NASA has been hard at work in recent months as the agency has several projects and mission underway. One of the most important ones is Artemis, which focuses on returning to the surface of the moon in less than a decade.
The name was inspired by the twin sister of Apollo, the God of the Sun in Greek mythology and the name of the previous missions. Artemis could be the first mission which brings a female astronaut on the moon, a significant milestone for the agency and feminism.
During a recent event, NASA unveiled the Modular Supercomputing Facility, a unique location which will be used to simulate moon landings before a 2024 launch date. The MSF has been designed with to be flexible as new modules can components can be added and replaced easily.
It is estimated the location of the project can accommodate a maximum number of sixteen modules. The main benefits of using modular technology are the ability to deploy them rapidly and test experimental hardware in a convenient manner.
NASA showcases new equipment
While NASA planned to return to Earth in 2028, the schedule has been accelerated. The move was quite surprising, especially since Donald Trump, the current US president, stated in the past that the agency should focus on targets like Mars.
The Apollo missions aimed to reach the moon for brief visits, but the goals are a bit more ambitious this time around as NASA plans to establish a permanent presence on the satellite.
A stable base on the moon would be a massive boon for NASA and other space agencies since it could serve as a valuable launch base for future missions.
sIt would also allow researchers to test futuristic tech in real space conditions without the need to launch a new prototype into space and hope that it will fare well enough to send back relevant data. The odds seem to be favorable for now, but only time will tell if the missions will succeed.
