NASA (which stands for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is the main U.S. agency for space exploration. It was started back in 1958, partly because the Soviet Union had just launched Sputnik, the first satellite. NASA is a world leader in exploring space, doing everything from building satellites and sending people into space to exploring other planets and carrying out advanced science. What NASA does helps create new technologies we can all use and encourages countries to work together peacefully in space.

Through the Artemis I mission, NASA aims to study Moon, shedding light on its systems, operations, and the mysteries it holds.

• Artemis I took off on November 16, 2022, beginning a mission that would expand the boundaries of human understanding.  
• With a clearly defined scientific objective—namely, to Test Orion spacecraft and SLS rocket for future crewed missions—the team is poised to gather unprecedented data and significantly advance our understanding.  
• Successfully completing this Uncrewed lunar orbital flight test was celebrated by many as a significant achievement.  
• The powerful Space Launch System (SLS) Block stood poised on the launchpad, a testament to human ambition and engineering. 
• The launch took place at Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39B, marking the start of the mission. 
• 25 days, 10 hours, 53 minutes was the length of the mission from launch to completion. 
• NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) led the planning and execution of the mission. 
• The mission was Completed. 
• The cost of Program cost ~$93 billion through 2025; $41B per launch was dedicated to NASA’s Artemis I, enhancing data collection and mission autonomy. 

With Ten CubeSats, 'Moonikin' Campos, Zohar and Helga torsos, Artemis I demonstrates the next generation of smart payloads for exploratory missions.

Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System, European Service Module enabled Artemis I to perform complex tasks without constant communication with mission control. This comprehensive article on NASA Artemis I Space mission helps UPSC aspirants understand the full life cycle of a modern space mission which is relevant for GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3, GS Paper 4, and Essay.

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NASA Artemis I Space Mission Overview 

Also, Checkout Sunita Williams’ Missions to the International Space Station

Artemis I Space Mission Global Contributions

Artemis I was developed in collaboration with ESA, JAXA, DLR, ASI, ISA, MBRSC, CSA (Artemis Program), emphasizing global cooperation in advancing space autonomy.

• Artemis I utilized CubeSats from universities, space agencies, private ventures to test cutting-edge instruments and gather critical data in real-time. 
• Key contributors such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Northrop Grumman, SpaceX (Artemis Program) provided essential technologies and services that helped accelerate the mission timeline. 
• Artemis I demonstrated a strong policy impact by Reestablished human-rated lunar exploration capabilities, fostering new partnerships and shaping future governance frameworks. 

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Challenges & Risk in Artemis I Space Mission

One of the most significant technical challenges faced by Artemis I was Launch delays, faulty engine sensor, hydrogen leak during fueling, which was successfully mitigated using a combination of onboard automation and ground-based support systems.

• The mission had to manage critical challenges like unexpected behavior of Orion's heat shield during reentry, and the potential for issues with the SLS rocket's thrust vector control system, which were addressed through engineering refinements and contingency strategies. 
• Artemis I concludes with use of reusable components, energy efficiency, and minimizing waste, which contributes to discussions around orbital sustainability and debris management. 

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Mission Timeline of Artemis I NASA Space Mission

• Outlined as Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) in 2012 marks the date when the mission was first approved for consideration. 
• The engineering team completed the spacecraft assembly process on Orion stacked on SLS October 20, 2021, verifying all mechanical and structural systems. 
• On Lunar flyby November 21 & December 5, 2022; Splashdown December 11, 2022, the spacecraft reached its designated target, transmitting valuable data back to Earth. 
• After months of successful operation, the mission team officially marked December 11, 2022 (Splashdown) as the conclusion of the primary mission. 

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UPSC Relevance of Artemis I

• Awareness of international space missions, especially NASA’s, is vital for success in the Prelims, given their link to science, technology, and current affairs.
• General Studies Paper 3 includes NASA space missions under science and technology, especially focusing on innovations in space exploration and their global impact.
• In the UPSC CSE General Studies Paper 4 (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude), NASA’s practice of making satellite and mission data publicly accessible can be used to illustrate institutional commitment to transparency.
• NASA’s practices in public data dissemination, environmental monitoring, and international mission partnerships align well with themes in Geography, PSIR, and Public Administration optionals, particularly regarding transparency and global governance.

Also, Learn about International Space Station (ISS)

Past UPCS Mains PYQs on NASA Space Missions

Q1. Launched on 25th December 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope has been much in the news since then. What are its unique features which make it superior to its predecessor space telescopes? What are the key goals of this mission? What potential benefits does it hold for the human race? (2022, GS Paper 3) 

Q2. How does the Juno Mission of NASA help to understand the origin and evolution of the Earth? (2017, GS Paper 1)

Q3. The safe landing of the ‘Curiosity’ Rover under NASA’s space programme has sparked many possibilities. What are those and how could humankind benefit from them? (2012, GS Paper 2)

Past UPCS Prelims PYQs on NASA Space Missions

Q1 [2022]: Which one of the following statements best reflects the idea behind the “Fractional Orbital Bombardment System” often talked about in the media?

(a) A hypersonic missile is launched into space to counter the asteroid approaching the Earth and explode it in space.

(b) A spacecraft lands on another planet after making several orbital motions.

(c) A missile is put into a stable orbit around the Earth and deorbits over a target on the Earth.

(d) A spacecraft moves along a comet with the same speed and places a probe on its surface.

Answer: (c) A missile is put into a stable orbit around the Earth and deorbits over a target on the Earth.

Explanation: While this question pertains to a military concept, NASAs research into orbital mechanics and space trajectories contributes to the broader understanding of such technologies.

Q2 [2020]: “The experiment will employ a trio of spacecraft flying in formation in the shape of an equilateral triangle that has sides one million kilometres long, with lasers shining between the craft.” The experiment in question refers to:

(a) Voyager-2

(b) New Horizons

(c) Lisa Pathfinder

(d) Evolved LISA

Answer: (d) Evolved LISA

Explanation: Evolved LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) is a space-based gravitational wave observatory developed by ESA with contributions from NASA.

Q3 [2017]: What is the purpose of ‘evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA)’ project?

(a) To detect neutrinos

(b) To detect gravitational waves

(c) To detect the effectiveness of missile defence system

(d) To study the effect of solar flares on our communication systems

Answer: (b) To detect gravitational waves

Explanation: Evolved Laser Space Interferometer Space Antenna (ELISA) project was widely in the news due to the discovery of gravitational waves by the LIGO detector and the subsequent success of the LISA pathfinder project. The European Space Agency is leading the ELISA mission. The project is initiated to detect and accurately measure gravitational waves.

Q4 [2016]: What is ‘Greased Lightning-10 (GL-10)’, recently in the news?

(a) Electric plane tested by NASA

(b) Solar-powered two-seater aircraft designed by Japan

(c) Space observatory launched by China

(d) Reusable rocket designed by ISRO

Answer: (a) Electric plane tested by NASA
educationprovince.com

Explanation: GL-10 is a remotely piloted plane similar to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). It is designed and developed in such a way that it can take off like a helicopter and fly like an airplane. It is a battery-powered 10-engine with a wingspan of 3.05 meters. Eight electric motors are mounted on the wings. 2 electric motors are mounted on the tail. It weighs a maximum of 28.1 kilograms at takeoff. Due to its versatile vertical takeoff and landing ability, it produces less noise. It can be used as a UAV for small package delivery or vertical takeoff and landing, as well as long-endurance surveillance for agriculture, mapping, and other applications. Its modified scaled-up version can be used as a persons air vehicle.

Q5 [2015]: The term ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is often seen in the news in the context of:

(a) The limits of habitable zone above the surface of the Earth

(b) Regions inside the Earth where shale gas is available

(c) Search for the Earth-like planets in outer space

(d) Search for meteorites containing precious metals

Answer: (c) Search for the Earth-like planets in outer space

Explanation: The Goldilocks Zone is the livable zone around a star where the temperature is not too hot and not too cold for liquid water to exist on a planet. It is a metaphor for the childrens story Goldilocks and the Three Bears, in which a young girl selects from sets of three objects, eschewing the extremes (such as those that are enormous or small, hot or cold) and fixing on the one that is just right in the middle. The Goldilocks zone of the Sun surrounds the Earth. All of Earths water would freeze if it were found where the dwarf planet Pluto is; however, all of Earths water would boil out if it were found where Mercury is.

Also, Get to Know What was NASA's Parker Solar Probe Mission

UPSC Practice Questions on NASA Space Missions

Q1. The Parker Solar Probe Mission sometimes mentioned in the news recently is related to
1. Indian Space Research Organisation
2. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
3. European Space Agency
4. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Answer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Solution: In News: Scientists using data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe have assembled the most complete picture yet of the inner structure and behaviour of the large cloud of space dust, known as the zodiacal cloud, that swirls throughout the solar system.

Key Points:
They found three dust populations in the cloud:
Most of the grains are being slowly pulled in toward the Sun (alpha-meteoroids).
The second population is generated as grains in the swirling cloud collide, creating fragments so small that they are pushed out of the solar system in all directions by pressure from sunlight (beta-meteoroids).
A third group, probably created when a tube of cometary debris collides with grains from the first two populations, is scattered out in a distinctive wedge shape.
Zodiacal clouds: The sources of zodiacal clouds/interplanetary dust particles include at least: asteroid collisions, cometary activity and collisions in the inner Solar System, Kuiper belt collisions, and interstellar medium grains.
About the mission: NASA's historic Parker Solar Probe mission will revolutionize our understanding of the sun, where changing conditions can propagate out into the solar system, affecting Earth and other worlds.
Parker Solar Probe will travel through the sun's atmosphere, closer to the surface than any spacecraft before it, facing brutal heat and radiation conditions and ultimately providing humanity with the closest-ever observations of a star.

Q2. In February 2021, which NASA rover landed on Mars?
1. Perseverance
2. Curiosity
3. Hope
4. Viking
Answer: Perseverance
Solution: In News: National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Perseverance Rover has landed on Mars. This was one of the most crucial aspects of the Mars 2020 Mission.

Key Points:
Perseverance Rover:
Perseverance is the most advanced, most expensive and most sophisticated mobile laboratory sent to Mars.
It is different from previous missions because it is capable of drilling and collecting core samples of the most promising rocks and soils, and setting them aside in a cache on the surface of Mars.
Landing Site: Jezero Crater (an ancient river delta that has rocks and minerals that could only form in water).
Landing: 18th February 2021

Q3. What is the name of the Planetary Defense Spacecraft launched by NASA in November 2021?
1. Lucy
2. DART
3. Perseverance
4. Ingenuity
Answer: DART
Solution: Key Points: The world's first planetary defense system called the DART spacecraft was successfully launched by NASA on 24 November 2021.
The DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) blasted off aboard a SpaceX rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The target of the spacecraft is a small moonlet called Dimorphos which is about 160-metre in diameter.

Additional Information:
Launched in October 2021, Lucy is a NASA space probe on a twelve-year journey to eight different asteroids for jupiter mission.
Perseverance is a Mars rover designed to explore the crater on Mars as part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission.
Ingenuity is a small robotic helicopter operating on Mars as part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission.

Q4. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft launched into orbit in November 2020 had three American and one ______ astronaut onboard.
1. Japanese
2. South Korean
3. Russian
4. Chinese
Answer: Japanese
Solution: The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft launched into orbit in November 2020 had three American and one Japanese astronaut onboard.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule carrying:
NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur,
Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide,
French astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

SpaceX launched the Crew-2 mission for NASA and carried the four astronauts to the International Space Station on 23rd April 2021.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried the four astronauts to space in the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft named Endeavour.

Additional Information:
SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corporation) is a privately-owned aerospace manufacturer founded by Elon Musk.
Elon Musk is also the current CEO and CTO of the organization.
It was founded in the year 2002.
It offers products like launch vehicles, rocket engines, spacecraft, etc.
It is headquartered in Hawthorne, California, US.

Q5. Which of the following is India's first solar mission set to begin in 2022?
1. Solar orbiter mission
2. Gaganyaan
3. Chandrayaan
4. Aditya-L1
Answer: Aditya L1
Solution: Key Points: Aditya L 1 is a planned coronagraphy spacecraft to study the solar atmosphere.
It will be inserted in a halo orbit around the L1 point between Earth and Sun where it will study the solar atmosphere, solar magnetic storms, and its impact on the environment around Earth.
It is the first dedicated Indian mission to observe Sun, it is planned to be launched in January 2023 aboard a PSLV-XL launch vehicle.

Additional Information:
Indian Space Research Organization is the national space agency of India, headquartered in Bangalore.
Solar Orbiter is an international cooperative mission between ESA (the European Space Agency) and NASA that addresses a central question of heliophysics.
Gaganyaan mission, the country's first manned space flight by ISRO. The objective of the Gaganyaan program is to demonstrate the indigenous capability to undertake human space flight missions to LEO.
Chandrayaan-3 is a planned third lunar exploration mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation.

Q6. Consider the following statements:
1. ESA announced the results of its Double Asteroid Redirection Test DART mission on 11 October 2022.
2. Terming the test successful, the agency said, the DART spacecraft succeeded in changing the asteroid's motion in Space.
3. DART is a spacecraft designed to impact an asteroid as a test of the technology.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
1. Only 1
2. Both 1 and 3
3. Both 2 and 3
4. All 1, 2 and 3
Answer: Both 2 and 3
Solution: NASA announced the results of its Double Asteroid Redirection Test DART mission on 11 October 2022.
Terming the test successful, the agency said, the DART spacecraft succeeded in changing the asteroid's motion in Space.
DART is a spacecraft designed to impact an asteroid as a test of the technology.
This is the first time humanity has altered the motion of a celestial body.

Additional Information:
NASA:
Headquarters - Washington, D.C., United States.
Founder - Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Founded On - 1 October 1958.

Q7. The spacecraft launched by NASA to study the Sun is
1. Parker Solar Probe
2. Probing Sun
3. Mission on Sun
4. Hawking Solar Probe
Answer: Parker Solar Probe
Solution: Key Points: Parker Solar Probe was launched by NASA on August 12, 2018, the Parker Solar Probe's mission is to study the outer corona of the Sun.
Named after physicist Eugene Parker, pioneer in heliophysics and solar wind research.
Utilizes a custom heat shield made of carbon-carbon composite to withstand extreme solar temperatures.
Designed to approach the Sun within 3.83 million miles 6.16 million kilometers, closer than any previous spacecraft.
Carries four instrument suites to measure magnetic fields, solar wind particles, and image the solar corona.
The mission aims to solve two key solar mysteries: how the solar wind accelerates and why the Sun's outer atmosphere corona is hotter than its surface.
Data from the probe is helping to improve forecasts of space weather that affects life and technology on Earth.
As of 2023, it's still operational, providing unprecedented information about the Sun's activity.
The mission is slated to end in 2025, after 24 planned orbits and seven gravity assists from Venus.

Q8. Consider the following statements regarding Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols Mission MAIA:
1. It is a joint mission between NASA and the Italian Space Agency.
2. It aims to investigate the health impact of air pollution.
3. The duration of the mission is three years.
Which of the above statements are correct?
1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: 1, 2 and 3
Solution: In News: Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA announced on Wednesday that it is partnering with the Italian Space Agency ASI to build and launch the MAIA mission.

Key Points:
It is a joint mission between NASA and the Italian Space Agency ASI. Hence statement 1 is correct.
This will investigate the health impacts of air pollution in the world's most populated cities. Hence statement 2 is correct.
Its primary goal is to benefit societal health. Epidemiologists and public health researchers will be directly working on the development of a satellite mission.
It will consist of the PLATiNO-2 satellite, which will be provided by ASI, and a science instrument that will be built at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory JPL.
The MAIA mission will collect and analyze data from the observatory, sensors on the ground, and atmospheric models.
The JPL hosts a pointable spectropolarimetric camera that captures images from multiple angles in the ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and shortwave infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
During the course of the three-year mission. Hence statement 3 is correct.
MAIA will focus on 11 primary target areas that include major urban centres across the world: Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Rome, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Barcelona, Spain, Beijing, Johannesburg, New Delhi, Taipei, Taiwan; and Tel Aviv.
The MAIA observatory is set to launch before the end of 2024.

Q9. Consider the following statements regarding Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope:
1. Its objective is to aid in the understanding of dark energy, dark matter, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics.
2. It will be situated or parked in the Lagrange point.
3. Its field view will be greater than the Hubble Telescope.
Which of the above statements are correct?
1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: 1, 2 and 3
Solution: In News: Scientists have created a gargantuan synthetic survey of a section of the universe that shows what we can expect from the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's future observations.

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope:
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope or Roman Space Telescope RST is a NASA deep space infrared observatory.
Objective:
RST will help answer essential astrophysics questions about dark energy, dark matter, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics. Hence statement 1 is correct.
It is set to launch around 2026 or 2027.
The mission is projected to last for five years.
RST will be situated at Lagrange point 2, a stable gravitational point between Earth and the Sun. Hence statement 2 is correct.
Features of the Mission:
The primary mirror of the RST has a diameter of 2.4 meters, the same size as the mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope.
It will have a field of view that is 100 times greater than the Hubble infrared instrument, capturing more of the sky with less observing time. Hence statement 3 is correct.
Roman's gigantic field of view will enable the mission to create infrared images that are around 200 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope.
It has two other instruments: the Wide Field Instrument and the Coronagraph Instrument.
The Wide Field Instrument performs microlensing surveys to find exoplanets, and the Coronograph Instrument performs high-contrast imaging and spectroscopy of nearby exoplanets.

Q10. Which country's space agency has launched project DART Mission?
1. USA
2. Russia
3. India
4. China
Answer: USA
Solution: Key Points: NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test DART, the world's first full-scale mission to test technology for defending Earth against potential asteroid or comet hazards.
Launched from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
DART is the first-ever mission dedicated to investigating and demonstrating one method of asteroid deflection by changing an asteroid's motion in space through kinetic impact.
DART is a joint project between NASA and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory APL.

NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the USA which is responsible for the civilian space program, aeronautics, and aerospace research.
It was established in 1958 with headquarters at Two Independence Square, Washington, D.C., United States.
Dwight D. Eisenhower was its founder.

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