What are the Main Differences Between Artemis I, II, and III?
Ask your grandparents where they were on July 20, 1969. On that day,
Neil Armstrong made history by becoming the first man to set foot on the moon. It was an incredible
accomplishment that captivated the world and marked a significant moment in human history.
The Apollo 11 mission demonstrated the power of human ingenuity and innovation and proved that
anything is possible with determination and hard work. However, the mission was only the
beginning of space exploration. In the following years, NASA's Artemis program aims to take humans
back to the moon, and this time, they plan to do something even more amazing: establish a
sustainable human presence on the moon and use it as a launchpad for deeper space exploration.
With Artemis II and III, we are poised to witness the next chapter in human spaceflight
and exploration. But what are the differences between the three Artemis Missions, I, II, III?
--- Follow me in this
video to find out! ---
Artemis I and II
On November 16, 2022, at 7:47 Central European Time, the first integrated flight of NASA’s Deep
Space Exploration Systems took place: Artemis I was finally launched, after multiple delays. This
mission was the first of a series of increasingly complex missions that will eventually lead humans
to basically colonize the Moon once and for all. I don’t know who needs to hear this,
but hey: even though we were born on Earth, we are definitely not meant to stay here forever:
we are not meant to be spending our lives on this blue planet, drinking coke!
So how do we make sure we can live on another moon, or perhaps on another planet? We must be
really careful. The first step to be taken is to demonstrate that we can use modern technology to
build spacecraft that will ensure a safe re-entry, descent, splashdown, and recovery. And this has to
be tested before the first flight with a crew. This is indeed the primary goal of Artemis I.
The spacecraft was called Orion. This spacecraft ventured thousands of miles beyond the moon during
a 25-day-long mission. It traveled 1.4 million miles, re-entering the earth with a speed of
24,581 miles per hour, what scientists call a Mach 32 speed, meaning it was going 32 times faster
than the speed of sound! This spectacular mission ended with a memorable splashdown, on December 11,
2022. Everything went smoothly, everyone was happy with the results. And now, NASA will review the
data of Artemis I’s voyaging spacecraft, Orion, to prepare for Artemis II. The two missions will be
pretty much different, though. ---
Difference: duration and trajectory First of all, the Artemis II mission
will be much shorter than Artemis I. The crewed flight test will only last
10.5 days, in spite of the 25.5 days duration of the unmanned mission.
The duration will be different because the trajectory will be different.
In the case of Artemis I, the mission flew Orion to the Moon, entered a distant retrograde orbit,
and then debuted a “skip entry” return in Earth’s atmosphere ahead of splashdown as
Orion came back faster and hotter than any previous spacecraft designed for humans.
Artemis II’s orbit will be different. It will travel on a highly elliptical orbit around
Earth for one day, with Orion heading towards the Moon after a mission completion maneuver
will be performed. If everything goes as planned, the return trajectory will be a free return one,
with no fuel usage, and no correction maneuvers. ---
Difference: mannequins and astronauts
But these are not the only differences between the two missions! As we’ve already mentioned,
the Orion capsule wasn’t carrying any astronauts, but this doesn’t mean it didn’t have a crew!
The passengers of the Artemis I capsule were bionic. It is a really unusual crew, consisting
of zero gravity indicators and weird passengers. Zero gravity indicators are small items carried
aboard spacecraft that provide a visual indicator when a spacecraft has reached the weightlessness
of microgravity. NASA chose Snoopy as a zero gravity indicator on the Artemis 1 mission! For
more than 50 years, Snoopy has contributed to the excitement for NASA human spaceflight missions,
helping inspire generations to dream big. NASA has shared an association with Charles M. Schulz and
Snoopy since the Apollo missions and continues under Artemis with new educational activities.
Without astronauts aboard Orion, Snoopy, together with Shaun the Sheep, helped share the journey
with the world as he rides along in the cabin with a manikin and two other “passengers.”
The manikin flying on Artemis 1 occupied the commander’s seat, and it was wearing
a first-generation Orion Crew Survival System Suit, a spacesuit that astronauts will wear during
launch, entry, and other dynamic phases of their future missions. Manikins are important because
they are also equipped with accelerometers. The collected data will be important to simulate and
verify crew safety for future launches. And the commander manikin was not alone:
two identical phantom torsos named Helga and Zohar were occupying the
lower two seats. What an amazing crew! On the other hand, Artemis II will be the
first mission of the Artemis program to host astronauts in its capsule.
Let me introduce you to these four superheroes: the Artemis 2 mission crew!
First up is Christina Hammock Koch, the spacewalking sensation! With her 328 days
in space, she's got the endurance to take on any challenge. She's also the first woman to
complete an all-female spacewalk, making her the perfect candidate to tackle any gender barriers
on the Moon. ---
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--- Next, we have Gregory Wiseman,
the scientific superpower! With over 165 days of conducting experiments in space,
he's got the brains to solve any problem. Plus, he's a social media superstar, making him the
perfect candidate to connect with Earthlings and keep them informed about the mission.
Victor J. Glover, Jr. was the daring dragon pilot! He's got the chops to fly anything,
including the Crew Dragon spacecraft. He's also a pro at long-duration missions, having just
landed from a 6-month stint on the International Space Station. With his experience, he's ready to
take on anything the Moon throws his way. Last but not least is Jeremy Hansen, the
Canadian astronaut extraordinaire! He's got the education and research background to back him up,
plus he's making history as the first Canadian to venture to the Moon. With his unique perspective,
he's the perfect candidate to find new discoveries on the lunar surface.
Together, these four superheroes make up the ultimate Artemis 2 team!
With their endurance, brains, daring skills, and unique perspectives, they're the best candidates
to tackle any challenge the Moon has in store for them. Artemis II is currently slated to
launch in November 2024. However, there’s always a chance that issues crop up that force delays.
Can’t wait to see what the future holds! Unluckily, the Artemis II crew won’t
set foot on the Moon. This will be done later,
as part of the third piece of the program. That’s why Artemis III is so important.
--- Artemis III
During the last part of the mission, the new crew of astronauts will travel in a near rectilinear
halo orbit. This will be the first time a spacecraft is sent on such a weird orbit,
but it is the ideal path along the gravitational boundaries of Earth and its natural satellite
because it will allow the spacecraft to get as close as possible to the moon, while at the same
time spending the least amount of fuel. At its closest, it will pass 3000 km from the lunar
surface, and at its furthest, 70 000 km. Neither Artemis I nor Artemis II have chosen this path.
That’s why NASA’s CAPSTONE spacecraft is currently evaluating this flight path and its dynamics.
Remember? We want to make sure our crew reaches the lunar surface in the easiest way possible.
Another important thing to know about Artemis III is that one of the two
astronauts to touch the lunar regolith will be the first woman on the Moon.
This will be so exciting to watch. NASA has also remarked that the Artemis Program also
seeks to bring the first person of color to that far outpost.
The two astronauts will spend a week on the lunar surface, while the remaining two will be observing
their moves from above, while they orbit around the moon from the comfort of their capsule. If
everything goes as planned, the walking astronauts will also sample water ice they will find on the
moon. To keep them company, a remote-controlled rover that they will use during their walks.
--- Post-Artemis III
Beginning with Artemis III, NASA intends to launch crewed missions about once per year. The focus
will be on establishing surface capabilities and constructing the Gateway in orbit around the Moon.
The Gateway will enable long-term operations, serving as a staging point for both human and
robotic lunar missions. This orbiting station will support even longer expeditions on the Moon,
and potentially multiple surface deployments in a single Artemis mission. Astronauts will be able
to remain in orbit and deploy at will, thanks to the Gateway-to-surface operational system.
At the lunar South Pole, NASA and its partners will build an Artemis Base Camp, equipped with
a lunar terrain vehicle and habitable mobility platform, as well as power systems and resource
utilization facilities. This will support longer, more exploratory missions on the lunar surface.
With these upcoming missions, NASA is taking the first step towards
establishing a long-term presence on the Moon, paving the way for future space exploration.
--- Looking to Mars
It might sound crazy, but the very last goal of the Artemis program is for us to
be able to colonize Mars. We are sorry, little Moon: we are just using you as a testbed!
--- And if you want to know
more about it, make sure you don’t miss any of our next videos! Thanks for watching! See you around!