Artemis II, the spaceship that went to the moon after almost 50 years, is now set to have a predecessor named Artemis III, which is set to test the Orion’s ability to dock safely on the Moon’s surface. Artemis III will be testing its docking systems with commercial landers from SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon. 

The tests will involve a trial with the HLS (Human Landing System), which is a program designed to work with both companies to execute a surface level mission, consisting of doing scientific research about the Moon’s surface and maybe even habitability. 

Following Artemis III’s launch, NASA also has plans for Artemis IV and Artemis V. Artemis IV is scheduled to launch in early 2028, and will be a manned mission, which will be focusing on landing at the Moon’s south pole, by using the SLS (Space Launch System). 

This system is a heavy lift system designed to carry four astronauts and cargo into the space docking system that will be placed down in the Artemis III mission. NASA also states that “On Nov. 16, 2022, SLS took to the sky from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, making history as the most powerful rocket NASA has ever launched.” 

These new missions present new capabilities for humanity to explore other planets for habitability, the same procedures that we use for the Moon’s exploration could be used for Mars. Which is a possibility for second planet habitation for humans, considered as the Next Earth by many. Would you consider moving to a different planet?