As NASA prepares to send crews to the lunar south pole by December 2024, one of the big questions has been: where exactly will these astronauts land? Now we have a better idea, with NASA revealing 13 candidate landing sites for Artemis III. the mission that will finally carry this precious human cargo. “The selection of these areas means we are one giant leap closer to returning humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo,” says Mark Kirasich of the Artemis Mission Development Division at NASA. “When we do, it will be unlike any mission done before, as astronauts venture into dark regions previously unexplored by humans and set the stage for future long stays.” Each of the 13 potential landing sites is within 6 degrees of latitude from the lunar south pole, an important target for future exploration. This is an area of the Moon that no one has ever landed on and presents a significantly greater technical challenge than equator-based landings. For this reason, two uncrewed stages of the Artemis mission – Artemis I and Artemis II – must succeed before humans can safely launch. But the lunar south pole will be worth the challenge. Craters in this region are in permanent shadow, forming traps that barely exceed -163 degrees Celsius (-260 degrees Fahrenheit). It is hoped that patches of water ice several meters thick could lie hidden in the dark, providing future missions with a valuable resource to study and use. The possible landing sites for Artemis III. (NASA) The 13 landing sites, shown on the map above, are all about 15 kilometers (9 miles) square, each hosting a range of potential sites about 200 meters (656 feet) in diameter. The potential landing zones are all near (or even on) a crater rim or ridge—close proximity to a permanently shaded area to ensure astronauts have access to places that might contain water. “Developing a plan to explore the Solar System means learning how to use resources available to us while maintaining their scientific integrity,” says NASA research scientist Jacob Bleacher. “Lunar water ice is valuable scientifically and also as a resource, because from it we can extract oxygen and hydrogen for life support systems and fuel.” Each of the landing sites also provides access to sunlight for the six and a half Earth days the astronauts will be on the Moon. This is crucial for an uninterrupted supply of solar energy and minimal temperature fluctuations. Craters currently being targeted are Faustini, Shackleton, de Gerlache, Amundsen, Nobile, Haworth, Malapert and Leibnitz. Further narrowing of landing areas and locations within them will depend on launch dates. These dates will determine flight paths and environmental conditions, which will make some areas more favorable than others. Meanwhile, Artemis I is preparing to launch on August 29, bound for a trip around the Moon and back again. This mission is uncrewed, but has test dummies on board to collect data on the physical effects future astronauts might face on their epic journey.
