“This $ 24.7 billion funding request demonstrates the commitment of the Biden Administration to NASA and its partners, who have worked so hard under difficult circumstances over the past year and achieved unprecedented success,” said Steve Jurczyk, acting NASA administrator. said a statement.
“The President’s discretionary request enhances NASA’s ability to better understand the Earth and further monitor and predict the effects of climate change. It also provides us with the necessary resources to continue promoting America’s bipartisan moon to the Mars reconnaissance plan, including the landing of the first woman and first-person color on the moon under the Artemis program. ‘
According to a request from Biden in the 2022 financial year, NASA will remain on track to bring people back to the moon, while aligning with the president’s commitment to take a comprehensive approach to promoting equity for all. ‘, according to a statement from NASA.
The Artemis astronauts include Joseph Acaba, Kayla Barron, Raja Chari, Matthew Dominick, Victor Glover Jr., Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Jonny Kim, Christina Koch, Kjell Lindgren, Nicole Mann, Anne McClain, Jessica Meir, Jasmin Moghbeli, Kate Rubins, Frank Rubio, Scott Tingle, Jessica Watkins and Stephanie Wilson.
“Women and men of color represent a significant contributing part of all facets of NASA personnel, and the last two selected astronaut classes have included the highest percentage of women in history,” Lal said. Fifty percent of the 2013 National class was female and 45% of the 2017 class. And today, African-American, Asian Pacific, Spanish and multiracial astronauts make up about a quarter of NASA’s active astronaut corps. ‘
Lal said the announcement was very meaningful to her personally. She came to the United States at the age of 18, with two suitcases full of books and never thought she would work at NASA in the future.
“If you can see it, you can believe it,” Lal said. “So much of what NASA does is inspire the next generation, but to be successful in inspiration, we must continue to be leaders in terms of diversity and equity.”
The diversity is needed, not only for the mission, but also across NASA to fuel the major steps the agency is taking to explore people’s space, she said.
The return of astronauts to the moon will serve as evidence before they are sent to Mars – another long-term goal of the Artemis program.
“It’s not a flag and footprint activity like the Apollo program,” Lal said. “It’s a more sustained presence to help prepare us to get to Mars.”
When astronauts explore the lunar south pole, which has never been visited by humans before, they will build on the legacy and science acquired during the Apollo program, and bring it into a new century.
After the unmanned Artemis I flight in November, Artemis II will be a crew of the moon in August 2023. Artemis III will bring astronauts back to the moon.
In addition to supporting the Artemis program and studying climate change, the president’s request would also help promote the agency’s robotic space exploration, boost aerospace technology, and provide new funding for NASA’s efforts to engage to touch on STEM outreaches for subordinate students, according to the agency.