'Onward and Upward': NASA Reveals Plans for Men on Mars, Journey to Jupiter's Moon

NASA is getting ready for a groundbreaking new year, ringing in a new era of space exploration, beginning in 2024.

In a video titled "Onward and Upward” shared on the space agency's YouTube page, NASA expressed its commitment to pushing boundaries, overcoming limits and turning the once deemed impossible into reality in the coming year. A pivotal focus is the Artemis program, aiming to revolutionize lunar exploration.

Under Artemis, NASA plans to achieve historical milestones by landing the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, utilizing cutting-edge technologies to explore previously untouched lunar terrain.

The collaboration with commercial and international partners is a key aspect, with the Commercial Lunar Payload Services, or CLPS, initiative playing a vital role in establishing a sustained lunar presence.

NASA administrator Bill Nelson emphasized the significance of American companies landing payloads on the Moon for the first time, acknowledging the challenges and risks involved.

Missions such as VIPER, or Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, and PRIME-1, also known as Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1, will delve into uncharted lunar areas, contributing to the Gateway mission's goal of constructing a lunar space station by 2025.

Artemis II, NASA's first crewed test flight within the Artemis program, is also on the horizon, per a press release from NASA.

The assembly of twin solid rocket boosters and a towering core stage for the mission will begin in the coming months, accompanied by rigorous testing before launch. The insights gained from these endeavors will play a crucial role in the ambitious goal of sending astronauts to Mars.

Beyond lunar exploration, NASA's plans for 2024 include Earth-centric initiatives. The joint NASA-ISRO mission, NISAR, aims to map the planet using synthetic aperture radar, while the PACE spacecraft will launch early in the year to study ecosystems and climate.

Boeing's CST-100 Starliner is set for a short-duration test flight no earlier than April, marking another milestone. Crew rotation missions to the International Space Station (ISS) with SpaceX are ongoing, with Crew-8 scheduled for mid-February and Crew-9 following in mid-August.

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In October 2024, the Europa Clipper mission is set to launch, embarking on a journey to Jupiter's moon, Europa, to explore conditions conducive to supporting life.

NASA's commitment to environmental stewardship is evident in restoration and beautification efforts at Kennedy Spaceport. "Project Arbor at the Spaceport" will see the planting of Florida native trees and Artemis Moon Tree seedlings to enhance the natural landscape, provide shade, support wildlife and contribute to improved air quality.

As Nelson said, "It's a new day in space exploration as we sail on this new cosmic sea, there's so much to learn, there's so much to be excited about.”