Jakarta –
Astronaut NASA Jessica Watkins shared a beautiful photo Moon which appears to hover just above Earth’s life-giving atmosphere. This photo was taken by Watkins from the International Space Station (ISS).
“As beautiful as Earth is, I can’t take my eyes off the Moon. Every Moon setting on the ISS brings us one step closer to Earth as we conduct scientific research and develop new technologies that will help pave the way to the Moon’s surface,” Watkins wrote in a post on his Twitter account.
All astronauts have always been fascinated by this kind of sight, but Watkins’ admiration was probably multiplied considering this was his first space flight.
As quoted from Space.com, Thursday (16/6/2022) Watkins was one of four astronauts on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission, which arrived at the ISS on April 27. They will work in the laboratory on the ISS for six months.
The other three crew members who flew with Watkins were fellow astronauts NASA Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines, and Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency ESA.
Not without reason if Watkins is very observant Moonbecause he and Lindgren were part of the Artemis mission team, the 18 astronauts who were the first group selected to fly in NASA’s Artemis program exploring the Moon.
Artemis aims to land astronauts on the Moon’s surface in the mid-2020s and establish a long-term sustainable human presence in and around Earth’s natural satellite by the end of the decade.
NASA also said that the program would place the first woman and the first non-white person in the Moon. For your information, the twelve astronauts who landed on the Moon during the Apollo program NASAall of whom were white men.
It is not yet known whether Watkins or Lindgren will reach the Moon in the near future. NASA has yet to announce a mission assignment for astronaut Artemis.
Watch Videos “NASA-SpaceX Progress Prepares Artemis III Mission to the Moon“
[Gambas:Video 20detik]
(rns/fay)
–
