posted 02-10-2020 01:07 PM               

• Artemis I uncrewed orbital test flight in 2021
  
• Artemis II crewed orbital test flight in 2022
  
• Artemis III crewed landing in 2024

posted 02-15-2020 05:33 PM               

Koch was asked about flying to the moon, to which she said:

Of course, me or anyone in our office would be honored beyond measure to be a part of that mission and again carry people's dreams even farther into space exploration to contribute to future missions to go even deeper. So I like to say that I am just excited that I'll probably know the first woman and the next man to walk on the surface of the moon, but any of us would be ready and honored to accept that mission if it were offered to us.

posted 02-16-2020 08:43 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Blackarrow:
She would be roughly the age Alan Shepard...

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posted 02-16-2020 11:49 AM            

...any of us would be ready and honored to accept that mission if it were offered to us.

Yes, it probably is a bit premature to be talking about crew names, but my question actually sought to establish (a) whether she wishes to retire and does not plan any future missions; and (b) whether anything about a 328-day mission might either make her a great choice for a Moon landing crew; or (on medical grounds) a poor choice.

The only conclusion we can draw from her answer is: "I am not ruling myself out at this time."

posted 02-18-2020 04:51 PM               

Like Koch, Mike Fincke currently has spent 381 days in space and he will spend another five to six months on the space station when Boeing's Starliner crew flight test launches.

posted 02-18-2020 10:56 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Blackarrow:
I still wonder — and I see no-one has tackled this — whether a long-duration orbital mission might actually create medical barriers to a future, physically arduous, mission.

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The unknown issue is with missions beyond orbital distances where the crew and spacecraft go beyond the protection of Earth's Magnetosphere. There are also questions about possible issues working within the Earth's Magnetotail whilst in lunar orbit or on the lunar surface.

posted 04-30-2020 01:45 PM               

NASA announced that three U.S. companies will develop the human landers that will land astronauts on the Moon beginning in 2024 as part of the Artemis program.

posted 04-30-2020 06:01 PM               

The 2024 deadline could slip back to 2028 (depending on how far along NASA is by the time Biden, presumptively, has time to look at NASA) and Jim Bridenstine might even be asked to stay on as administrator (as he has avoided being overtly political since taking the office).

posted 05-01-2020 11:49 AM               

It was only aboard the space station that we have learned that long duration spaceflight poses a significant issue for the eyes (primarily among men, for reasons still unknown). There are also early indications of issues with blood flow and brain activity.

Those are not discoveries you want to make when you are on Mars, not only millions of miles away from Earth, but 45 minutes out of direct communication with anyone but your crew.

Beyond physiological concerns, the space station has also provided our first experience of operating contained life support systems for extended amounts of time, an experience crucial before any spacecraft can leave for any long duration missions beyond low Earth orbit.

posted 05-01-2020 07:33 PM            

Without the programs you referenced (and the respective dedicated personnel) space exploration manned and unmanned would be a shadow of it's present state.

posted 05-01-2020 08:37 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by 328KF:
While [a polar orbit] would allow exploration of countless locations, what implications does this have for upmass from the surface?

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However, for a launch due north or south, your trajectory is perpendicular to the Earth's rotational vector and your velocity in that direction is zero. An additional delta V of 1,000 mph is now required. Using the same launch vehicle you can only achieve that same required orbital velocity by reducing your payload.

The Moon however has a rotational period of about 29 days compared to the Earths 24 hour rotation and its rotational velocity is about 10 mph or 4.6 meters/sec at the equator.

posted 11-11-2020 04:42 AM               

A Senate appropriations bill would provide NASA with only a small fraction of the funding it requested for lunar lander development, putting any chance of returning humans to the moon by 2024 in jeopardy.

posted 11-11-2020 08:47 AM               

In a fiscal environment that is extremely challenging, the Committee must weigh and prioritize funding across all of NASA's activities, as well as important priorities throughout the bill. To that end, the Committee has provided significant funding toward the missions and exploration goals across NASA. However, the shortfalls of NASA's fiscal year 2021 budget proposal make it impossible to fully fund all of NASA's proposed activities. Going forward, NASA should refrain from requesting only part of the funding it requires to accomplish all of its missions.

While the Committee supports the mission of returning U.S. astronauts to the surface of the Moon, the lander element represents the largest remaining cost, schedule, and technical risk, and has yet to be selected. This uncertainty makes it difficult to analyze the future impacts that funding the accelerated Moon mission will have on NASA's other important missions, not to mention the programs, projects, and activities funded elsewhere in the bill. In order to facilitate forward movement in the Artemis program, the Committee has provided funds to allow for NASA to advance its human exploration program, including the development of landers, and awaits further definition of the program and a refined cost estimate.

posted 02-04-2021 11:26 AM               

Kristin (Fisher) asked a great question about the Artemis program, which I dug into and I am very excited about it now to tell my daughter all about it.

For those of you who have not been following it as closely, through the Artemis program, the United States government will work with industry and international partners to send astronauts to the surface of the moon — another man and a woman to the moon, which is very exciting — conduct new and exciting science, prepare for future missions to Mars and demonstrate America's values.

To date only 12 humans have walked on the moon — that was half a century ago. The Artemis program, a waypoint to Mars, provides an opportunity to add numbers to that, of course.

Lunar exploration has broad and bicameral support in Congress, most recently detailed in the FY2021 omnibus spending bill. We certainly support this effort and endeavor.