NASA: awarded a second moon landing to SpaceX, with Starship, for Artemis IV

When there are only a few hours left before the launch attempt of NASA SLS And Artemis I (currently still scheduled for 7:04 on November 16, Italian time) very interesting news has arrived about the future of the Artemis program. Space agency administrator Bill Nelson announced that SpaceX has obtained, through a modification of a pre-existing contract, the possibility of carrying out a second moon landing with the Artemis IV mission.

In short, we recall that the NASA officially predicted the first moon landing for 2025 with the Artemis III mission while in 2024 there will be the Artemis II mission, the first with crew on board which, however, will not land on the lunar surface. These dates are still very uncertain due to the potential problems that could cause delays of months (if not years). Within the same agency they think 2025 is decidedly optimistic as a year to bring humans back to life moon. To all this is added an anonymous source who would have predicted how Artemis III could be completed, at the earliest, in 2028, much later than the initial plans.

SpaceX: second moon landing with Starship for Artemis IV

There Road map of the NASA it is proceeding, not without delays, towards the moon landing and trying to establish a continuous human presence in lunar orbit (joined with that present in low earth orbit thanks to the ISS). To do this, however, it will be necessary to be able to bring the human being back to the surface of the moonwhich has been missing since the 1972 Apollo 17 mission.

A lot has changed since that time (and the budget has also shrunk considerably). Over the years, private companies have made their way into this sector, leading to “marketing” of Space with SpaceX which certainly represents an example above all despite being a relatively young reality.

With the new announcement there NASA indicated that Elon Musk’s company received the ability to perform a second moon landing with the Artemis IV mission which should take place, according to plans, in 2027. This mission was originally intended to begin assembly of the Lunar Gatewaya space station that would orbit the natural satellite providing support to surface operations.

In the past there was talk of the possibility of an Artemis III.5 mission, which would have foreseen the moon landing and which would not have had the support of the Gateway and scheduled precisely for 2027, again with the help of SpaceX. With the announcement of these hours, however, it would seem that the agency wants to make the company more linear and coherent Road map despite the uncertainties due to delays.

Bill Nelson (NASA Administrator) said “Returning astronauts to the Moon to learn, live and work is a bold undertaking. With more landers planned, from SpaceX and future partners, NASA will be in a better position to accomplish tomorrow’s missions: conducting more science on the surface of the Moon than ever and prepare for manned missions to Mars“. The same Elon Musk he has declared that you appreciate this choice and that your company will not disappoint NASA.

The contract is the same (Option B) assigned to SpaceX in July 2021. We remind you that with a view to saving the NASA has decided to entrust the first two missions for the moon landing to the US company (which in the meantime is continuing with tests on Starship) but the subsequent missions could also employ lunar landers different (based on the technological capabilities implemented by the companies, NextSTEP-2 Appendix P).

To ensure maximum safety SpaceX will have to make a moon landing unmanned with the Starship modified (which may have a different design from the final version) before Artemis III. NASA has emphasized once again that during this mission we will be able to see “the first woman and first black person on the lunar surface” (while with Artemis II there will be the first Canadian astronaut in orbit around the Moon). Artemis IV could see the participation of an ESA astronaut and potentially the first moon landing by a European astronaut.

A 480GB SATA SSD to less than 40? Today yes, come on Amazon! Resurrect old PCs, add high-speed GB to desktop, in short, the occasion not to be missed!

Gift ideas, why waste time and risk making a mistake?
GIVE AN AMAZON COUPON!