Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More - The Artemis Program

Starting point is 00:00:00 On December 14, 1972, the last human beings left the moon's surface. In the half century that's passed, we have never returned. After many setbacks and delays, NASA is once again ready to return to the moon. But this time, the goal is much more ambitious and long-term than the Apollo program ever was. Learn more about the Artemis program, how it got started and its objectives on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. What if your perceptions about the past were wrong? ThruLine is a podcast that takes you back in time to uncover the parts of the story that may have gone unnoticed. It effectively turned day into night.

Starting point is 00:00:51 And how it shaped the world now. Time travel with us every week on the Thurline podcast from NPR. When the Apollo program ended early and the last three fights were canceled, absolutely no one thought that we wouldn't return to the moon for 50 years. The idea was that the space shuttle would become a reusable view. to create a space station, and the space station would become a jumping off point to go to the moon. The problem is, that never happened. The space shuttle fell well short of its goals of becoming a reusable vehicle, and the

Starting point is 00:01:26 International Space Station never became anything more than an end in and of itself. The idea of going back to the moon never faded, but it was always on the back burner. Moreover, because NASA had already landed on the moon, the real prize that captured everyone's imagination was going to Mars. However, if we are to go to Mars, we first have to go back to the moon. Other than the six Apollo missions that landed on the moon, and they were only there for a few days at most, we have no real experience living on the surface of another celestial body.

Starting point is 00:01:56 Moreover, getting anything off of the surface of the Earth is incredibly fuel-intensive due to gravity. If we could get raw materials such as water that could be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen, it would make getting to Mars much easier. The first serious attempt by NASA to return to the moon began in 2005, with the creation of the Constellation Program. The Constellation Program was explicitly about the plan I previously described, Space Station, Moon, and then Mars.

Starting point is 00:02:22 The program's stated goal was to land people on Mars by the year 2020. Needless to say, that, too, never happened. The Constellation Program was cancelled in 2010, after only five years due to budget issues. In 2011, approval was given for a new heavy launch system known as the Space Launch System, or SLS. The SLS was to be a rocket bigger than the Saturn 5 used during the Apollo missions, and it was also to be based on technology used during the space shuttle program. The SLS would have two solid rocket boosters on its side, just like the space shuttle, and the main engines would be based on a design used by the space shuttle.

Starting point is 00:02:58 The reason for the solid rocket boosters is that they provide a lot of thrust. The downside is you can't turn them off once they're lit. The original purpose of the SLS was to support NASA's deep space. space missions and for a potential return to the moon. The SLS has been very controversial for two reasons. The first is that it's extremely expensive. It has been pushed more by members of Congress who represent districts where it would be built than it was by NASA. Second, despite using technology based on the space shuttle, it has been woefully behind schedule.

Starting point is 00:03:29 The first SLS launch was supposed to take place in 2016, and it's been delayed a total of 16 times. Some have dubbed it the Senate launch system. In late 2017, the SLS was actually given a purpose. The Artemis program was established to return to the moon by 2024 and a Mars landing sometime around 2030. The name Artemis was aptly chosen, as Artemis was the goddess of the moon in Greek mythology, and she was the twin sister of Apollo. The Artemis program is much more ambitious than the Apollo program ever was.

Starting point is 00:04:01 For starters, going to the moon is not an end in and of itself like the Apollo program. It's just a stepping stone to get to Mars. Second, the Artemis program aims to establish a permanent base on the moon. Unlike the Apollo missions, which tended to land near the equator, the Artemis missions will initially visit the Moon's South Pole, where it's believed there's water. They can create fuel to get to Mars if they can find water there. Finally, they will also be working with private contractors to bring supplies and people to the moon.

Starting point is 00:04:31 So, what are all the working parts of the Artemis program? The first, as I mentioned, is the SLS. The SLS, as it will initially be configured, will be 15% larger than the Saturn 5, making it the largest rocket in history. The SLS will be carrying the Orion Space Vehicle. This includes the capsule that the astronauts will be in and the service module. The Orion capsule will be much larger than the Apollo Command module. For starters, it will be able to carry up to six crew members instead of just four. And secondly, it can last for 21 days in space without docking, much longer than the Apollo Command and Service modules.

Starting point is 00:05:07 Unlike the Apollo program, the astronauts will not be launched into space with their lunar lander. Instead, they will be rendezvousing with their lunar lander in lunar orbit. The place this will happen will be the lunar gateway. The lunar gateway will be a small space station that will orbit the moon. It's not intended for long-term human habitation like the ISS, but more of a transfer station, and it will also serve as a communications platform and a science station. The way astronauts will get to the moon will be via the starship human landing system. I've previously done an episode on Starship, which will be a multi-purpose, reusable spacecraft for getting to orbit and landing on planetary surfaces.

Starting point is 00:05:45 A modified starship will shuttle astronauts from the lunar gateway to the surface of the moon and back. There are several major differences between the Starship Human Landing System and the Apollo Lem. For starters, the Starship will be much larger, and I mean much larger. The Lem was 23 feet tall, whereas the Starship lander will be 164 feet tall. and it will be able to take over 100 tons of equipment down to the surface of the moon. In addition to size, the biggest difference is that the starship lander will be completely reusable. The lemm was a two-stage ship, with half of it being left on the moon after it took off. The starship lander will be a single stage that will be able to go back and forth repeatedly.

Starting point is 00:06:28 Once they get down to the surface, the plan is to eventually have a lunar base where astronauts can live full-time. There hasn't been a base design selected yet, but several competing designs have been submitted. Whatever the final design will be, it will most probably be a modular concept that can grow and be extended over time. Another program known as the Commercial Lunar Payload Services, or CLPS, will be a series of unmanned missions to the moon by private companies to explore the surface, mostly at the South Pole. The first of these missions will be launched in November of 2022, and it will send a rover made by the company Astrobiotic Technology out of Pittsburgh. Once on the moon, astronauts will have to get around, during the Apollo missions they used. a lunar rover, which was almost like a strip-down golf cart. Artemis is planning for two different surface vehicles.

Starting point is 00:07:14 One would be the lunar terrain vehicle or LTV. The LTV would be similar to the old lunar rover. It would be unpressurized and designed for short-distance transportation. The other would be the lunar cruiser, or the habitable mobility platform. This would be a pressurized vehicle to allow trips of up to 45 days. So, as you can tell, this is a far more involved program than Apollo ever was. So, what is the timeline for the Artemis program? By the time you listen to this, most probably, hopefully,

Starting point is 00:07:45 Artemis 1 will have launched from Cape Canaveral. This will be the first launch of the SLS rocket. Artemis 1 will be an unmanned mission that will last approximately 42 days. The objectives are to test the rocket in the Orion spacecraft before returning it to Earth, and it's scheduled to be in lunar orbit for six days. In May of 2024, Artemis 2 is scheduled for launch. This will be the first Artemis mission with a crew, and it will be the first mission to orbit the moon since Apollo 17. It's scheduled to have four astronauts, including one Canadian.

Starting point is 00:08:16 Artemis 3 will launch sometime in 2025, and this will be the first mission to land on the moon since 1972. They will spend a little under a week on the moon, setting a record, and it will probably have the first woman to step foot on the moon as well. Artemis 4 is scheduled for 2027, and this will be the first use of the Lunar Gateway. Artemis 5 and 6 are both scheduled for 2028. Artemis 7 through 11 are proposed missions that would take place between the years 2029 and 2032. As of now, there is no set time frame for a Mars mission, nor have there been any vehicles chosen for the mission. If you're a fan of spaceflight, the next few years are going to be very interesting. We're going to see something which hasn't been done in over 50 years and some other things which haven't been done ever.

Starting point is 00:09:01 And hopefully this time, the project isn't abandoned. and it actually leads to humans setting foot on another planet. Everything Everywhere Daily is an Airwave Media podcast. The executive producer is Darcy Adams. The associate producers are Thornton and Peter Bennett. I just wanted to extend a big thank you to everyone who is supporting the show over at Patreon.com. I have show merchandise available there, including hoodies, t-shirts, and stickers. Plus, it really just helps me get this show out every single day, including, of course, weekends and holidays.

Starting point is 00:09:33 Remember, if you leave a review or send me a boostagram, you too can have it read on the show.

Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More - The Artemis Program

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