Posted by Brian Myers | Published
After an absence from Earth for more than fifty years, NASA planned a series of manned trips to the moon. Before the intrepid astronauts were launched into orbit above its surface, private aerospace companies announced their unmanned efforts on the lunar surface.
Four different missions will be launched in the coming months. Each has its own mission, the scope of which is all in the hope of facilitating the 2028 return of mankind’s journey to the moon.
Influence of the Artemis Program
The last time Earth hosted humans was just over 50 years ago. On December 11, 1972, the Apollo 17 Lunar Lander landed on the surface of the moon, carrying mission commander Gene Cernan and module pilot Harrison Schmitt. NASA astronauts stayed for about three days, collected lunar samples, set up probes, and completed the three-month mission. On December 14, Cernan and Schmitt left for Earth in the Command Module operated by Ronald Evans (NASA).
Over the next several decades, interest in returning to the surface of the moon was thwarted by various factors. Advances in technology led some to argue that robots were the safest and most economical way to continue exploration, while NASA’s Space Shuttle Program was more politically popular than returning to a giant rock orbiting our planet. Science News Today summarizes these sentiments, stating that “continued exploration of the moon would require Apollo-like infrastructure and investment, without the same political motivation to justify it.”
The creation of the Artemis program in 2017 has helped ignite a new generation’s passion for human lunar exploration. The next set of human steps are scheduled to land in 2028, with more lunar landing crafts planned for the next two years. After two successful missions last year by Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines (USA Today), excitement among the space community and the general public has begun to abound.
Future Missions Are Near
The 2026 mission series will begin with Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic and its Griffin-1 program. After the failed attempt of the company’s Peregrine lander in 2024, Astrobotic intends to place two moon rovers at the South Pole. This is the first Astrobotic attempt to land on the moon since Peregrine burned up in Earth’s atmosphere after launch, the result of a massive propellant leak.
A 322-meter rocket designed by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin also aims to land on the moon’s South Pole this year. The unmanned spacecraft is expected to carry cargo and rovers for Artemis’ upcoming mission to the moon.
Following its success with last year’s Blue Ghost mission, Firefly Aerospace will be heading far beyond the moon this year. Pitching the upcoming Blue Ghost 2 as “big and bold,” the company will carry tools and equipment for both future Artemis missions and future commercial customers. Additionally, Firefly will leave the Elytra Dark Vehicle in lunar orbit for surface imaging purposes over the next five years.
In 2024, Houston’s Intuitive Machines became the first private company to successfully place a lunar rover on the moon. Coming off the heels of the Athena Lander, the company hopes its latest effort, named IM-3, will land on the moon’s South Pole. IM-3 is scheduled to launch by the end of the year and will ride into lunar orbit attached to a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ship.
