In order to establish a human settlement on the surface of the moon in the next decade, NASA is working closely with two private aerospace companies, SpaceX and Blue Origin. This plan is an important part of NASA's "Artemis" program, which aims to establish a sustainable base in the south pole of the moon to provide a test site for human exploration of deep space and even Mars missions.

Artemis Program: A Springboard from the Moon to Mars

The Artemis program is an important plan for humans to try to land on the moon again after the Apollo program in the 1970s. It is not only a scientific exploration mission, but also lays the foundation for humans to establish a long-term experimental base on other planets. NASA will focus on the south pole of the moon, where there are abundant water ice resources, which can be used to support the living needs of astronauts and provide key materials such as rocket fuel for future missions.

At present, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) and the "Orion" spacecraft are the core hardware for carrying out these missions. In 2022, the Artemis 1 mission has completed an unmanned flight test, successfully entered the lunar orbit and returned to Earth. Artemis 2 will carry four astronauts around the moon and is scheduled to take place in late 2025, followed by Artemis 3, which will carry out the first manned lunar landing mission. However, the core of all missions - lunar landing - requires cooperation with private space companies.

SpaceX and Blue Origin Mission

NASA has awarded contracts to SpaceX and Blue Origin for the Human Landing System (HLS). The two companies are designing and building their own lunar landers to carry astronauts and cargo to the lunar surface. NASA recently announced plans to use both landers to perform cargo delivery missions to test their capabilities and prepare for future manned missions.

SpaceX Mission: Transporting a Pressurized Rover

SpaceX will use its Starship launch vehicle to carry out a mission to transport a pressurized rover developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to the moon in 2032. The rover will support subsequent Artemis 6 missions and beyond. The large cargo capacity of the Starship rocket makes it ideal for transporting equipment over long distances.

Blue Origin's mission: delivering materials for building a lunar habitat

Blue Origin has been assigned to deliver materials needed to build a lunar habitat in 2033. These materials will be used to build NASA's planned permanent lunar base to provide astronauts with a habitat for a long stay.

Lisa Watson-Morgan, NASA's human landing system program manager, said in a statement that these cargo transportation missions will be an important step in developing the cargo version of the lander, and will also provide valuable data for the technical verification and reliability of manned lunar missions.

Design and function of the lunar base

NASA's lunar base will be established in the south pole of the moon, which has abundant water ice resources. Water ice is not only a source of drinking water and oxygen, but can also be decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen to make rocket fuel, providing energy support for subsequent longer-distance space missions.

The initial functions of the base include:

Astronaut habitat: Provide a comfortable and safe living and working environment.

Scientific experiment station: Study the resources and environment on the lunar surface.

Resource development center: Extract water ice and study how to convert it into usable resources.

Starting point for deep space missions: testing technologies and strategies for future Mars missions.

Stephen D. Creech, NASA's deputy technical director, said that there are two different landing systems to choose from, which provides NASA with a high degree of flexibility. Whether it is a manned mission or a cargo mission, this diversity can ensure the continuity of lunar exploration activities.

Moon and Mars: The dual goal of human conquest of the universe

NASA regards the Artemis program as a key springboard to Mars. Establishing a long-term base on the moon will accumulate technical experience and operational data for the Mars mission, including:

How to maintain long-term life support in a harsh environment;

How to use planetary resources to manufacture necessities;

How to deal with extreme conditions such as space radiation.

However, from the moon to Mars, there are still huge technical and cost challenges. NASA's current goal is to first verify the feasibility of technology through the Artemis program and lay the foundation for the manned exploration mission to Mars in the late 2030s.

Challenges and future prospects

Although NASA's cooperation with SpaceX and Blue Origin is full of hope, it also faces many challenges:

Technical difficulties: Breakthrough innovation is required to develop a reliable, safe and cost-effective lunar landing system.

Budget pressure: The Artemis program involves huge costs, and it is still unknown whether it can continue to receive congressional support.

Mission delays: Subject to hardware development progress and budget constraints, the original mission schedule has been adjusted many times.

However, with the gradual advancement of the Artemis program, human exploration of the moon is entering a new stage. Whether it is scientific discovery or the advancement of space technology, this program will have a profound impact on the future of the earth and space.

Explore endless space

NASA's cooperation with SpaceX and Blue Origin is not only a technological breakthrough, but also a symbol of the future model of joint exploration of space by the government and private enterprises. Driven by the Artemis program, humans will leave not only footprints on the moon, but also traces of continued exploration and development. This is not only a springboard to Mars, but also the first step to an infinite space future.