Facts about Artemis
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Four solid rocket boosters power the Space Launch System rocket that will propel Artemis missions toward the Moon, each producing 3.6 million pounds of thrust at ignition.
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Astronauts on Artemis missions will wear spacesuits with 14 layers of material designed to protect against lunar dust, radiation, and extreme temperature swings ranging from minus 280 to plus 260 degrees Fahrenheit.
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A minimum of 4 spacewalks are planned during Artemis lunar missions to allow astronauts to conduct scientific research and maintenance activities on the Moon's surface.
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Each Artemis mission's Orion spacecraft carries a 370-kilogram European Service Module providing propulsion, power, water, and oxygen for the crew's journey to and from the Moon.
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Approximately 93 billion dollars will fund the complete Artemis program through its lunar landing missions and subsequent exploration phases.
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In Greek mythology, Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the hunt, moon, and wilderness across ancient Mediterranean cultures.
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Artemis missions will use the Lunar Gateway, a planned space station in lunar orbit that will serve as a staging point for astronauts traveling to the Moon's surface.
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Orion's heat shield must withstand temperatures of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during Artemis mission reentry, hotter than the surface of the Sun.
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The Artemis program aims to land 2 astronauts on the Moon by 2025, including the first woman to reach the lunar surface.
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NASA's Artemis I mission launched on November 16, 2022, carrying an uncrewed Orion spacecraft on a 25.5-day journey around the Moon.