![handle is hein.crs/govehfb0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Updated October 25, 2021
Artemis: NASA's Program to Return Humans to the Moon
Between 1969 and 1972, the Apollo programof the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
landed 12 American men on the Moon andreturned them
safely to Earth (see Figure 1). Since then, no human has
been farther fromEarth than low-Earth orbit, a fewhundied
miles up; the distance to the Moonis about240,000 miles.
Artemis,named for Apollo's twin sister in ancient Greek
mythology, is NASA's pro gramfora return to the Moon by
American astronauts-one of thema woman-in 2024.
Figure I. The Last Human Lunar Mission: Apollo I 7
Source: NASA, https://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/apollo/
apollo I 7/html/as 17-134-20382.html.
Note: This image shows Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt
standing on the surface of the Moon on December 13, 1972. Behind
him are the Lunar Module landerandthe Lunar Roving Vehicle rover.
Orion and the Space Launch System
Artemis has evolved fromplans initiated in the NASA
Authorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-267). The act
established a statutory goal of expand [ing] permanent
human presence beyond low-Earth orbit and mandated the
development of a crew capsule and a heavy -lift rocket to
accomplish that goal. The capsule, now known as Orion,
and the rocket,known as the Space Launch System(SLS),
have beenin development since then (see Figure 2).
Each Orion capsule consists of a crew module with room
for four to six astronauts as wellas storage space anda
docking port; a service module (contributed by the
European Space Agency) to provide power and propulsion;
and a launch abort system. The crew module is the only
portion intended to return to Earth at the end of a mission; it
is designedto be reusable.
The SLS is an expendable rocket designed to carry Orion
into space and set it on its initial trajectory. The SLS could
also potentially be used for other missions involvingheavy
payloads orrequiring veryhigh thrust. It is designedto be
upgraded in stages (known as Block 1, Block 1B, and Block
2) by substituting improved versions of its major elements.
For example, for Block 1B, NASA is developing the
https://crsrpore
Exploration Upper Stage to replace the Block 1 upper stage,
which is known as the InterimCryogenic Propulsion Stage.
In December2014, a partially complete Orion was
launched on a Delta IV Heavy rocket and orbited Earth
twice before splashing downin the Pacific Ocean. This
uncrewed mission tested the crew module's heat shield and
parachutes, as well as others ystems.
The first flight of Orion on an SLS is expected in February
2022. During this mission, knownas Artemis I, a complete
but uncrewed Orion is to orbit the Moon before returning to
Earth. The mis sion is intended to provide the data NASA
needs to certify safety for crewed flights.
Artemis II, the first crewed testof Orion and the SLS, is
expected in late 2023. During this 10-day mis sion, Orion
and its crew of 4 are to fly around the Moon at an altitude
of about4,000 miles before returning to Earth.
The Artemis III mission, planned for 2024, is to include the
first human Moon landing since 1972. Achieving that goal
would require the development of other systems, such as a
lunar lander. Detailed plans for Artemis III and subsequent
Artemis missions are not yetfmalized.
Figure 2. Major Elements ofSLS and Orion
Source: CRS illustration based on NASA diagrams at
https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/overview.html and
https://oig.nasa.gov/docs/IG-20-01 8.pdf.
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