NASA Names Candidate Regions For Crewed Moon Landing

NASA has identified 13 potential landing regions for Artemis III, which is expected to be the first crewed mission to land on the lunar surface since 1972. The regions measure approximately 15 by 15 kilometers (9.3 by 9.3 miles) and are all located within 6 degrees of latitude of the Moon’s South Pole. According to NASA, the sites were chosen based on factors including launch window availability, ability to accommodate a safe landing and likelihood of meeting specific Artemis III science objectives such as landing “close enough to a permanently shadowed region to allow crew to conduct a moonwalk.”

“Selecting these regions means we are one giant leap closer to returning humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo,” said Mark Kirasich, NASA deputy associate administrator for the Artemis Campaign Development Division. “When we do, it will be unlike any mission that’s come before as astronauts venture into dark areas previously unexplored by humans and lay the groundwork for future long-term stays.”

The first Artemis mission, a 42-day uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft, is scheduled to launch as soon as Aug. 29, 2022. Artemis II, tentatively slated for mid-2024, will be the program's first crewed flight test. NASA is currently looking to launch Artemis III in 2025.