The moon mission is one giant step closer: NASA identifies landing sites

As part of NASA's Artemis III mission to return humans to the surface of the moon, 13 regions near the moon's South Pole have been identified as potential landing locations.

The selection of these regions means we are one giant step closer to returning humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo, according to Mark Kirasich, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Artemis Campaign Development Division.

The journey will be unlike anything humans have ever undertaken as astronauts will venture into areas previously unexplored by them and lay the groundwork for future long-term missions.'

As a result of their proximity to the lunar South Pole, which contains permanently shadowed regions rich in resources and untouched terrain, all the regions considered are scientifically significant.

The proposed sites in the regions are in some of the oldest parts of the Moon, and the permanently shadowed regions offer a chance to study the history of the Moon through previously unstudied lunar materials,” said Sarah Noble, NASA’s lunar science lead.

A human mission to the moon will take place with the launch of Artemis III no earlier than late 2025. The first human mission to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972 will bring humans back to the moon. 

The Apollo missions that landed men on the moon took advantage of abundant sunlight, which powered the Lunar Excursion Modules and avoided extreme temperature changes, by landing closer to the moon's equator.

A landing at the South Pole will provide the lunar lander with the sunlight it needs to power the vehicle, while the astronauts can visit nearby areas that are perpetually shaded by the sun. 

The mission will enable crew members to collect samples and conduct scientific analysis that will yield important information about the moon's South Pole water ice, including its depth, distribution, and composition, NASA stated.

The lunar surface will be occupied by astronauts for 6.5 days as part of Artemis III. During the duration of the landing vehicle's stay on the surface of the moon, each of the 13 sites was chosen based on its launch window.

The discovery of the Artemis III launch dates, which determine transfer trajectories and surface environmental conditions, will allow NASA to select sites within regions for the mission.

The agency plans to launch Artemis I on Aug. 29, an uncrewed mission that will send an Orion capsule to lunar orbit and back.  Approximately 42 days should pass between launch and splashdown.

The success of the first mission will pave the way for the second mission, Artemis II, which will propel astronauts into space in 2024. After 2025, Artemis III is expected to land two astronauts on the moon.