Returning to the Moon

With the success of Artemis II, NASA is preparing for humanity’s return to the Moon through the ambitious Artemis Project. In this lecture, Professor Neil Farber explores the future Artemis missions, the spacecraft and technologies designed to support them, and the challenges NASA faces in sending astronauts back to the lunar surface. Building on the legacy of the Apollo program, Artemis represents a new era of exploration focused not only on reaching the Moon, but on establishing a sustainable long-term presence and preparing for future missions to Mars. Professor Farber examines why returning to the Moon today presents more difficulties than during the Apollo era, including modern engineering demands, funding realities, mission complexity, astronaut safety, and the logistical challenges of deep space travel. The lecture also highlights how NASA’s goals have evolved since Apollo and why the Moon remains central to the future of human space exploration. Series: "Osher UC San Diego Distinguished Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 41597]