Artemis II and the Long Way Back to the Moon

Why is returning to the Moon so important? We are witnesses to space exploration during the most technologically advanced era in the history of Humanity, and it seems not to matter much to us. That fact alone should be enough to make us rethink several things. However, it is worth offering some perspective on why we return, as a species, to space. To a point beyond our heads, beyond our everyday existences, and almost like Greek poetry, returning nearly 60 years later, simply to resume what we never should have left to chance: the future of our species is not on this planet, but we must learn to cultivate our capabilities.

Artemis II bears that name because of art. It is the Greek goddess of the Moon and also the twin sister of Apollo. Which, if you remember correctly, was the name of the successful and epic missions of the 1960s and 1970s. Now, several milestones will also be achieved. From exploring our limits in space through reconnaissance and orbital missions, to carrying a woman astronaut as part of the crew on a major mission, and an African American man, in addition to scientists and not exclusively military personnel. It is a triumph of science in turbulent times for the scientific mindset.

Looking up again, not with disdain or boredom but as part of our achievements as a species, is something that should fill each and every one of us with pride. Traveling through space, learning, navigating, and collecting information, as well as testing our capabilities and pushing our knowledge to its limits, are only the first steps in the logical evolution of our future. Let us never forget that all the technology required to take dozens of humans to a celestial body beyond our planet was less advanced than what now makes it possible for you to read, browse, and see memes on your mobile phone.

So, returning to space is a path, a goal, a logical step that we decided to take, and that thanks to the wonders of today’s collective effort we will be able to experience almost live and direct. Starting next February 06, tentatively, NASA has scheduled the launch of the Artemis II Mission and its 5 crew members, who will not touch the lunar surface but will test systems and navigate through places where no one has ever gone before. Gathering crucial information and probably showing us the Moon, our eternal companion, as we have never seen it throughout our entire history. We are about to witness something that is difficult to put into words and that reminds us how beautiful it is to be alive at this moment. If we love science and space exploration, it is hard not to love this Mission. Returning to the Moon, with humans and with more technology after nearly 60 years, is a necessity and an incredible and inspiring achievement.