NASA has announced an ambitious plan to return to the Moon in 2024, and said a female astronaut will be joining the mission – the first time a female goes to the Moon.
According to Science Alert, the mission has been named after Greek goddess Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo.
During a press conference NASA’s administrator Jim Bridenstine said, “Fifty years after Apollo, the Artemis program will carry the next man and first woman to the Moon,” according to CNN. The announcement came after President Trump added an additional $1.6 billion increase to the space agency’s budget.
The budget increase, according to CNN, was added so NASA could begin to accelerate plans for the Artemis Moon mission. The budget originally sat at $21 billion.
In a Tweet, NASA quoted Bridenstine, saying, ‘Everyone who is of age remembers where they were when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon. We are trying to create that moment for the next generation.’
According to CNN, NASA said in a statement, ‘To land American astronauts on the Moon by 2024, we are working through the acquisition approach for the various projects. Our efforts will include new work at NASA centers to provide the key technologies and scientific payloads needed for the lunar surface, adding to efforts already underway across the country.’
Of the 12 people who have landed on the moon, all have been men.
ARTEMIS: Twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the Moon. Now, the name for our #Moon2024 mission to return @NASA_Astronauts to the surface of the Moon by 2024, including the first woman and next man. pic.twitter.com/1K9qIloZwp
— NASA (@NASA) May 13, 2019
Image: Twitter @NASA
