We will soon know where Artemis astronauts will land on the moon.
NASA recently announced it would hold a media teleconference on August 19 to reveal where Artemis astronauts will land on the moon in future Artemis missions.
The first and only uncrewed Artemis mission, Artemis 1, will determine if NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft can proceed with crewed missions to the moon and beyond.
NASA Artemis III Teleconference Details
NASA mentioned in its announcement that it has identified where its Artemis astronauts will land on the moon for its Artemis III mission, which is set sometime in 2025.
The space agency said that the regions they picked are situated near the moon's south pole. These regions, which are of scientific interest, contain several potential landing sites that could be used for the Artemis II mission.
Additionally, these regions and landings are evaluated based on terrain, communications, lighting conditions, and the ability to meet science objectives.
However, any mention of which region or place the astronauts may land on was not disclosed, meaning that they would be discussed during the teleconference.
Nevertheless, NASA plans to engage with the broader science community to discuss the merits of each region in the immediate future.
Mark Kirasich, the NASA Headquarters deputy associate administrator for the Artemis Campaign Development Division, and Jacob Leacher, NASA's chief exploration scientist, will be participating in the upcoming teleconference.
They will be joined by Sarah Noble, NASA's Artemis lunar science lead in its Planetary Science Division, and Prasun Desai, the deputy associate administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate.
NASA's announcement makes it highly likely that the Artemis III mission will be the first NASA mission that will send astronauts back to the surface of the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972, per the Lunar and Planetary Institute.
The space agency shceduled the media teleconference on Aug. 19 at 2 PM EDT. People interested in listening to it can do so on NASA's website. Space.com has also offered to stream the teleconference on its website.
Artemis Missions Overview
For those unaware, NASA's Artemis missions aim to put humanity back on the moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for a new generation of explorers from the "Artemis Generation," per NASA.
The space agency also intends to use the Artemis missions to put the first woman and first person of color on the surface of the moon, which hasn't been done during the space race.
Additionally, the missions will be the catalyst for deep space missions to Mars and beyond and the creation of bases on the Moon.
NASA plans to establish two bases on the moon: one on its surface and one within its orbit. From these bases, NASA astronauts will be able to explore other planets, such as Mars and other celestial bodies in our solar system that are of scientific interest.
Currently, the first Artemis mission, which is its only uncrewed mission, will put NASA's SLS rocket and Orion's spacecraft to the test on August 29 to see if both are worthy of a crewed mission to space and beyond.
