Artemis III: Humans Back on the Moon! (Part 3 of 5)
Artemis III and the Human Landing System (HLS)
Artemis III marks a monumental step in the Artemis program, aiming to land astronauts on the Moon for the first time since the Apollo missions. This mission, planned for late 2026, will place the first two people on the lunar surface since Apollo 17 (1972).
The Innovation Behind HLS
The mission’s success hinges on the Human Landing System (HLS), a groundbreaking development in space technology. NASA has partnered with SpaceX to create the HLS, a lunar-adapted version of the Starship spacecraft. This collaboration represents a significant milestone, as it combines NASA’s deep space exploration expertise with SpaceX’s innovative spacecraft design and technology. The HLS is designed for multiple missions, ensuring sustainability and efficiency in lunar landings.
I’m personally most excited for high quality, HD images and videos the Astronauts will be taking of themselves on the moon and of the earth in the distance. The camera equipment in the early 70’s was terrible and fueled many controversies about us having actually been on the moon. I’m sure it will be very different this time around. 🙂
Stay tuned for the next article in our series, where we will introduce the Lunar Gateway and how this structure will make lunar exploration a stepping stone for Mars and beyond.