AirSpace Season 6, Episode 5: Sisters of the Moon
For the Artemis program, landing on the Moon is just the beginning. The real excitement is what happens after humans land there: all the science and building a long term human presence on the Moon.
Note: This episode was first recorded in 2022. The launch dates have changed.
In This Episode:
- Artemis plans for long term work on the surface of the Moon.
- How the technology is different: rockets, capsules, landers, rovers, a base camp, and more
- How the science is different: including studying a new part of the Moon and how the technology can help us study space in new ways
- How Artemis lays the groundwork for the next 50+ years of human spaceflight
Subscribe to the AirSpace Podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart | Amazon Music | RSS
Thanks to our guest in this episode:
- Sarah Noble, Artemis program science lead
AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Olay.
Music in, then under.
Emily: Welcome to AirSpace from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. I'm Emily.
Nick: I'm Nick.
Matt: And I'm Matt.
Fifty years ago this December, the last Apollo astronauts left the Moon. And we haven't had boots on the lunar surface since.
Nick: Now, NASA's Artemis missions aim to follow in those footsteps by 2025, and there are tests, and equipment, and training, and astronauts all gearing up right now to make it happen.
Emily: But Artemis isn't just about going back. Artemis is about science, and its science goals are built on what we learned from Apollo and the robotic missions that have been to the Moon in the intervening years. We're talking to the mission science lead and walking you through Artemis today on AirSpace, presented by Olay.
Music up and out.
Emily: The fact that the Artemis missions that are coming up are kind of open-ended, I think is part of why Artemis maybe hasn't gotten as much attention as we think it should…
Nick: In that sense, the Apollo missions were kind of theoretically open-ended…
Matt: Right. Because the real accomplishment of Artemis…
Emily: If you've spent any time paying attention to the space program, going to space is hard…
Matt: I mean, in some ways you kind of have to start the process over, right?
Emily: So when you actually look at the Orion capsule…
Nick: There's also the kind of less brass tacks, less stated idea that all of this technology has to do with sustainability overall…
Matt: Right. And then, you know, there's a whole other side of this…
Emily: So we really wanted to talk to scientists who are involved in the Artemis mission…
Dr. Sarah Noble: I'm Dr. Sarah Noble, I'm the Artemis Science Lead…
Nick: So in 1961 when President Kennedy first committed the nation to go to the Moon…
Emily: I mean getting humans to the Moon in the 60s is essentially what invented lunar geology…
Sarah: We had a lot of time since Apollo. Right?
Emily: I mentioned that the big difference… is that sort of everything that Artemis lands on the Moon is going to be used again.
Sarah: The South Pole is actually special in a number of other ways, too…
Music button.
Matt: We've done episodes on this show in the past where we've talked about how the astronaut corps has become increasingly diverse…
Emily: So when we talk about Artemis wanting to really change how we see astronauts and planetary explorers…
Matt: So if you're going to send people to the Moon and ask them to do science there…
Sarah: There's also training, right?
Nick: So in addition to all of the training that the astronauts are getting on geology…
Emily: Well, and what I love about this, Nick…
Sarah: We have tests planned, particularly this summer, and this fall…
Sarah and Emily laugh.
Emily: So the Artemis mission, the whole plan of the Artemis mission was announced in 2017…
Nick: We don't actually know yet which part of this mission will land on the Moon…
Emily: A lot's going to happen between now and then.
Music up, then under.
Matt: AirSpace is from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. It is produced by Katie Moyer and Jennifer Weingart, mixed by Tarek Fouda.
Did you know that AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? You can sign up through the link in the show notes and follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @AirSpacePod.
AirSpace is presented by Olay and distributed by PRX.
Music up and out.
PRX Audio Logo.
Related Topics
You may also like
We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world’s most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.
Support the Museum
We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world’s most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.