The Biden Administration has requested $26 billion for the NASA budget in 2023; a large chunk will be used to aid in the Artemis program. The program’s mission is to not only return humans to the moon but to also prepare for the possibility of human exploration on Mars.

$7.6 billion will be used for deep-space exploration and $4.7 billion for lunar missions, such as funding for spacecrafts and rockets that will get astronauts on the moon. $1.5 million will go into developing “sustainable lunar landers.” $2.4 billion could be used to fund climate and weather monitoring with satellites and additional research to help get more of an understanding on the current climate crisis.

NASA also plans to launch an Earth Information Center that will monitor greenhouse gases and many other conditions on Earth. They will work with agencies and partners, utilizing data from satellites and telescopes to monitor water, land, ice, and the general atmosphere on Earth.

It’s important to note that the Artemis program is not the Apollo program. NASA plans to shift their ways in space exploration and use the Artemis program as a mark in the first step towards the creation of a space station around the Moon. This will ultimately expand the human reach to Mars.

The Apollo program gave several generations jobs as engineers, scientists and technicians. This will hopefully continue with the Artemis program. The Artemis generation “is preparing to push the boundaries of what we know to be possible” stated Bill Nelson, the NASA Administrator. “Our plan is for humans to walk on Mars by 2040.”