Artemis 5 (officially Artemis V) is the fifth planned mission and third crewed landing of
NASA's Artemis Program
The Artemis program is a robotic and human Moon exploration program led by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) along with three partner agencies: European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration ...
. The mission will launch four astronauts on a
Space Launch System
The Space Launch System (SLS) is an American super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle developed by NASA. As of 2022, SLS has the highest payload capacity of any rocket in operational service, as well as the greatest liftoff thrust of any r ...
rocket and an
Orion to the south pole of the Moon. In addition, Artemis V will also deliver two new elements to the
Gateway Space Station.
Overview
Artemis V will launch four astronauts to the Gateway Space Station. The mission will deliver the
European Space Agency's ESPRIT refueling and communications module and a Canadian-built robotic arm system for the Gateway. Also delivered will be NASA's
Lunar Terrain Vehicle.
After docking to the Gateway, two astronauts will board to a docked Lunar Exploration Transportation Services lander and fly it down to the Lunar south pole with the Lunar Terrain Vehicle on board. This will be the first lunar landing since
Apollo 17 to utilize an unpressurized lunar rover.
Spacecraft
Space Launch System
The Space Launch System is a super-heavy-lift launcher used to launch the Orion spacecraft from Earth to a trans-lunar orbit.
Orion
Orion is the crew transport vehicle used by all Artemis missions. It will transport the crew from Earth to the Gateway orbit, and return them back to Earth.
Gateway
Gateway is a small modular space station to be established in
Near-rectilinear halo orbit
A near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) is a halo orbit with slightly curved – or nearly straight – sides between close passes with an orbiting body. The 2022 CAPSTONE mission is the first such orbit in cislunar space, and this Moon-centric o ...
(NRHO) in late 2024. The first two Gateway elements will launch together aboard a
SpaceX Falcon Heavy
Falcon Heavy is a partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle that is produced by SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer. The rocket consists of two strap-on boosters made from Falcon 9 first stages, a center core also made from a Falc ...
in late 2024.
The I-Hab habitat module will be delivered by Artemis 4.
Lunar Exploration Transportation Services (LETS) lander
The LETS lander will transfer astronauts from the Gateway to the Lunar surface and back. The goal of LETS program is to develop one, and possibly more, landers from different companies to provide "sustainable" landing services. The LETS landers have not been selected yet, and may or may not include the SpaceX
Lunar Starship.
Lunar Terrain Vehicle
The
Lunar Terrain Vehicle is an unenclosed rover being developed by NASA that astronauts will drive on the Moon while wearing their spacesuits.
References
External links
Orion websiteat nasa.gov
Space Launch System websiteat nasa.gov
{{Future spaceflights
2028 in spaceflight
Artemis program
Crewed missions to the Moon
Orion (spacecraft)
Space Launch System
2028 in the United States
Missions to the Moon
Crewed spacecraft
Future human spaceflights
Lunar Gateway
Spaceflight
NASA space launch vehicles
Space stations