The Los Angeles Post

International Cooperation in NASA’s Artemis I Program

by · Published · Updated

11/16/2022 11:21 AM EST

 

Office of the Spokesperson

NASA’s Artemis program is inspiring the world as it seeks to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and conduct a historic first crewed mission to Mars.

The Artemis program, comprising a series of robotic and crewed science and exploration missions, is intended to be the broadest and most diverse international human space exploration coalition in history.  Key international participation in the Artemis I mission includes:

  • European Space Agency  (ESA): The European Space Agency provides the European Service Module (ESM) for the Orion spacecraft, located below the crew module.
  • German Aerospace Center  (DLR) & Israel Space Agency  (ISA): DLR and ISA are providing the MARE (Matroshka AstroRad Radiation Experiment).  Two female phantom torsos equipped with radiation sensors, named Helga and Zohar, are flying in the Orion crew vehicle to measure the effects of radiation.
  • Italian Space Agency  (ASI): ASI is providing the ArgoMoon CubeSat which will demonstrate performing operations in close proximity of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) and record images of the ICPS during flight.
  • Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency  (JAXA): JAXA is providing two CubeSats: EQUULEUS (Equilibrium Lunar-Earth point 6U Spacecraft), which will measure the radiation environment around Earth, and OMOTENASHI (Outstanding Moon exploration Technologies demonstrated by Nano Semi-Hard Impactor), a lunar impactor that will demonstrate small lunar landing technology. A successful landing will mark Japan as the fourth nation to successfully land on the Moon.

In addition, the Artemis I mission will receive communications and navigation support through the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex  (CDSCC) in Australia and the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex  (MDSCC) in Spain.  Deep space communications have been an international effort since the Apollo program and we’re proud to continue these longstanding relationships with Australia and Spain for the Artemis missions.