When NASA Astronauts Return to the Moon, Here’s Where They Could Land

Space agency unveils nine potential landing regions for the Artemis III mission to the lunar south pole, a treacherous, unexplored location.

Thursday, October 31, 2024 at 03:50 PM ET

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Pictured are eight of the nine potential landing regions NASA identified for the Artemis III moon mission, among them craters, mountains, and plains. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA unveiled nine potential landing regions at the moon's south pole for the Artemis III mission, aiming to return humans to the lunar surface.
Scheduled for September 2026, Artemis III will be historic as it plans to land the first woman and person of color on the moon and explore this previously untouched region.
The lunar south pole is targeted for its scientific value, particularly its "permanently shadowed regions" believed to contain water ice and other volatiles crucial for understanding the solar system's history.
The Artemis III mission will follow Artemis II, a crewed lunar orbit scheduled for September 2025, which serves as a precursor to the lunar landing.

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NASA is gearing up to return Americans to the moon for the first time since the Apollo missions half a century ago. This week, it unveiled where they may land.

The space agency on Monday revealed nine potential landing regions for the Artemis III mission to the lunar south pole, tentatively scheduled for September 2026. Artemis III will be the first time humans have explored the mysterious region and will land the first woman and person of color on the moon.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.