How we are going to the moon #nasa #moonmission

Welcome to StellarNASA, your go-to destination for all things space exploration! In today's video, we're embarking on a thrilling journey into the heart of NASA's Artemis program and how it's shaping the future of space travel, including our ultimate quest to reach Mars.

Back in the late '60s and early '70s, the United States accomplished something truly remarkable—nine missions to the Moon, with six of them making history by touching down on the lunar surface. Fast forward to today, and we find ourselves in the era of Artemis, NASA's audacious mission to return to the Moon, establish a long-term human presence, and prepare for even more complex voyages to the Red Planet, Mars.

Join us as we break down the nuts and bolts of an Artemis mission. It all begins with the courageous astronauts—the true heroes of space exploration. They're accompanied by an engineering marvel known as Orion, a spacecraft built in three essential parts.

First, there's the crew module, which serves as a home and workplace for up to four astronauts throughout the entire mission. Next, we have the service module, responsible for housing crucial life support systems, along with its own engine and fuel reserves. Safety is paramount, so a launch abort system equipped with engines ready to ensure the crew's safety during launch emergencies is an integral part of Orion.

But what really amps up the excitement is NASA's Space Launch System, or SLS for short. This rocket is a true powerhouse, surpassing even the legendary Saturn V from the Apollo era. We're talking over six million pounds when fully fueled, with the bulk of that weight being the fuel. Once those engines roar to life, there's no turning back.

Just two minutes after liftoff, the solid rocket boosters complete their mission and are jettisoned. Eight minutes in, the core stage is depleted and separates, leaving Orion in a parking orbit around Earth. During this crucial moment, the crew takes time to reconfigure the spacecraft and ensure everything is shipshape before their epic journey into deep space.

Mission control gives the green light, and the crew reignites the exploration upper stage engines. This crucial burn breaks them free from Earth's gravitational pull and sets their course toward the Moon, all carefully timed to align with a lunar rendezvous a few days later.

As we approach the Moon, Artemis distinguishes itself from the Apollo missions. Instead of relying solely on Orion for every task, Artemis embraces a new approach: lunar lander lash, pre-staging. This means that everything needed for lunar missions—rovers, science experiments, and even human-rated systems on the lunar surface—is pre-positioned by commercial and international partners. It's like having a lunar picnic already set up.

And here's the game-changer—the Gateway. This lunar station orbits the Moon and acts as a central hub for lunar missions. Designed with open standards, the Gateway can adapt and grow as new missions and partnerships evolve. It can even adjust its orbit to reach every corner of the Moon, a capability that the Apollo missions didn't have. But that's not all—the Gateway's unique halo orbit serves as the perfect training ground for the maneuvers required for Mars missions.

Back to our crew as they approach the Gateway. Orion needs to match the station's orbit for a successful docking. Some crew members transfer to the lunar lander, while others remain on the Gateway. The lunar lander is engineered for three critical phases: descending from Gateway's halo orbit to a low-lunar orbit, then making its way from there to the Moon's surface. Once the lunar mission wraps up, it launches from the Moon and returns to the orbiting Gateway.

Following undocking from the Gateway and breaking free from the halo orbit, Orion makes its way around the Moon, setting a course for Earth. In the final leg of this epic journey, the service module is released, and the crew module reorients itself with its heat shield facing forward. As it re-enters Earth's atmosphere at a blistering 25,000 mph, the heat shield holds up, and a series of specially designed parachutes deploy, slowing Orion to a mere 20 mph for a safe splashdown.

And there you have it, folks! With each successful Artemis mission, we're paving the way for the next generation of explorers and showing the world that we're ready to journey beyond our planet. We hope you enjoyed this cosmic adventure with us. Don't forget to like and subscribe to StellarNASA for more thrilling updates on space exploration. Until next time, keep your eyes on the stars! 🚀🌕