NASA returns to the moon after half a century, but this time it will stay there

NASA’s return

All in 42 days, thus also testing new technology and the re-entry process, which is not trivial if we think that the capsule, after a two million kilometer flight, will reach the atmosphere some 30 thousand kilometers now. Just think that the heat shield is designed to withstand temperatures, due to friction with the atmosphere, of nearly 3,000 degrees.

With this mission, and the next two until 2025, and after the huge success of the highly complex mission of the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA is resuming its role as a great champion of space, overshadowed by the various directives in the past fifteen years that many American presidents have received and who have given a vacillating aspect to civilian space policy. America until a few years ago.

Indeed, policy has several times postponed the construction and departure of this majestic carrier, which, together with the Orion capsule, cost more than $36 billion, an expense many consider excessive in the United States, but considered equally necessary if we want to have a sure vehicle carrying people. And especially the heavy stuff, given that on the Moon, between the end of the decade and the next, we also want to have a sustainable and stable settlement.

vector challenge

The carrier is the most powerful of all, with a height of about 100 meters, 98 to be exact, with a payload capacity of 30 tons, but Boeing, the manufacturer of the SLS carrier, promises a more powerful version, transporting 50 tons at a time.

However, in the background, according to American critics, is still a large and powerful Starship, but more modern, Elon Musk rocket, which is designed to bring a good slice of humanity to Mars, and therefore it will be more than enough. . for the moon.