Keep pulling the thread on Lauren Grush.
A primary objective of the Artemis II mission is to test the safety and efficacy of the Boeing-built Space Launch System rocket and the Lockheed Martin-built Orion capsule.
The crew of Artemis II broke the record for the farthest distance humans have traveled into space, surpassing the record set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.
During the return of the uncrewed Artemis I mission, the Orion capsule's heat shield lost larger chunks of material than NASA engineers had expected.
In response to issues on Artemis I, NASA altered the reentry trajectory for the Artemis II mission to reduce heat buildup on the Orion capsule's heat shield.
NASA is targeting the Moon's south pole for future landings due to the discovery of significant quantities of water ice in permanently shadowed craters.
The water ice on the Moon's south pole could potentially be mined and converted into hydrogen and oxygen for use as rocket propellant.
NASA plans to build a lunar base on the Moon's south pole, aiming for it to be fully operational by 2036 at an estimated cost of $30 billion.
NASA intends to act as an anchor customer for commercial services to support its planned lunar base, aiming to stimulate a broader lunar economy.
Elon Musk's company, SpaceX, is expected to go public in what is predicted to be the largest IPO of all time.
NASA is shifting its procurement model from a cost-plus, government-owned hardware approach to buying services from commercial providers who retain ownership of their vehicles.
A key benefit for companies in NASA's new procurement model is that they retain ownership of the vehicles, allowing them to sell services to other customers, as demonstrated by SpaceX using its Crew Dragon for private tourist missions.
The Artemis II mission, carrying four astronauts, is intended to pave the way for future moon landings by NASA.