Japanese Astronaut to Make Historic Moonwalk During NASA’s Artemis Missions
In a groundbreaking announcement, it was revealed that a Japanese astronaut will become the first non-American to walk on the Moon as part of NASA’s upcoming Artemis missions. The news was shared by US President Joe Biden during the state visit of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
As part of the collaboration between Japan and the United States, two Japanese astronauts will join future American missions, with one of them set to land on the Moon. In exchange for their participation, Japan will supply a rover for the program, further solidifying the partnership between the two nations.
NASA’s Artemis program aims to send humans back to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, following the successful US Apollo program which saw 12 Americans walk on the lunar surface. The upcoming Artemis missions will also make history by having the first woman and the first person of color land on the Moon.
This collaboration between Japan and the US in the space sector is not new, with both countries having a history of working together on various projects. The Japanese national set to land on the Moon will assume an important role as long as certain benchmarks are achieved, showcasing the international nature of the Artemis program.
Furthermore, Japan will provide a lunar rover that can accommodate astronauts for up to 30 days on the Moon’s surface, allowing for extended exploration and research. The European Space Agency (ESA) is also involved in the Artemis program, with three seats reserved for future missions in exchange for technological contributions. Details of the agreement with ESA are still being discussed.
The Artemis program was inaugurated in 2022 with Artemis 1, and is set to continue with Artemis 2 in 2025 and Artemis 3 planned for 2026. With these ambitious missions, the world can look forward to new milestones in space exploration and international cooperation.
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