NASA has juggled light and dark to come up with 13 potential landing sites for the future Artemis III mission, which will bring humans back to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972.
The key to the selection was finding sites that might sustain a pair of astronauts for 6½ days on the surface with enough sunlight to provide energy and thermal protection, but also provide access to dark areas of craters and mountainous terrain. The Moon’s south pole can hold water ice.
The discovery of water ice, which decomposes into its constituents of oxygen and hydrogen compounds to provide viable air and a potential fuel, was the driving force behind the initial Artemis missions.
A decommissioned Artemis I rocket sits on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center awaiting a possible launch on August 29. Artemis II is scheduled to fly with astronauts in 2024, but it only orbits the moon. The Artemis III flight is scheduled to begin in 2025, and two of the four astronauts, including the first woman, will carry a SpaceX version of the spacecraft to the lunar surface.
“Many of the proposed sites within the regions lie among some of the moon’s oldest regions, along with the permanently shaded regions, providing the opportunity to learn regarding the history of the moon through previously unexplored lunar material,” said NASA’s Artemis. Lunar Science Chair Sarah Noble.
Each 13 platforms is approximately 9.3 miles by 9.3 miles long, and each platform has a radius of 328 feet of potential landing space. 13 possible site names Faustini Rim A, Peak near Shackleton, Connecting Ridge, Connecting Ridge Extension, de Gerlache Rim 1, de Gerlache Rim 2, de Gerlache-Kocher Massif, Haworth, Malapert Massif, Leibaunitz Beta P Rlate. 1, Noble Rim 2 and Amundsen Rim.
These landing sites are far from the six manned landing sites during the Apollo missions from 1969-1972.
“This is a new part of the moon. “It’s a place we haven’t explored before,” Noble said. “All six of the Apollo landing sites were in the center of the near side. We are now moving on to a completely different place in the ancient geological landscape.
Noble explained how water ice can survive in the dark regions of the moon.
“The plumes are unique because of the lighting conditions there, and the intense lighting conditions lead to very extreme temperatures inside some of these craters, where the sun hasn’t really reached for billions of years,” he said. “And there are some very cold places in the solar system. Those cold traps are places where we think water and other volatile matter can get trapped. It’s so cold out there that particles jumping around the moon can jump into one of these cold traps and never get stuck outside once more.
The site selection has been narrowed as the launch date approaches, with some more accessible than others depending on when the missile was launched from the KSC.
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All 13 are located within 6 degrees of the south pole of the moon, and NASA said many of the geographical features.
NASA Chief Exploration Scientist Jacob Blecher said, “NASA has taken on the challenge of landing on the south polar region of the Moon to take advantage of the unique environmental conditions. They provide valuable resources that can help improve infrastructure.”
He said the pole includes places that see constant light from the sun.
“I think light locations that are larger than average help us design systems that use light to control energy and heat,” he said. “Likewise, the two poles have unique outlets and a permanent shade, allowing access to water and other volatiles trapped there. It is not blown by the solar wind.”
The locations were chosen by combining decades of observations, including from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Scientists and engineers will continue to evaluate potential sites over the next three years before deciding on the best options. Factors that determine requirements for a safe landing include the slope of the terrain, ease of contact with the ground, lighting conditions, and the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft and Starship Lander.
“Choosing these regions means we are standing a giant leap closer to returning humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo,” said Mark Krasich, deputy associate director of the Artemis campaign development division. “When we do that, it will be unlike any mission to come before, as astronauts enter dark areas previously undiscovered by humans and lay the foundation for a long-term stay in the future.”
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