The Last Time Humans Visited the Moon

The last time astronauts walked on the Moon was in December 1972 during NASA’s Apollo 17 mission. Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent about three days exploring the lunar surface, collecting rocks and driving a lunar rover. In total, only 12 people have ever walked on the Moon, and they were all American astronauts from the Apollo program. After Apollo 17, no human has returned to the Moon for over 50 years. During that long gap, space agencies focused on other projects like the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.

What Is the Artemis Program?

NASA’s Artemis program is the plan to send astronauts back to the Moon. The program is named after Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo in Greek mythology, connecting it to the original Apollo Moon missions. One of the main goals of Artemis is to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon. Artemis also aims to build a long-term presence on the Moon rather than just making short visits. The program plans to eventually use the Moon as a stepping stone for sending astronauts to Mars.

The Space Launch System and Orion

To get astronauts to the Moon, NASA built a powerful new rocket called the Space Launch System, or SLS. The SLS is one of the most powerful rockets ever built, standing taller than the Statue of Liberty at about 98 meters tall. On top of the rocket sits the Orion spacecraft, which carries the astronauts and is designed for deep space travel. In November 2022, the Artemis I mission successfully launched an uncrewed Orion spacecraft around the Moon and back to test the systems. Orion traveled farther from Earth than any spacecraft designed to carry humans has ever gone, reaching about 432,000 kilometers from our planet.

The Lunar Gateway

NASA and its international partners are planning to build a small space station called the Gateway that will orbit the Moon. The Gateway will serve as a meetup point where astronauts can transfer from Orion to a lunar lander before heading down to the Moon’s surface. Unlike the International Space Station, which orbits Earth, the Gateway will orbit the Moon and will not always have people on board. Astronauts will visit the Gateway during lunar missions and use it as a base for exploring different parts of the Moon. Several countries, including Canada, Japan, and members of the European Space Agency, are contributing parts and technology to the Gateway.

Landing on the Moon’s South Pole

Artemis astronauts plan to land near the Moon’s south pole, a region that no human has ever visited before. The Apollo missions all landed near the Moon’s equator, so the south pole is exciting new territory for exploration. Scientists are especially interested in this area because permanently shadowed craters there contain water ice. This water ice could potentially be used for drinking water, growing plants, or even making rocket fuel by splitting it into hydrogen and oxygen. Learning to use resources found on the Moon is an important step toward longer missions to Mars and beyond.

Other Countries Going to the Moon

NASA is not the only space agency with plans for the Moon. China has been very active in lunar exploration, successfully landing robotic spacecraft on the Moon’s far side in 2019 with its Chang’e 4 mission and returning lunar samples with Chang’e 5 in 2020. India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed a rover near the Moon’s south pole in August 2023, making India the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon. Japan’s SLIM lander touched down on the Moon in January 2024. Several private companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, are also developing lunar landers and working with NASA on Artemis missions.

Living and Working on the Moon

Future plans include building habitats where astronauts could live on the Moon for weeks or even months at a time. Scientists and engineers are studying how to use lunar soil, called regolith, to build structures and protect astronauts from radiation. Solar panels and small nuclear power systems could provide electricity for a Moon base. Growing food in lunar greenhouses is another area of research, since it would be very expensive to ship all supplies from Earth. Astronauts on the Moon would conduct science experiments, test new technologies, and practice the skills needed for even longer trips to Mars.

Why Going Back Matters

Returning to the Moon is about much more than repeating what the Apollo astronauts did. New technology allows scientists to study the Moon in ways that were impossible in the 1960s and 1970s. The Moon’s south pole water ice could unlock a whole new way of exploring space by providing fuel and water without launching everything from Earth. International cooperation on lunar missions helps build partnerships between countries and inspires a new generation of scientists and engineers. Every step we take on the Moon brings us closer to the day when humans will set foot on Mars and explore even deeper into the solar system.