The US space agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa), announced on Friday its list of possible landing sites on the Moon for the crewed Artemis III mission. Artemis III will be the first mission to take people (including the first woman and the first person of colour) to the Moon since Nasa’s Apollo XVII in December 1972. (In Greek mythology, the goddess Artemis was the sister of the god Apollo.)

The list contains 13 possible landing sites. They are all located in the Moon’s southern polar region, all being within six degrees of latitude of the lunar South Pole. The sites were selected by a team of scientists and engineers from across Nasa, using the results of lunar science research undertaken over decades, plus data from the Nasa Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter robot spacecraft. The listed sites provide the agency with landing options for all possible launch opportunities for Artemis III.

“Selecting these regions means we are one giant leap closer to returning humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo,” highlighted Nasa deputy associated administrator for the Artemis Campaign Development Division Mark Kirasich. “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 sites are – Faustini Rim A, a peak near Shackleton crater, a connecting ridge next to the South Pole itself, an extension of that connecting ridge, de Gerlach crater ‘Rim 1’, de Gerlach crater ‘Rim 2’, the de Gerlach-Kocher massif, Haworth crater, the Malapert massif, Nobile crater ‘Rim 1’, Nobile crater ‘Rim 2’, and the Amundsen crater rim. “Several of the proposed sites within the regions are located among some of the oldest parts of the Moon, and together with the permanently shadowed regions, provide the opportunity to learn about the history of the Moon through previously unstudied lunar materials,” explained Nasa Planetary Science Division Artemis lunar science lead Sarah Noble.

The criteria for selecting the possible landing sites included proximity to permanently shadowed regions, which are believed to contain water ice. The spacecraft will have to touch down far enough away from the shadowed region to minimise any disturbance, but close enough for the astronauts, once they are on the lunar surface, to be able to reach it and take samples.

Further, the landing site itself has to have continuous exposure to sunlight for a period of at least 6.5 Earth days (the planned period during which the Artemis III astronauts will be on the surface of the Moon). Constant exposure to sunlight is essential, both to provide power and to minimise variations in the temperature to which the spacecraft and astronauts will be exposed.       

The first of the Artemis missions, the uncrewed test flight Artemis I, is currently scheduled to launch on August 29. Artemis II will be a crewed flight, but will not land on the Moon. The Space Launch System launch rocket for Artemis II is currently being assembled, with launch reportedly targeted for May 2024. Artemis III is reportedly currently planned for 2025.