Most people know the first words ever spoken on the Moon. But how many of us can recall the last words spoken there? On December 14, 1972, as Commander Gene Cernan of Apollo 17 prepared to leave the lunar surface, he said, “We leave as we came and, God willing, we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind.” That was nearly 50 years ago. Since then, not a single human has set foot on the Moon. But now, with NASA’s Artemis program, the Moon is once again within our reach—and this time, we plan to stay.
Why the Long Wait?
If you’ve been following space news, it may seem like NASA has been planning a return to the Moon forever. And you’d be right. Artemis, named after the twin sister of Apollo (a nice nod to NASA’s original Moon program), has been in the works for years. But like any ambitious project, it’s taken its sweet time getting off the ground. So why is it so hard to shoot people back to the Moon, especially when we did it successfully over 50 years ago?
Let’s take a trip down memory lane. The original Apollo missions were driven by one primary goal: to beat the Soviets in the space race. It wasn’t about scientific exploration or long-term habitation—it was about planting a flag and winning global bragging rights. Once Apollo 11 succeeded in 1969, and after a few more missions, public interest waned, and so did the funding. NASA’s budget was slashed, and other research priorities took center stage.
But in recent years, the Moon has become an enticing target once again. And this time, it’s not just about national pride—it’s about opportunity. Scientists and governments around the world believe the Moon may harbor valuable resources, like rare earth minerals and, most importantly, water in the form of ice. These resources could be game-changers for future space exploration. Picture this: the Moon as a springboard for missions even farther into space, like a pitstop on the way to Mars.
Artemis – Apollo’s Twin Sister
Artemis is NASA’s answer to returning humans to the Moon and establishing a long-term presence there. The program aims to send astronauts back to the lunar surface, but this time with the intention of staying a while and setting up the foundations for lunar colonies. And who knows? In the not-too-distant future, your weekend getaway might involve a trip to the Moon.
The Artemis program, like Apollo, is divided into multiple missions. The first, Artemis I, was an uncrewed test flight in 2022 of the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft, marking the first flight for both. Picture this: Orion cruising into a lunar orbit without a single astronaut onboard, all thanks to the SLS’s powerful push using its Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. Orion entered a distant retrograde lunar orbit for a six-day joyride around the Moon before heading back to Earth. Then Orion separated from its service module, performed a Hollywood-worthy re-entry, and splashed down safely with parachutes. Artemis 1? Mission accomplished!
The real excitement starts with Artemis II, slated for 2025, which will carry a crew of astronauts to the Moon. Four lucky astronauts will take the ride of their lives, conducting a series of tests while orbiting Earth before heading into a free-return trajectory around the Moon. That’s right—around the Moon and back without even stopping for snacks! After this cosmic road trip, they’ll splash down safely on Earth. It’s a thrilling test flight that’s bringing us one step closer to the main event.
The main event: Artemis III, the first crewed lunar landing since 1972. Launching no earlier than September 2026, the mission will rely on SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System (HLS) to pull off the touchdown. First, Starship HLS will park itself in a fancy lunar orbit. Then, the crew aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft will rendezvous with it. Two astronauts will hop aboard HLS, land on the Moon for a cozy 6.5-day stay, and enjoy a few moonwalks before heading back. It is planned to have the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon—making history yet again.
Why Is It So Hard to Go Back?
You might be wondering, “Why can’t we just dust off the old Saturn V rocket and fly to the Moon like we did in the ’60s?” After all, our technology has advanced leaps and bounds since then. Your smartphone probably has more computing power than the Apollo guidance computers, so what’s the holdup?
The biggest challenge is cost. The Apollo program cost about $112 billion (adjusted for inflation), and the Artemis missions are projected to cost $86 billion. While that’s a lot of money, NASA’s current budget is a fraction of what it was during the Apollo era, when 4% of the federal budget went to space exploration. Today, NASA gets less than half of 1% of the budget.
But money isn’t the only obstacle. The Saturn V rocket was an engineering marvel, but it wasn’t perfect. It was constantly modified, and those changes weren’t always well documented. Plus, the experts who designed and built it are no longer around, and the parts it used are obsolete—good luck finding a 50-year-old screw in today’s catalogs.
Safety standards have also drastically changed, and today’s rockets are built to much higher specifications. The new SLS rocket is designed with modern technology but borrows heavily from the Space Shuttle program. It’s almost as tall as Saturn V, slightly more powerful, and designed to be modular, meaning it can be upgraded for future missions—possibly even to Mars.
The Role of SpaceX and Starship
NASA isn’t going back to the Moon alone. Enter SpaceX, the private space company led by Elon Musk, which has been developing the Starship rocket. Starship is key to NASA’s lunar ambitions. After NASA’s Orion spacecraft reaches lunar orbit, Starship will rendezvous with it and take the astronauts down to the lunar surface.
And what a ride it will be. Starship is enormous, standing at 50 meters tall. For comparison, the Apollo lunar module looks like a toy next to it. Starship will land on the Moon, deliver astronauts and cargo, and then blast off again, reuniting with Orion in lunar orbit for the trip back to Earth. Eventually, Starship could be refueled in orbit, making it a reusable transport between Earth, the Moon, and beyond.
Lunar Gateway Becomes The New Space Hub
One of the more exciting elements of the Artemis program is the Lunar Gateway, a space station that will orbit the Moon. Think of it as a mini-International Space Station (ISS), but in lunar orbit. It will serve as a staging point for lunar landings and a base for deep space exploration, including missions to Mars.
The Gateway is being developed by NASA in partnership with other space agencies, including those from Canada, Europe, and Japan. The Russians were involved at one point but withdrew in 2021. While the ISS is in low Earth orbit (LEO), the Lunar Gateway will operate in the much more hazardous lunar environment, where radiation levels are significantly higher. That means it won’t be permanently occupied like the ISS but used as needed for lunar missions.
What’s Next?
Moving On. Artemis IV, set for 2028, will mark humanity’s second crewed lunar landing of this generation. This time, it’s getting fancy. The Orion spacecraft will dock with the Lunar Gateway station, floating in a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (because space likes its orbits complicated), alongside an upgraded Starship HLS. Before the astronauts arrive, a prior mission will set up the Gateway’s first modules like an advanced Airbnb in space. Artemis IV’s powerful SLS Block 1B will even bring the I-HAB module along for the ride.
Set for 2030, Artemis V, will be the third crewed lunar landing and promises to deliver more than just astronauts. Four brave space travelers will head to the Lunar Gateway station, but they’re not coming empty-handed. NASA’s sending the European Space Agency’s ESPRIT module for refueling and communications, and Canada’s bringing its A-game with the Canadarm3 robotic arm. Oh, and don’t forget NASA’s shiny new Lunar Terrain Vehicle! This mission also marks the debut of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander, delivering astronauts straight to the lunar surface in style.
Artemis VI, scheduled for March 2031 (if the stars align), promises to be the fourth crewed lunar landing of NASA’s ambitious program. This mission isn’t just another moonwalk—it’s about bolting on a shiny new airlock to the Gateway Space Station. Picture this: astronauts floating around, installing the Crew and Science Airlock module like it’s a cosmic IKEA project. As of 2024, this airlock is still under construction, but we’re hoping NASA doesn’t misplace the instruction manual.
Building a Home on the Moon
NASA’s Artemis program will get a boost from some friendly robots! Support missions, like robotic landers and lunar base deliveries, are handled by commercial providers. Think of it as NASA’s own space delivery service, but instead of pizza, it’s delivering Moon base modules and rovers.
Through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, robotic landers are already set to bring scientific instruments to the lunar surface after Artemis I. And as the Artemis program expands, more CLPS missions will deliver habitat modules and rovers, all in support of our future Moon crew. Moon deliveries, coming soon! With future Artemis missions, NASA plans to expand the Lunar Gateway and establish a permanent lunar habitat. This habitat, likely in the Moon’s south pole region, could host astronauts for extended stays, conducting research and testing technologies for potential Mars missions.
Why the south pole? It’s one of the few places on the Moon that gets almost constant sunlight (great for solar power), and scientists have detected ice in craters there. That ice could provide drinking water and, more importantly, be used to make rocket fuel, helping establish a sustainable presence on the Moon.
Competition from China and Russia
While NASA leads the charge, other countries are eyeing the Moon as well, particularly China, which has ambitious plans for a lunar base in the 2030s. The new space race is less about planting flags and more about establishing strategic footholds on the Moon. NASA’s goal is clear: get there first and stay.
The Road Ahead
Though Artemis has been delayed (what major space program hasn’t?), progress is being made. Starship’s first orbital flight is scheduled soon, and Artemis I is set to launch within the next year. With these missions, the groundwork is being laid for something truly remarkable: a future where humanity has a foothold on the Moon and, someday, Mars.
So buckle up, space fans. We’re on the cusp of a new era of exploration. As Artemis I takes to the skies, we’re witnessing the dawn of humanity’s first off-world settlement. One small step for mankind? More like the first step toward building a lunar city.
