Back to the Moon: Navigating the Artemis Journey

Between 1969 and 1972, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Apollo program landed 12 American men on the Moon and returned them safely to Earth. Since then, no human has been further from Earth than low-Earth orbit, a few hundred miles above; the distance to the Moon is about 240,000 miles. Artemis, named for Apollo's twin sister in ancient Greek mythology, is NASA's program for a return to the Moon by American astronauts-one of them a woman-in 2026. This book reviews progress toward Artemis goals, identifies and understands the challenges NASA faces, and discusses the way forward, providing insight into how NASA plans to ensure a successful American return to the Moon and enable future exploration of Mars and beyond.