The Apollo and Artemis Space Programs: From the Moon to Mars

For International Day of Human Space Flight, we will focus on Apollo & Artemis, the twins who are leading the human race into the space age. The Apollo and Artemis space programs are two ambitious and historic endeavors by the United States to explore the Moon and beyond. The Apollo program, which ran from 1961 to 1972, was the first human spaceflight program to land humans on the lunar surface and return them safely to Earth. The Artemis program, which started in 2019, is the current lunar exploration program that aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, and use the lunar experience to prepare for human missions to Mars.

The Apollo Space Program

The Apollo program was conceived in 1960, during President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration, as a three-person spacecraft to follow the one-person Project Mercury, which put the first Americans in space. Apollo was later dedicated to President John F. Kennedy’s national goal for the 1960s of “landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth” in an address to Congress on May 25, 1961. It was the third US human spaceflight program to fly, preceded by the two-person Project Gemini, which extended spaceflight capability in support of Apollo.

The Apollo program consisted of 11 crewed missions, six of which landed on the Moon. The first crewed flight, Apollo 7, tested the command and service module (CSM) in Earth orbit in 1968. The first lunar landing, Apollo 11, achieved the historic feat of putting astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin on the Moon, while Michael Collins orbited in the CSM, in 1969. The last lunar landing, Apollo 17, was the longest and most scientific mission, with astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spending more than three days on the surface, while Ronald Evans orbited in the CSM, in 1972. The Apollo program also included the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, which was the first joint mission with the Soviet Union, in 1975.

The Apollo program was a remarkable achievement of science, engineering, and human exploration, that inspired generations and advanced our understanding of the Moon and the solar system. But the Apollo program also faced many challenges and tragedies, such as the Apollo 1 fire that killed three astronauts in 1967, and the Apollo 13 accident that nearly cost the lives of three astronauts in 1970. The Apollo program was also a political and cultural phenomenon, that reflected the Cold War rivalry, the civil rights movement, and the social changes of the 1960s and 1970s.

The Artemis Space Program

The Artemis program is the successor and the continuation of the Apollo program, with the vision of establishing a sustainable and diverse human presence on the Moon and beyond. Named after the Greek goddess of the Moon and the twin sister of Apollo, it symbolizes the new generation of explorers and the new partnerships that will make the program possible. The Artemis program is led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), along with six major partner agencies: the European Space Agency, the German Aerospace Center, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, the Israel Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency.

The Artemis program consists of three phases: Artemis I, II, and III. Artemis I is the first uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which launched on November 16, 2022, and completed a 25.5-day lunar mission with a successful splashdown on December 11, 2022. Artemis II is the first crewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft and the SLS rocket, which is planned to launch in 2024, and perform a lunar flyby with four astronauts on board. Artemis III is the first crewed lunar landing mission of the Artemis program, which is planned to launch in 2025, and land two astronauts, including the first woman and the first person of color, on the lunar south pole, while two astronauts orbit in the Orion spacecraft.

The Artemis program also includes the development of the Gateway, a lunar orbiting outpost that will serve as a staging point for lunar and deep space missions, and the Human Landing System, a new lunar lander that will transport astronauts from the Gateway to the surface and back. The program also involves the construction of the Artemis Base Camp, a long-term habitat and research station on the lunar surface, where astronauts will conduct scientific and commercial activities. The Artemis program also aims to use the lunar resources, such as water ice and regolith, to produce fuel, oxygen, and other materials that will enable more efficient and sustainable exploration.

The objective of the Artemis program is not only a return to the Moon, but also a preparation for the next giant leap: sending humans to Mars. The Artemis program will use the Moon as a testbed and a proving ground for the technologies, systems, and operations that will be needed for a human mission to the Red Planet. The program will also leverage the scientific and commercial potential of the Moon, and enhance the international and public-private partnerships that will make the program successful. This will also inspire and engage the new generation of explorers, innovators, and leaders, who will carry on the legacy of the Apollo program and the spirit of the Artemis program.

The Impact of the Apollo and Artemis Space Programs

The Apollo and Artemis space programs are two milestones in the history of human space exploration, that demonstrate the achievements, challenges, and opportunities of venturing beyond our home planet. Both programs have had a significant impact on science, technology, culture, and society, as they have advanced our understanding of the Moon and the solar system, inspired generations of explorers and innovators, and fostered international and public-private partnerships. The Apollo and Artemis space programs are not only about reaching the Moon and Mars, but also about discovering ourselves and our place in the universe.

To learn more about both of the programs, go to Apollo’s page if you want to learn more about the Apollo Space Program or you can also visit NASA’s official Artemis program page.

The Statue of Liberty & Artemis

If you follow this site regularly, you already know that the Statue of Liberty is based on Libertas, the Roman goddess of Freedom, which in turn is based on the Greek goddess Eleutheria (goddess of Freedom) .

But what you probably don’t know is that in many parts of ancient Greece, Eleutheria was not worshiped as her own goddess, but rather as a part of Artemis, Artemis Eleutheria. This is very fitting to associate freedom with Artemis, one of the most highly respected gods of ancient Greece.

So think about it the next time you see the Statue of Liberty, you are in fact seeing the Statue of Artemis. Below a documentary about how it was made: