Things You Should Know about NASA’s (Wo)Manned Moon Mission
Have you heard the myths about the Artemis program, NASA's initiative for permanent lunar presence? There are plenty of misconceptions, from exploring the moon's resources to living off the grid. But don't worry, Jenny GK is here to share the truth!
We might have a while to go for world peace,
but it looks like we might have found moon peace.
—Jenny GK
In this episode, we:
Delve into NASA's ambitious Artemis program aimed at creating a permanent lunar presence.
Grasp the modifications made to the Orion spacecraft for ensuring the success of Artemis missions.
Recognize the diverse representation in Artemis missions, with trailblazing women and people of color.
Examine the international collaboration that fuels the accomplishments of the Artemis program.
Contemplate how establishing a lunar base could be the stepping stone for conquering Mars.
An Introduction to the Artemis Program
The Artemis program is an ambitious NASA initiative with the ultimate goal of establishing a permanent human presence on the moon by 2024. This exciting venture aims to lay the groundwork for further deep space exploration, including missions to Mars, and offers a fascinating glimpse into the future of space exploration.
Caitlin Kindred and Jenny GK express their enthusiasm and curiosity for the subject, shedding light on the details behind this groundbreaking project. During their engaging discussion, Caitlin highlights the significance of the program's name, which comes from the Greek mythology figure Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo. Jenny's echoes her enthusiasm while offering her own insight into NASA's Artemis program goals, showing a genuine interest in this remarkable chapter of space research.
Artemis II Mission: History in the Making
Caitlin and Jenny discuss the impact of the Artemis program on diversity and inclusion, focusing on the groundbreaking involvement of women and people of color in these missions. They mention Christina Hammock Koch, the first woman to be part of a lunar mission, and Victor Glover, the first person of color to participate in such a mission, and Jeremy Hansen, the first Canadian, applauding NASA's commitment to inclusivity.
During their conversation, Jenny stresses the significance of including women and people of color in these momentous missions, respecting the value of diverse perspectives and abilities in space exploration. Jenny reflects on the impact these pioneering astronauts will have on future generations, inspiring countless people to reach for the stars.
Resources For This Episode
Timestamped summary of this episode:
00:00:00 - Introduction, Caitlin and Jenny introduce the podcast episode and announce that they will be discussing NASA's moon program called Artemis. 00:03:30 - Circle Time, Jenny shares her experience of learning about worms from a worm scientist and how her perspective has changed towards intellectual curiosity. 00:06:00 - Gem of the Week, Jenny shares a funny incident in which her daughter used the word "Yom Kippur" instead of "Al Pastor" while discussing tacos with her sewing class. 00:08:33 - Women in the Workplace, Caitlin discusses how conversations at her workplace often revolve around stereotypical female topics such as nails and hair, but also highlights the importance of discussing women's health issues. 00:11:30 - Shoutouts, Caitlin and Jenny give shoutouts to some indie shows that have shown them love and support on social media. They also discuss their new stickers with updated logos. 00:15:29 - Introduction to Artemis Program, Caitlin and Jenny discuss NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a permanent station on the Moon to launch future missions to Mars. They talk about the history of the program and its lofty goals. 00:16:45 - Naming and Development, The hosts discuss the special meaning behind the name Artemis and the fact that the program has been in development for almost two decades. They also mention the cancellation of the Constellation program due to budgetary concerns. 00:17:14 - Artemis One Success, The hosts talk about the success of the unmanned Artemis One mission, which traveled the farthest of any human-designed spacecraft and tested space suits for future missions. 00:19:10 - History in the Making, The hosts discuss the historical significance of the Artemis Two crew, which includes the first woman in the vicinity of the Moon, Christina Hammock Koch, and the first person of color on a lunar mission, Victor Glover. They also mention NASA's commitment to having a woman and a person of color walk on the Moon during future missions. 00:20:35 - International Collaboration, The hosts talk about the international aspect of the Artemis program, with partner agencies including the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. They note that the program represents a collaboration for space exploration and perhaps even "moon peace."