NASA identifies sites for landing Artemis III astronauts on Moon
Artemis III is a landmark mission for NASA, as it will be the first time humans will step on the Moon since 1972. The space agency has announced 13 potential landing regions for the mission, which will see NASA sending the first woman and person of color to the Moon. All the sites are located within six-degrees of latitude of the lunar south pole.
Why does this story matter?
To date, 12 men have walked on the moon, but none of them have experienced what the Artemis III crew is set to experience. NASA's decision to choose an all-south pole list for the landmark mission's touchdown is another watershed moment in lunar exploration. From what we know so far, the mission will be historical in so many ways.
Human beings have never explored the lunar south pole before
All 13 candidate regions selected by NASA have been of interest to the scientific community for a while. What makes choosing the lunar south pole as the preferred landing region interesting is that it hasn't been explored by humans before. The region is also known for its geological diversity. Orbital observations have shown frozen water locked under the surface in this region.
Here are the 13 candidate regions chosen by NASA
The candidate regions identified for Artemis III's landing are Faustini Rim A, Peak Near Shackleton, Connecting Ridge, Connecting Ridge Extension, de Gerlache Rim 1, de Gerlache Rim 2, de Gerlache-Kocher Massif, Haworth, Malapert Massif, Leibnitz Beta Plateau, Nobile Rim 1, Nobile Rim 2, Amundsen Rim.
How did NASA chose these locations?
The candidate regions were selected after an agency-wide team reviewed the data from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and several publications. The factors that were considered were launch window availability, the ability to accommodate a safe landing, and proximity to permanently shadowed regions. The ability to accommodate a safe landing was decided on the basis of the terrain, ease of communication with Earth, and lighting conditions.
Sunlight is important for long-term stay on moon
NASA chose permanently shadowed regions mainly for the ease of carrying out a moonwalk. Another important aspect of the regions is that they provide continuous access to sunlight throughout a 6.5-day period, which is the duration of Artemis III's surface mission. Access to sunlight is important for a long-term stay on the moon, as it minimizes temperature variations and provides a power source.
None of the launching sites are constantly accessible
NASA will decide on Artemis III's touchdown site based on the launch date. This is because none of the candidate regions are constantly accessible. The agency will likely choose a collection of sites that they can use over a launch period. Before the decision, NASA will also discuss with the broader scientific and engineering communities about the 13 regions.
