Nasa is aiming to return astronauts to the Moon by 2024, a deadline that has been accelerated from 2028 due to Chinese lunar ambitions. The agency plans to establish a sustainable lunar outpost, moving beyond the flags-and-footprints approach of the Apollo era.
At the Open University in Milton Keynes, PhD student Hannah Sargeant is developing technology to extract water from lunar rocks. Her method uses ilmenite, a mineral abundant on the Moon, to produce oxygen and then water. 'There are 20-plus ways of getting water from rocks on the Moon,' she says, expressing confidence that permanent habitation in lunar orbit will happen in her lifetime.
The new lunar programme is named Artemis, after Apollo's twin sister, and speculation surrounds the identity of the first female Moonwalker. Nasa has 12 active female astronauts, including Kate Rubins, Jeanette Epps, Serena Aunon-Chancellor, and Christina Koch. Administrator Jim Bridenstine has indicated the chosen astronaut will be someone with flight experience on the International Space Station.
However, the 2024 deadline poses significant risks, as critical hardware has yet to be built or flight-tested. John Logsdon, professor emeritus at George Washington University, acknowledges the risk but argues that a certain level of acceptance is necessary for progress. 'If we’re not willing to accept a certain level of risk, then we should stay on the ground,' he says.
