Apollo vs. Artemis: What to know about NASA's moon missions

Key Points:

• NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the moon for the first time in over 50 years, with Artemis II set to orbit the moon in early April, reflecting a more diverse crew including a woman, a person of color, and a Canadian astronaut.
• Unlike the rapid Apollo missions of the 1960s, Artemis has progressed more slowly due to technical challenges and shifting priorities, leading to a revamped mission schedule with a moon landing now planned for Artemis IV in 2028.
• Artemis faces new geopolitical competition from China, which plans to land astronauts near the lunar south pole by 2030, a region NASA also targets for its potential water ice resources crucial for sustained lunar presence.
• The Artemis Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is shorter but more powerful than Apollo’s Saturn V, though it has experienced multiple delays due to technical issues; NASA is targeting an April liftoff from Launch Complex 39-B with a female launch director for the first time.
• Long-term goals of Artemis include establishing a sustainable lunar base to support future Mars missions, with plans for extended moon stays, new moonwalking suits, and collaboration with private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin for lunar landers.