The Constellation Program vs Artemis
When it comes to space exploration and missions beyond Earth, NASA seems to always be at the forefront of the game. Throughout the years, NASA has implemented a number of programs to explore and expand our horizons past our planet, with two of the most notable being the Constellation Program and Artemis. While both programs share the same goal of advancing our knowledge and space capabilities, there are some important differences between them that should be discussed.
Constellation Program
The Constellation Program was NASA's plan for space exploration that was initiated in 2005 and was eventually cancelled in 2010. The program aimed to bring humans back to the Moon and eventually take a leap forward towards landing humans on Mars. The program was supposed to consist of a few important components that would enable NASA to accomplish its goals:
- Orion spacecraft - A spacecraft that would transport humans beyond low Earth orbit, a spacecraft specifically designed for deep space missions.
- Ares I and Ares V rockets - Launch vehicles that would be used to launch Orion and other necessary components into space.
- Altair lunar lander - A spacecraft that would take humans from the Orion spacecraft to the surface of the Moon and back.
The program, unfortunately, was cancelled. There were a number of reasons that led to the cancellation of the program, including delays and cost overruns, and a lack of clear mission objectives.
Artemis
Artemis is NASA's most recent space exploration program, announced in 2019. It was designed to take humans back to the Moon, with the ultimate goal of landing the first woman and next man on the lunar surface.
Similar to the Constellation Program, Artemis consists of a few major components:
- Orion spacecraft - The spacecraft has been developed since Constellation days, and it is the same spacecraft that will be used in all the Artemis missions.
- Space Launch System (SLS) - A new launch system that will be responsible for launching the Orion spacecraft, lunar landers, and other necessary components into space.
- Gateway lunar outpost - A small space station that will orbit the Moon and serve as a base for research, rovers, and astronauts en route from Earth to the Moon.
Despite some similarities, there are some notable differences between Artemis and Constellation which include:
- Cost: Artemis is estimated to cost around $28 billion and beyond, which is less than the $120 billion expected for the complete Constellation program.
- Timeframe: Artemis is expected to land astronauts on the Moon in 2024, compared to Constellation which was cancelled before any mission was completed.
- International cooperation: Artemis looks to cooperate with other countries, which would reduce the burden on the United States exclusively.
Conclusion
While there are some similarities between the Constellation Program and Artemis, there are also some important differences that should be noted. Artemis aims to carry forward Constellation objectives, but also features new implementation methods such as international collaborations, which should help to yield promising effects from various scientific and technological perspectives. Ultimately, it will be interesting to find out what Artemis achieves in terms of space-exploration history, and if the mission is successfully accomplished in 2024.
References
- NASA. (2005). Constellation Program. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/index.html
- NASA. (2021). Artemis Program. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/