SHESPEAKS Your Power to Influence

It is NASA’s hope that by the year 2024, all eyes will be on the sky as they recently announced plans to land the first female ever on the moon. The mission is aptly named Artemis, after the twin sister of Apollo from Greek mythology.

CBS New reports and outlines some of the details of the Artemis mission that is now in the early planning stages. The Artemis mission’s aim is to create a more human sustainable environment on the moon by the year 2028. But by 2024, they plan to land the first woman (or women since they have not chosen their team yet) and next man on the surface of the moon to perform scientific experiments before heading back to earth.

According to NASA officials the Artemis mission seeks to “demonstrate new technological advancements and lay the foundation for private companies to build a lunar economy.” As part of the mission, NASA aims to make it possible for humans to stay on the moon longer than ever before. They are also in the process of building a smaller spaceship known as Gateway thats purpose is to orbit the moon while allowing easier access to and from Earth.

As a way to kickstart the program, President Trump has added $1.6 billion to NASA’s already $21 billion budget for the year 2020. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine explains the ambitious plans for the Artemis mission and what it will mean for our planet. Bridenstein says, “We will go with innovative new technologies and systems to explore more locations across the surface than was ever thought possible. This time, when we go to the Moon, we will stay. And then we will use what we learn on the Moon to take the next giant leap — sending astronauts to Mars.”

What do you think of NASA’s Artemis mission that will land the first woman on the moon?

Do you think more money should be going to space exploration in the coming years?