![]() | |
Program overview | |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Organization | NASA and partners: ESA, JAXA, DLR, ASI, ISA, MBRSC and CSA |
Purpose | Sustainable crewed lunar exploration |
Status | Ongoing |
Program history | |
Cost | US$93+ billion (2012–2025), $53 billion in 2021-2025[1] |
Duration | 2017[2] | –present
First flight | Artemis 1 (16 November 2022, 06:47:44 UTC)[3][4] |
First crewed flight | Artemis 2 (NET September 2025)[5] |
Launch site(s) | |
Vehicle information | |
Crewed vehicle(s) | |
Crew capacity | 4[6] |
Launch vehicle(s) |
|
Part of a series on the |
United States space program |
---|
![]() ![]() |
The Artemis program is a Moon exploration program led by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), formally established in 2017 via Space Policy Directive 1. It is intended to reestablish a human presence on the Moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The program's stated long-term goal is to establish a permanent base on the Moon to facilitate human missions to Mars.
Two principal elements of the Artemis program are derived from the now-cancelled Constellation program: the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) (as a reincarnation of Ares V). Other elements of the program, such as the Lunar Gateway space station and the Human Landing System, are in development by government space agencies and private spaceflight companies, collaborations bound by the Artemis Accords and governmental contracts.
The Space Launch System, Orion spacecraft and the Human Landing System form the main spaceflight infrastructure for Artemis, and the Lunar Gateway plays a supporting role in human habitation. Supporting infrastructures for Artemis include the Commercial Lunar Payload Services, development of ground infrastructures, Artemis Base Camp on the Moon, Moon rovers, and spacesuits. Some aspects of the program have been criticized, such as the use of a near-rectilinear halo orbit and the program's sustainability.
Orion's first launch on the Space Launch System was originally set in 2016, but faced numerous delays; it launched on 16 November 2022 as the Artemis 1 mission, with robots and mannequins aboard. According to plan, the crewed Artemis 2 launch is expected to take place in late 2025, the Artemis 3 crewed lunar landing is scheduled for late 2026, the Artemis 4 docking with the Lunar Gateway is planned for late 2028, the Artemis 5 docking with the European Space Agency's ESPRIT, Canada's Canadarm3, and NASA's Lunar Terrain Vehicle is planned for early 2030, and the Artemis 6 docking which is expected to integrate the Crew and Science Airlock with the Lunar Gateway station is planned for early 2031. After Artemis 6, NASA plans yearly landings on the Moon from then on. However, the NASA Inspector General has called the schedules unrealistic.
NASA OIG 2021
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Artemis_home20190519
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).spo-20240109
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search