-term deep-space exploration’
www.theguardian.com
The clock is counting down to the debut flight of the rocket that will eventually send people back to the Moon.
www.bbc.com
Okay, let's skip the tabloid stuff and the scientific sides and the benefits to mankind: The US is creating a permanent settlement on the Moon. Or rather, it is trying to lead this new era. This will have a wide range of political and economic consequences.
It can be underlined that an effort to realize how important the TUA's lunar vision is here and to catch this new era, even if from the last wagon. Achieving the goal of a soft landing on the Moon will pave the way for Turkiye to gain a foothold in collective space exploration in the decades to come, as well as pave the way for Turkiye to embark on manned missions that it will want to carry out with its own resources. If we had taken this step later, we would have been too late for being in first colonizing waves.
States without independent access to space, states that will not be able to conduct independent scientific studies on the lunar surface and later in deep space, will have to remain as passive and dependent states of the next era.
TUA's current activities, including the hard lunar landing and subsequent soft landings, and the current and near-term level of propulsion and rocket systems, would be extremely modest for most states with a developed space industry. However, with a well-designed strategy of 10-15 years, each initial step will create a more specific and advanced field of study and workforce, and in the medium term, even if we lag behind, we can be a country that has gained independent access to space and moon when the first colonizations begin.