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NASA has provided its latest list of potential landing sites for the Artemis III Moon mission, chosen by the agency’s Cross Agency Site Selection Analysis team alongside science and industry partners.
The updated sites, in no specific order, are:
- Peak near Cabeus B
- Malapert Massif
- Haworth
- Nobile Rim 1
- Nobile Rim 2
- Mons Mouton
- Mons Mouton Plateau
- Slater Plain
- de Gerlache Rim 2
These nine potential landing sites are all located near the lunar South Pole, an area that has never before been explored by a crewed mission. NASA says each region was assessed for its “science value and mission availability” and that areas will be “further investigated through scientific and engineering study.”
The space agency also plans to continue surveying potential areas in the lunar South Pole for future missions after Artemis III, including areas outside the nine mentioned and assessing suitability for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) for Artemis V.
The permanently cold, shadowed areas of the lunar South Pole “could contain water and other compounds,” according to Sarah Noble, Artemis lunar science lead at NASA HQ in Washington. It’s a totally different environment to the areas explored during the Apollo mission over fifty years ago, and covers some of the Moon’s oldest terrain.
A team of engineers and scientists assessed data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter alongside extensive lunar science research to choose these nine landing regions. Factors considered in the selection process included communication capabilities with Earth, the suitability of terrain, science potential, lighting conditions, and launch window availability.
In addition to this, the Artemis III geology team evaluated the “scientific promise” of each region. According to NASA, sites in each area could provide important insights into the history of our solar system, lunar resources, and our understanding of rocky planets.
NASA also took into account the combined trajectory capabilities of the Starship HLS, Orion Spacecraft and its Space Launch System rocket to ensure potential landing sites are accessible and safe.
NASA’s chief exploration scientist, Jacob Bleacher, said that finding the right locations for such a historic moment “begins with identifying safe places for the first landing.”
Under NASA’s Artemis campaign the space agency plans to “establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon” including landing the first person of color, first woman, and first “international partner astronaut” on the lunar surface.
