Nasa identifies 13 'dark areas' of the moon where astronauts will walk

Nasa has identified 13 possible landing sites near the moon's south pole for its Artemis III mission.

That mission is to take humans to the satellite's surface, with the space agency planning to put the first woman on the moon.

Mark Kirasich, deputy associate administrator for the Artemis Campaign Development Division at Nasa headquarters in Washington, said: "Selecting these regions means we are one giant leap closer to returning humans to the moon for the first time since Apollo.

"When we do, it will be unlike any mission that's come before as astronauts venture into dark areas previously unexplored by humans and lay the groundwork for future long-term stays."

A crewed flight in lunar orbit is expected by 2024, with a landing by 2025 or 2026.

Nasa has estimated the cost of the whole Artemis mission at $28 billion.

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It would be the first time people have walked on the moon since the last Apollo moon mission in 1972. Just 12 people have walked on the moon – all men.

Nasa flew six manned missions to the surface of the moon, beginning with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in July 1969, up to Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt in December 1972.

The mission will use Nasa's powerful new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), and the Orion spacecraft.

Each of the target regions is located within six degrees of latitude of the lunar South Pole and, collectively, contain diverse geologic features.

Specific landing sites are tightly coupled to the timing of the launch window, so multiple regions ensure flexibility to launch throughout the year.

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All regions considered are scientifically significant because of their proximity to the lunar South Pole, which is an area that contains permanently shadowed regions rich in resources and in terrain unexplored by humans.

Sarah Noble, Artemis lunar science lead for Nasa's Planetary Science Division, said: "Several of the proposed sites within the regions are located among some of the oldest parts of the moon, and together with the permanently shadowed regions, provide the opportunity to learn about the history of the moon through previously unstudied lunar materials."

The analysis team weighed other landing criteria with specific Artemis III science objectives, including the goal to land close enough to a permanently shadowed region to allow crew to conduct a moonwalk, while limiting disturbance when landing.

This will allow crew to collect samples and conduct scientific analysis in an uncompromised area, yielding important information about the depth, distribution and composition of water ice that was confirmed at the moon's South Pole.

Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist for Nasa, said: "Developing a blueprint for exploring the solar system means learning how to use resources that are available to us while also preserving their scientific integrity.

"Lunar water ice is valuable from a scientific perspective and also as a resource, because from it we can extract oxygen and hydrogen for life support systems and fuel."

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