NASA To Land First Woman, Next Man On Moon With $28 Billion Artemis Plan

The world will witness the first woman land on the moon in 2024 if NASA’s Artemis mission goes as planned. The space agency unveiled Tuesday its $28 billion budget to bring back astronauts on the moon.

NASA’s Artemis plan would see the first woman and the next man on the moon, marking the first time humans set foot on the lunar surface since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Apollo 17 was NASA’s last moon landing mission.

“With bipartisan support from Congress, our 21st century push to the Moon is well within America’s reach,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a news release. “As we’ve solidified more of our exploration plans in recent months, we’ve continued to refine our budget and architecture. We’re going back to the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for a new generation of explorers. As we build up a sustainable presence, we’re also building momentum toward those first human steps on the Red Planet.”

The Artemis plan will use NASA’s new rocket, the Space Launch System, and the Orion spacecraft. Both are nearing completion as planned. The Space Launch System (SLS) is waiting for a final series of tests, with its core stage and four engines ready for dry runs this fall.

The first woman and next man will also be the first astronauts that will land on the lunar South Pole. From their launch onboard the SLS, the astronauts will travel an estimated 240,000 miles to lunar orbit aboard Orion.

From Orion, they will board NASA’s new commercial human landing systems. They could also dock to the Gateway to prepare and secure supplies for their exploration on the surface of the moon.

The Gateway is an outpost orbiting the moon and is crucial for a long-term human return to the moon's surface. Gateway also serves as the starting point for deep space exploration.

With a $28 billion budget allocated for the mission, the modern-day astronauts will also wear modern spacesuits. Compared to the Apollo team, the spacesuits will have more room to move conveniently as the astronauts collect samples and conduct science experiments.

NASA has high hopes that the mission can pave the way for the development of Artemis Base Camp that could be significant to future long-term moon explorations.

The Artemis team will only explore the moon for seven days before returning to lunar orbit and then back to Earth aboard the Orion.

In his statement, Bridenstine has the Congress to thank for the 2024 moon mission, adding that the next project could see the first humans on Mars.