On July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin became the first people to land on the moon, and just six and a half hours later, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the lunar surface. It was then he then spoke the famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”. The world was in awe of the incredible sight and the history that was being made. 

NASA was able to invent incredible things due to the moon landing, including the CAT scanner, cordless tools, computer microchips, the AID automatic pulse generator, solar panels, security systems, firefighter suits, the dialysis machine, vacuums, and much more. The incredible historic event brought humanity many technological and intellectual innovations. 

Space travel brought America closer to the hearts of the world. It created many medical innovations that have saved millions of lives, along with the basic needs to medical facilities and everyday outings. We were able to invent the basic needs for construction, due to space travel we were able to create motors that could lift heavy loads that humans were not capable of. We created the smartphone that humans use twenty-four seven now a days, and the amazing kitchen appliances that are necessities for everyday living. 

America was able to pull ahead of the rest of the world with innovations due to President JFKs determination to beat the Russians to the lunar surface. With the help of thousands, we were able to make history. 

With all this technology we were able to make in 1969, think of what we could create in the present day. So why haven’t we gone back yet? 

One big factor is the President of the United States. In order for the US to get to the moon you need the President’s approval. You would need a President in office for eight years that approves of the idea, due to the amount of time it takes to get to the moon, four years would not be long enough. . America has rarely had this, for example: President Obama who was in office from 2009 to 2016 didn’t agree with the idea of going to the moon, so NASA was eventually shut down due to the amount of money it spent.

Now with President Trump in office from 2016 to 2020 he is trying to fund NASA to make a new moon landing in 2024. However, if Trump doesn’t get into office from 2020 to 2024, and the new President doesn’t agree to fund for NASA we will be back to stage one. It will be shut down due to the lack of money it is receiving, and we will forget about going to the moon. 

Space exploration can give us answers that we have been pondering for years as mankind. We just have to agree to make it happen. 

NASA is planning to have the next lunar surface landing in 2024. Bill Gerstenmaier who is NASAs associate administrator for Human Exploration, had a meeting with Space Studies Board and Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board on April 30th, 2019 where he began to explain NASAs plan for the human lunar landing.

“We’re off building that plan, and it fits on paper,” he said “ But I tell you it is not easy and it is not risk-free.”.

The approach as he described would require three launches of the space system heavy-lift rocket and orion spacecraft. It would begin with the un-crewed Exploration Mission (EM) but this has suffered many delays so far with problems taking place in the core space in the rocket. 

Gerstenmaier stated “best case scenario EM-1 would launch in 2020, but it will most likely in 2021.” Next, he stated “a crew test flight in EM-2 would launch in 2022.”  Lastly, “EM-3 would carry out the official human lunar mission.”

Meanwhile, NASA is still working on the architecture to sustain the rockets and the lunar landing. On April 26 2019, NASA announced that they were part of its Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships program that will now seek proposals for integrated lunar land concepts. 

However, with all of the workers, technological needs, and the high risk of this mission, NASA is looking at spending billions of dollars on this human lunar surface exploration. 

Gerstenmaier said that the approach for the human landing is minimalistic. He says “ We are looking at what the minimum is we need for suits to go out and do things. We’re going to keep that as small and lean as we can.”. 

While NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said in early April at the House of Science committee hearing that revised the budget for the 2024 human lunar landing goal would be ready around April 15, but is has yet been delivered to congress.

NASA is seeking 1.6 billion dollars just to complete the “down payment” in order to achieve the human lunar landing in 2024. President Trump announced that he would fund for NASA’s down payment. 

Shortly after NASA heard this news, they published a summary of its budget amendment which calls for nearly 1.9 billion dollars in new funding for the lunar landers and accelerating work on the Space Launch System and Orion. It would also go to space exploration and new technologies. 

NASA believed that the billions of dollars will be well spent, it is just a matter of persuading congress to believe that as well. 

For now NASA is trying to send the third man, and first woman to the moon. 

Since NASA is trying to send the first women to the moon, they are calling it the Artemis Generation. Artemis is a Greek Goddess who is the twin sister of Apollo. 

Apollo was the name of the first moon landing in 1969, he was the all powerful to the world of space for many years. 

It is now time for a change. In honor of sending the first woman, it is the Artemis. 

Ladies and gentleman, get ready for the Artemis Generation.