Progress of the U.S. Artemis lunar program

Human has not set foot on the lunar surface since the Apollo program in the 1970s. With the resurgence of deep space exploration in recent years, the U.S. has launched a new round of crewed lunar landings, known as the Artemis lunar program. The goal of this NASAled, multiparticipant program is not only to send American astronauts to the moon again, but also to establish a longterm operational base on the moon and to lay the foundation for subsequent crewed Mars exploration operations. This paper provides an overview of the strategic deployment and mission elements involved in this program, covering lunar landing site selection, launch vehicles and spacecraft, landers and payloads, a “gateway” lunar orbiting space station, and commercial spaceflight participation. Finally, the implications of the U.S. Artemis program for China’s future lunar exploration projects are discussed.