WASHINGTON — NASA plans to launch three Artemis moon missions as well as five other separate launches to build a lunar orbit station in the next five years, according to NASA's website.<br /><br />Artemis 1 is an uncrewed flight set to be launched in 2020 and will test the spacecraft's capabilities of reaching lunar orbit.<br /><br />Artemis 2 will be a manned mission and is expected to be launched two years later. It would take a different route than the previous flight and its target is to take a space crew around the moon.<br /><br />Around the same time, NASA will be sending parts of a lunar orbital station named the Gateway to the moon via private companies.<br /><br />The Gateway will consist of a power and propulsion element and a small habitat module.<br /><br />Artemis 3 will take a space crew and dock at the Gateway, before the crew makes its way down to the moon via a lander.<br /><br />According to NASA, all three Artemis missions will be launched by NASA's Space Launch System on the Orion spacecraft.<br /><br />NASA said this is part of its plan to ultimately make its way from the moon to the Red Planet to make human exploration of Mars a reality.
