Artemis 2: Why?

The first crewed mission with the aim of long-term presence on the Moon is set to be flown this year, in 2026. Artemis II, a 10-day flight mission can be the spur needed to advance human exploration on the moon, and, hopefully, a manned mission to Mars in the future. 

But, why is a mission to Mars so important for humanity’s future? 

Mars could hold life beyond humans, Mars holds the possibility for extraterrestrial life. Due to the fact that, of all planets in the solar system, the composition of Mars, in material and structure of the mantle, crust, and core, and elemental composition, is most similar to Earth could make it potentially habitable to humans. Additionally, the composition of the atmosphere of Mars could provide scientists with clues on the formation of the planet and how it has evolved over time. 

With this mission to the moon, and with its hopeful success, scientists could find ways to make a manned mission to Mars in order to gather all the clues that could give us more information on our own planet. And maybe, they’ll find aliens in the meantime.