NASA has plans to diversify space. The agency has selected the first Black astronaut to voyage to the moon.
The inaugural astronaut, Victor Glover, will lift off in a new mission called Artemis II. The trip will continue on the journey established by its predecessor, Artemis I. Following the successful completion of Artemis I, this latest launch brings NASA one step closer to landing on Mars.
The launch will mark a historic repeat for NASA, returning to the moon for the first time in 50 years. However, the astronaut will not actually land on the celestial body. Instead, Glover will complete a flyby around its perimeter, alongside the first woman to make the trip.
Glover previously spoke about the Artemis program and how it inspires others to reach beyond the stars. He follows in the footsteps of fellow astronaut Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to fly to space.“The benefits of the Artemis program are technological, but they’re also cultural,” explained Glover in a 2024 NASA video. “What really means something to me is the inspiration that will come from it, inspiring future generations to reach for the moon, literally to reach for the moon.”
The mission will showcase NASA’s research efforts and still-blossoming potential. Danielle Wood, a professor in the astronautics department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, also emphasized how the space program expanded requirements that
bolstered the recruitment of diverse recruits to go above the skies. While excited about this feat, more work is needed to expand diversity in space.“It is still the case that there are many firsts, many glass ceilings, that need to be broken by Black women and Black men and women in general — that’s still real,” shared Wood to CNBC.
However, landing on the moon again remains uncertain, especially as budget constraints and new administrations come with new barriers. With some considering space exploration frivolous, especially at times of political, economic, and environmental distress, space enthusiasts expressed concern about new missions.
Despite these factors, supporters remain cautiously optimistic about the future of space
travel. Artemis II is also a gesture of international goodwill between countries across the East and West. Participating countries have opted to share research regarding how these astronauts will experience space travel and the planetary findings.“There’s so many challenges with this program right now stemming from policy, not from the astronauts or the engineers, just stemming from the fact that space is so complicated and so rooted in politics and so expensive that it’s hard to be that thrilled about this as the next step when everything else feels so tenuous,” explained space historian Amy Shira Teitel to CNBC.
While initially scheduled for February, the launch has faced delays. However, it expects to lift off in the near future to further discover new horizons in our solar system.
“It’s marking a new era of leaving low Earth orbit, which we haven’t done since 1972,” added Teitel. “It’s still a significant step because at the end of the day, we’re still going to gain some information that can be applied to whatever the next step is.”
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