America’s headed back to the moon — and then – Latest News
America’s space program is as soon as again pushing towards new frontiers: For the first time in more than 50 years, the nation will ship people back to the moon — and then to Mars and past.
It begins with the liftoff of Artemis II, scheduled for Wednesday night.
Yes, this mission in some ways is an echo, even a repeat, of the Apollo lunar flights of the ’60s and ’70s.
A crew of 4 astronauts aboard the Orion capsule will trip atop a 322-foot Space Launch System rocket; they’ll orbit the Earth, then head to the moon, circle it and return home over the course of about 10 days.
The journey will carry them the furthest from Earth any people have ever been and return them at a report pace of 25,000 miles per hour, going through temperatures of 5,000 levels.
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Yet the level this time isn’t merely one other lunar touchdown: It’s to put together for even higher objectives — reminiscent of the eventual institution of a human base, with a steady human presence, on the lunar floor and in lunar orbit, with a mission to Mars to observe.
Ambitious targets, sure, however that the United States is again setting such lofty objectives — everlasting institutions off the planet, and finally throughout the Solar System — is a welcome revival of our collective ambition, love of journey and sense of optimism and a becoming return to the beliefs President John Kennedy invoked in asserting the nation’s first lunar mission in 1961.
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And the payoff isn’t merely symbolic or summary: The financial, navy, political and scientific positive factors may very well be huge — nicely justifying the program.
Artemis will discover the moon’s South Pole, for instance, analyzing lunar ice to be used to create drinkable water, breathable air and rocket fuel to provide a base there and expeditions farther out.
It’ll reestablish US supremacy in space growth and help develop the business space-tech industry, creating jobs and financial alternative.
And it’ll set the nation on a course to head off competitors in space, significantly from China.
Of course, like the Apollo missions — and all manned space flights, for the matter — Artemis II faces actual dangers. But when have Americans let that keep them from reaching great issues?
Pray the mission goes nicely, and cheer our nation’s return to a acquainted frontier — en route to fully new ones.
