Artemis Mission
#GS-03 Science and Technology
For Prelims:
Apollo Missions:
- Apollo missions were space-flight programs carried out from 1961 to 1972 by NASA which landed the first astronauts on the moon.
- The first Apollo mission to get to space was Apollo 7 and was launched by Saturn V rocket.
- Apollo 8 was the first manned mission to orbit the moon ultimately spending 20 hours orbiting the Moon.
Apollo 11:
- Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16, 1969, carrying Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin.
The Apollo 11 spacecraft had three parts:
- a command module (CM) with a cabin for the three astronauts, the only part that returned to Earth;
- a service module (SM), which supported the command module with propulsion, electrical power, oxygen, and water; and
- a lunar module (LM) that had two stages—a descent stage for landing on the Moon and an ascent stage to place the astronauts back into lunar orbit.
- Apollo 11 was the first Human spaceflight that landed humans on the Moon.
- Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969.
- Neil Armstrong holds the distinction of being the first human to take a step on Moon.
- His words on stepping on the moon “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” was broadcasted to the Earth.
- Apollo 17 in 1972 was the last lunar mission from NASA.
- To this day 12 men have taken step on the moon and no women so far haven’t reached moon.
- To this day, USA is only country to have been able to send Humans to moon.
Artemis Mission:
- NASA’s Artemis missions aim to “land the first woman and first person of colour on the Moon”, explore the lunar surface, and lay the groundwork for sending astronauts to Mars.
- Artemis 1 successfully launched on Wednesday 16 November at 1:47am EST (6:47am GMT).
- If successful, the Artemis program will re-establish a human presence on the Moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
- The Artemis program was formally established in 2017 as a collaboration of government space agencies and private spaceflight companies.
- It is aiming to send four astronauts around the moon in 2024.