Hope & Disappointment: the Artemis Mission by Diane Burton

 I'm a procrastinator of the first order. Usually, I'm writing my post the night before. But this time, I started thinking about my post last week--as soon as I learned about the launch of the Artemis 1 Moon Launch. I've written about this mission before. So exciting. The first woman and person of color would step on the moon. 

Those of you who know your myths remember that Artemis was Apollo's sister. It makes sense that the new mission sending women to the moon would use the designation Artemis. Until 1979, space exploration was the domain of men. (Did I just hear "boo, hiss"?) Now, NASA is making up for the omission of women in a big way by sending women to the moon. Also, the flight director for the first time is a woman.

Below is what we thought we'd see on Monday.

Artist's depiction of Artemis 1 launch. NASA

So, what's the objective of the Artemis mission? Artemis 1 will send an Orion spacecraft deep into space (farther than the Apollo astronauts went) to test the craft for the crewed mission. Artemis 2 (2024) will carry astronauts around the moon. Artemis 3 (2025) will have astronauts land on the moon.

Before you say haven't we done that already? Yes, but... This time the plan is to go farther. To Mars. The Artemis mission is like a stepping stone to go farther into space.

Regular readers know what a fan I am of space exploration. Whenever I get a chance, I talk about NASA and where humankind is going into the new frontier. It's exciting. It's fulfilling President Kennedy's promise to explore this galaxy of ours. It's hope for the future.

With hope comes disappointment, sometimes. NASA is checking, double checking, triple checking all systems to make sure everything works perfectly. The space agency called off Monday's launch because of an engine cooling issue. Even though the Orion spacecraft is unmanned, they aren't taking any chances.

So disappointing.

My mother's favorite saying was "better safe than sorry." So even though Orion is only carrying mannikins (plus Snoopy, a NASA tradition), the space agency must ensure that everything works properly. So, we until Saturday. Hopefully, the problem will be fixed in time.

Image credit: Peanuts Worldwide

A plush Snoopy, in astronaut uniform, will serve as a zero-gravity indicator aboard Orion.

Besides exploration for exploration's sake, why is it important? I seldom give in to negativity. But sometimes it pays to be realistic. What happens if we use up all of Earth's resources? What if we pollute our environment beyond saving? Doomsday prediction?

I wrote a novella about having a backup plan. In Mission to New Earth, a group of astronauts set off for a new planet safe enough for Earth's inhabitants. 

Blurb:

Earth’s overpopulation and dwindling resources force the United Earth Space Agency to expedite exploration of new planets for a possible new home. When new crises ensue—a giant tsunami and the threat of nuclear winter—the timeline changes. Eight years of training crammed into four. Sara Grenard and her team prepare for launch, but are they ready for the one-way trip? Will the Goldilocks planet prove just right for Earth’s inhabitants? Before time runs out.

 Mission to New Earth is available at: 

 Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~ B&N ~ Smashwords