This is the first time in five decades that such a mission is about to take place. The human and scientific stakes of Artemis III are significant.
The nine candidate zones
According to a press release published by NASA, a list of nine areas on the Moon has been established, where the Artemis III mission could land. These nine regions will soon be the subject of in-depth scientific and technical studies. They were meticulously chosen by a NASA interagency site selection analysis team.
These “candidate” areas were selected “depending on their scientific value and the availability of the mission”, explains NASA. Among them are the Malapert Massif, the Mons Mouton Plateau, the Pic near Cabeus B and the Slater Plain (areas presented without order of priority).
A meticulous choice
The multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers analyzed the lunar South Pole using data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and scientific information collected in advance. The suitability of the terrain, scientific potential and lighting conditions were among the factors taken into account to select candidate regions.
“L“NASA's choice of these regions demonstrates our commitment to landing the crew safely near the lunar South Pole, where they will help discover new scientific discoveries and learn about living on the lunar surface.” Lakiesha Hawkins, deputy assistant administrator of the Moon-Mars Program Office, said in the release.
The scientific contribution of the zones
Because the whole purpose of Artemis III's mission is to explore for the very first time the lunar South Pole, which could preserve water resources and contains permanent gray areas (therefore, an element of mystery) .
“To find the right locations for this historic moment, we must first identify safe places for this first landing, then try to associate them with the scientific opportunities offered by this new place on the Moon”, explains Jacob Bleacher, NASA exploration scientist in the agency’s press release.
In this case, these nine candidate regions can also be the subject of in-depth scientific studies to provide more information concerning the formation of our solar system among other things.
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