Return to the Moon

After a four-day journey from Earth, Apollo 11 touched down on the moon on July 20, 1969. Six hours later, U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar lander. He then began to make his way down the ladder. A television camera up on the spacecraft broadcast his descent live around the world. Hundreds of millions watched, waiting to see what would happen. As Armstrong set foot on the moon’s powdery surface, he famously said, “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Five more successful moon landings would follow. All of them were carried out by the United States. The final one, Apollo 17, took place in 1972. Back then, no one knew that half a century would pass without any other humans visiting the moon. But the drought may soon be over.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to send astronauts to the moon again this decade. The move will usher in a new era of human exploration. The plan is expected to include sending the first woman and the first person of color to the lunar surface.

“The moon is there for us to look at every single day,” says Darlene Lim, a project scientist at NASA. “And yet, we’ve only had limited opportunities to go and explore this environment, which I’m sure holds so much in the way of knowledge that will enhance how we think about not only our solar system but also about our own planet.”

NASA has dubbed the new moon mission Artemis. The agency scheduled the first flight of the program, Artemis I, for last summer. Mannequins were set on board to orbit the moon and test the rocket and crew capsule. The launch got pushed back three times because of technical issues and weather conditions. Artemis I finally lifted off in November from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Artemis II is set to launch in 2024. It’ll be a crewed flyby during which four astronauts will orbit the moon and return to Earth. Then, in 2025 at the earliest, NASA will launch Artemis III. For this mission, two astronauts will aim to land near the moon’s south pole while two other astronauts remain in orbit.

Unlike previous moon landings—the longest of which lasted about three days—the goal this time is to set up a permanent base on the lunar south pole.

Researchers and entrepreneurs have long pushed for the creation of a permanent station to allow astronauts to spend up to two months on the moon’s surface. The base would also serve as a starting point for in-depth space exploration, including future flights to Mars.

“It’s an immensely attractive inspiration for humanity,” says Joseph Silk, an astronomer at Johns Hopkins University and author of Back to the Moon. “The moon offers this vast new area that we’ve barely sampled in the past.”

The longest moon landing lasted about three days. Unlike previous ones, the goal this time is to set up an official base on the lunar south pole.

Researchers and entrepreneurs have long pushed for the creation of a long-term station on the moon. That would allow astronauts to spend up to two months on the moon’s surface. The base would also serve as a starting point for in-depth space exploration, including future flights to Mars.

“It’s an immensely attractive inspiration for humanity,” says Joseph Silk, an astronomer at Johns Hopkins University and author of Back to the Moon. “The moon offers this vast new area that we’ve barely sampled in the past.”

Why has NASA waited more than 50 years since the last moon landing to send astronauts back to Earth’s largest satellite? A big reason is money. To get people walking on the moon again, NASA will likely spend around $93 billion. (The high cost led the Obama administration to cancel an earlier version of the project, later reinstated by the Trump administration.)

But the costs of not returning to the moon have also grown, including increasing competition in space. China has landed three robotic missions on the moon and has plans for a permanent lunar station. And the long-standing cooperation between the U.S. and Russia on the International Space Station is in jeopardy, with Russia saying it will end the decades-long partnership because of American support for Ukraine.

“The U.S. is in competition with other countries to do this,” Silk says of establishing a moon base. “It’s going to keep us very busy for the next 30 years.”

Why has NASA waited more than 50 years since the last moon landing to send astronauts back to Earth’s largest satellite? A big reason is money. To get people walking on the moon again, NASA will likely spend around $93 billion. (The high cost led the Obama administration to cancel an earlier version of the project. The Trump administration later reinstated it.)

But the costs of not returning to the moon have also grown. Among them is increasing competition in space. China has landed three robotic missions on the moon and has plans for its own lunar station. And the long-standing cooperation between the U.S. and Russia on the International Space Station is in danger. Russia has said it will end the decades-long partnership because of American support for Ukraine.

“The U.S. is in competition with other countries to do this,” Silk says of setting up a moon base. “It’s going to keep us very busy for the next 30 years.”

NASA has also been spurred on by private rocket ventures, such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, that aim to turn space travel into a commercial enterprise. Their test flights have helped drive interest in space among ordinary Americans, though few can afford the projected price tag of $1.25 million for a seat on one of those rockets when they begin making regular trips into space. To lower costs, NASA has commissioned SpaceX to build the lunar lander for Artemis III.

If that mission succeeds, the agency plans to regularly send crews to the moon, with the idea of making another giant leap 50 years after Neil Armstrong’s.

NASA has also been spurred on by private rocket ventures that aim to turn space travel into a profit-making business. They include Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin. Their test flights have helped drive interest in space among ordinary Americans. Still, few can afford the projected price tag of $1.25 million for a seat on one of those rockets when they begin making regular trips into space. To lower costs, NASA has chosen SpaceX to build the lunar lander for Artemis III.

If that mission succeeds, the agency plans to regularly send crews to the moon. It’s all part of NASA’s goal of making another giant leap 50 years after Neil Armstrong’s.

Julie Stopar of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas, wasn’t born when the Apollo astronauts changed the world. She’s hoping Artemis can provide a similar lift.

“I’d like to see that kind of excitement and people in awe and [experience] something positive and good,” she says. “Something that everyone can hopefully feel a part of.”

Julie Stopar of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas, wasn’t born when the Apollo astronauts changed the world. She’s hoping Artemis can provide a similar lift.

“I’d like to see that kind of excitement and people in awe and [experience] something positive and good,” she says. “Something that everyone can hopefully feel a part of.”

With reporting by Kenneth Chang and Eleanor Lutz of The New York Times.

With reporting by Kenneth Chang and Eleanor Lutz of The New York Times.