The Artemis-2 mission of the American space agency, NASA, has been successfully completed. After a journey of 9 days, 1 hour and 32 minutes, four astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday morning. They have added new enthusiasm to the space mission by splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.  

These four astronauts had reached a distance of 46,000 kilometers from Earth and observed the moon from a distance of 6,000 km. They have also created a record of the furthest distance from Earth in human history . However, NASA or any other space agency does not intend to limit this record to this. In particular, as the great poet Lakshmi Prasad Devkota said, 'What is the purpose, fly and touch the moon' is no longer just an objective.  NASA has set the main goal of establishing a permanent human settlement on the moon and making the moon a base camp and going to Mars. In preparation for this, NASA has been working with various countries and organizations, including Canada, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and European agencies, to advance the ‘Artemis Program’ since 2017. Shortly before the astronauts went to the moon, NASA announced an ambitious plan to invest about $20 billion and establish a long-term human presence on the lunar surface. The White House, the US presidential office, also expressed special support for it with the message that ‘America will never give up on the moon again’.

Artemis-3, which will be launched in 2027, will test ‘docking’ in space with SpaceX’s powerful Starship Lander. That mission will not only include a flyby or lunar orbit like the current one, but will also be the first time humans have set foot on the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. The landing will be on the south pole (far side of the moon) rather than in the middle of the moon, which is facing Earth. Artemis-2 Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen have now reached the South Pole.

Scientists believe that the South Pole is covered in ice due to its deep craters. They plan to melt the ice to produce drinking water and oxygen for astronauts. Most importantly, the water is thought to be separated into hydrogen and oxygen to make rocket fuel. If fuel can be made on the moon, there will be no need to carry fuel from Earth for the journey to Mars. This is expected to make the journey to Mars easier.

According to information on NASA's website, a small space station, the Lunar Gateway, will be established in lunar orbit in 2028 during the Artemis-4 mission. “As soon as Artemis-3 lands humans on the Moon’s south pole, Artemis-4 astronauts will launch the Lunar Space Station ‘Gateway’ for the first time in history,” writes Katherine E. Williams on NASA’s website. “It will create new opportunities for scientific research and support human travel to Mars.” NASA has said that it will begin work on building a permanent base camp on the Moon in the Artemis-5 mission, which is scheduled for 2028.

NASA is not alone in the race to send humans to Mars. China has released a three-phase plan for this. China aims to make its first manned Mars flight in 2033. China is preparing to send more people to Mars in 2035, 2041, and 2043 and build a small base camp there. In 2021, China successfully landed its spacecraft on Mars on its first attempt. In a single mission, an orbiter, 

China has set a record by sending a lander and a rover to Mars. China is currently building a rocket called 'Long March Nine' to carry heavy cargo and people to Mars, and it is estimated that it will be as powerful as America's Starship.

The European Space Agency is collaborating with NASA to bring Martian soil to Earth. From the private sector, SpaceX has claimed to send people to Mars by 2026, while Blue Origin is working on cargo delivery technology. Amid all these efforts to expand human settlement beyond Earth in the future, NASA claims that this time's mission is the beginning of a new era in space exploration. NASA's SLS rocket, Orion spacecraft and human exploration capabilities have been greatly refined, and this time's journey has proven extraordinary skill, courage and dedication, said NASA's chief publisher Jared Isaacman.

‘This is just the beginning, we are on a mission to send astronauts back to the moon and return them safely to Earth,’ Jared said on Saturday morning after all four astronauts safely landed on Earth, ‘Now NASA’s focus will be on preparing for Artemis-3. Our goal is not just to reach the moon, but to build a permanent base there. We will no longer let the lunar mission stall like before. We will not do this alone, but in cooperation with everyone. Recently, we have reached an agreement with the Italian Space Agency to build a habitat module on the moon.’ 

Artemis-2 moment

This mission has brought human lunar travel back on track, which has been postponed for 5 and a half decades. This mission was also remarkable in technical terms. Because the astronauts were able to reach the far side of the moon and test the latest technologies and equipment. This trip was also important in terms of cooperation. Previously, NASA or the US government were alone in such a mission, but this time, along with space agencies including Canada, Europe, and the private sector such as SpaceX and Blue Origin joined. But the most notable aspect of this mission is considered to be the first time that a non-American, a black person, and a woman have been taken beyond Earth's orbit. 

The astronauts captured a rare solar eclipse. They recorded the light of six meteorites falling on the moon. The names of two deep craters on the moon have been proposed for this trip - 'Carol' and 'Integrity'. 

The most challenging moment of the space mission is considered to be the landing on Earth. As the Orion capsule entered the Earth's atmosphere, its heat shield successfully withstood temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. As the capsule slowly descended from the sky via parachute, Navy ships and aircraft monitored it. Eventually, the capsule fell into the Pacific Ocean near San Diego. When NASA live-streamed the scene of the astronauts being safely evacuated by rescue teams and Navy divers on the USS John Murtha, many people put a clapping emoji in the comments. The mission cost about $4 billion. 

This nine-day journey to the moon is also full of interesting and unforgettable events. During the journey, a bottle of Nutella floating inside the Orion capsule created a lot of buzz on the Internet. Nutella is promoting it by saying, "We've reached space." Astronaut Christina Koch repaired the capsule's toilet when it was clogged. Viewers watching the live stream joked by calling her a "space plumber." Passengers carry some kind of material to indicate that there is no gravity in space. This time, a small doll named "Rise" was used. That doll has now become famous. 

(With the help of the agency)