As the allies increase their cooperation on space initiatives, Japan and the US said Monday that they plan to send the first Japanese astronaut to the Moon.
Here's how the two countries plan on achieving this dream:
NASA said on Friday that it plans to launch the uncrewed lunar mission Artemis 1 — the first step in US s plan to return humans to the Moon — in February 2022.
Finding the Perfect Landing Spot for NASA’s Moon Mission Will Be Tricky
Image: NASA
For the pending Artemis missions to the Moon, NASA has already selected the southern polar region as the destination for its astronauts, but an exact landing spot has yet to be determined. Given the needs of the Artemis program, this won’t be easy.
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Artemis presents a unique challenge for NASA and its astronauts, who are scheduled to visit the lunar surface at some point this decade, possibly as early as 2024. Unlike the Apollo missions, which landed within the Moon’s mid-latitudes, the Artemis excursions will take place near the lunar south pole.