On July 20, 1969, the whole world watched with awe as Neil Armstrong became the first man to stride on the moon. Precisely 55 years after, in 2024, history will be made as  NASA will put the first woman and another man on the moon. This expedition to the moon is called the ARTEMIS program.

This mission would Mark the return of humanity to the moon since 1979. It is to be known that since the history of the lunar expedition, only 12 people have walked on the moon, of which all of them have been male. The 2024 lunar journey would be the first time a female will be added to that tally. It is hoped that putting a woman on the lunar surface will inspire new generations to dream big and work hard.

It is believed that with this program, humankind will demonstrate new capabilities and technologies for future exploration to places like Mars. The program is carried out by NASA, commercial space flight companies, and international bodies like the European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

To convey the first woman to the moon, NASA will be relying on the innovative space launch system (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft.

According to NASA, some of the things they intend to achieve on the moon are:

·         Finding and using water and other resources needed for long-term exploration.

·         Learn more about the mysteries of the moon, our planet, and the universe at large.

·         Learn how to live and function on another celestial body.

Amongst others, these are some of the reasons we would be going to the moon and mars eventually.

The next big question is - "Who will be the first woman on the moon?” According to NASA, the total number of active astronauts in the corps would be 38. Of this number, 12 are women, with another 5 to complete training this year, taking the tally to 17. So what conditions are to be met in selecting the first female moonwalker? First, the first female to walk on the moon must be proven, flown, and be on the international space station. Of the 12 female astronauts, only a few have been on the ISS. However, speculations are high about who will be selected to walk on the moon. Leading astronauts like Christine Koch, who spent 328 days on the ISS, one of the longest in history, is being tipped to be the first female on the moon.

Irrespective of who is the first woman to walk on the moon, we still stand on the precipice of history. We would be setting into motion a series of trends that will be echoed down through the corridors of history.

Written by AIM Contributor: Intellized

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