Return after around six decades: In the February issue, Bild der Wissenschaft reports on the Artemis program, which will soon bring people to the moon again. The focus is on the next step in lunar exploration: the Artemis 2 mission. The four-part cover story also deals with the various challenges that could be associated with the exploration and use of the moon.
It was one of the most spectacular events in history: on July 21, 1969, a human being set foot on an alien celestial body for the first time. But the Apollo missions did not lead to sustainable manned exploration or even colonization at the time. As early as 1972, NASA canceled the ambitious project for political and economic reasons. But now – around six decades later – the moon is once again the focus of manned space travel.
In the first sub-article of the title topic, bdw editor Rüdiger Vaas reports on the development history of the Artemis space project and the planned process. An important basis is the successful Artemis 1 mission, which made it clear that the basic requirements for new manned flights to the moon have been met. However, there are still some problems and challenges that need to be overcome, reports the author. The Artemis 2 mission, planned for April 2026, will send people on a flight around the moon. This will be the dress rehearsal for the later Artemis 3 landing mission, which could follow in mid-2027. This will then develop into a new era of space exploration, writes Vaas in the article “People to the Moon”.
Challenges and opportunities
The author then takes a closer look at the hurdles on the way to the moon, which are not just of a space technology nature. The Artemis program also has to contend with organizational and financial obstacles. As Vaas reports, NASA’s cooperation with commercial partners and other countries presents a challenge that was not present in the Apollo program. Any delays could cause the Artemis program to be overtaken by other countries’ lunar missions, according to the article “The Long Road to the Moon.”
The third part of the title topic is an interview that bdw author Alexandra von Ascheraden conducted with former astronaut Chris Hadfield. What’s special is that the Canadian lived in the USA and the Soviet Union and was in space for both countries. In addition to his experiences from this time, he talks about his expectations for the future of manned space travel and international cooperation. As far as the moon missions are concerned, he says in the interview: “The ISS is an example of how we can later live together on the moon.”
The cover story is rounded off with a look at the legal questions that the lunar missions and the possible use of the Earth’s satellite could entail. In it, Ascheraden reports on what agreements and rules are planned for the exploration of the moon. The extraction of raw materials and security zones are particularly sensitive issues. What happens if several competing nations are interested in the same place on the moon? Diplomatic efforts are therefore called for, according to the article “Law in Space?”
You can read the articles on the title topic “The New Moon Mission” online as part of a bdw+ subscription https://www.forschung.de/bdwplus/, or you can find them in the February issue of bild der Wissenschaft, which will be available from Available in stores January 17th.