As NASA gears up to send astronauts to the moon in the coming years, the agency is focusing on the long-term goal of preparing for human exploration of Mars. During a virtual workshop on September 10, Jacob Bleacher, the agency’s chief exploration scientist, emphasized the importance of learning to live and operate away from Earth, particularly on other celestial bodies.
Bleacher, a trained planetary geologist, is tasked with advancing technology and infrastructure that will enable human exploration of both the moon and Mars. He noted that the Artemis program aims for significantly longer stays on the moon compared to the brief missions conducted during the Apollo era of the 1960s and 1970s. “We have learned from going to the moon in the past with Apollo, but we’re really on a different trajectory here,” he stated. “We want to begin to learn how to live away from the Earth.”
Scientific Priorities and Mission Objectives
The recent workshop aimed to gather insights from scientists and community members regarding the most promising lunar landing sites for scientific research. Factors such as planetary evolution, the composition of lunar regolith, and objectives in solar and physical sciences are being considered to evaluate the scientific merits of various locations.
NASA has collaborated with the scientific community over the past decade to gain a deeper understanding of the South Pole-Aitken basin, the designated landing area for Artemis 4. This research has been highlighted as a top priority in both the 2013 and 2023 planetary decadal surveys, which outline mission objectives for the future of space exploration.
Artemis 4 is officially scheduled for launch no earlier than 2028, contingent upon the progress of earlier Artemis missions. Currently, NASA has not yet launched any astronauts under the Artemis program, although the crew for Artemis 2, which will orbit the moon, is preparing for a launch anticipated in April 2026.
Exploration Goals and Commercial Partnerships
Astronauts participating in Artemis 4 will spend six days on the lunar surface. Their mission includes returning lunar soil samples to Earth, gathering data through observations and mission instruments, and conducting up to four extravehicular activities (moonwalks) as far as 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) from the landing site.
The exact landing site selection process is ongoing, with NASA focusing on the moon’s south pole region, where ice and other essential minerals may be found for future missions. Bleacher emphasized the need for infrastructure that supports extended lunar missions, as well as incentives for commercial partnerships.
“What we’re trying to understand is, what do we — NASA, the United States government — need to put in place that welcomes and encourages that partnership so that we really can develop that longer-term presence on the moon, maybe even a permanent presence on the moon?” he stated.
The Artemis program seeks to establish a framework for deep space exploration, involving collaboration with numerous international agencies and commercial partners. The program includes multiple missions, such as Artemis 1, which successfully orbited the moon in 2022, and the upcoming Artemis 2 mission, featuring astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Following Artemis 2, Artemis 3 aims for a moon landing, currently targeted for 2027, pending the readiness of SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System. Artemis 4 will follow, continuing NASA’s ambitious plan to return humans to the lunar surface and eventually explore Mars.