The goal of is to establish permanent human settlements on the moon. The first mission, , is a crewless expedition to test systems of NASA鈥檚 new Orion spacecraft.
Colorado-based provided negative-pressure relief valves for the craft, which allow astronauts to have sustainable breathable air, says company president Janet Kavandi.
鈥淪ierra Space is just very proud to be a part of the return to the moon, the Artemis program, and everything that goes into that,鈥� said Kavandi, a .
She said the company is also developing inflatable habitat structures that could be used for NASA鈥檚 settlements on the moon.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of science fiction coming true today,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I think that鈥檚 just really fun to be a part of.鈥�
Following the completion of Artemis I, NASA will choose a crew to fly around the moon on the Artemis II mission, which is tentatively set to launch in 2024. That would lay the foundation for Artemis III, putting a woman and a person of color on the moon for the first time.
NASA hasn鈥檛 put a human on the moon in half a century. The agency says it鈥檚 returning to the moon for three main reasons: scientific discovery, economic opportunities and inspiration for the next generation of explorers.
The agency plans to use what it learns on and around the moon for a mission that sends the first astronaut to Mars.
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