Contemplating the eclipse as an event that transcends human perception both physically and temporally, this artwork offers a glimpse into a realm beyond our immediate understanding. Depicting the eclipse from a perspective removed from Earth's myopic view, it invites viewers to ponder how future space settlements might witness such celestial phenomena. Drawing inspiration from NASA's Goddard media team's video piece "An EPIC View of the Moon’s Shadow During the June 10 Solar Eclipse" (2021), this artwork serves as a visual reference to the grandeur of cosmic events.
Included in this 'future' oriented poster is all the technologies and developments that are happening now at NASA.
The orbiting Lunar Gateway could serve as a vital space station, a jumping-off point for deeper lunar exploration missions like the Artemis program. Beyond the surface, possibilities lie beneath. Resource extraction missions could target water ice, found in permanently shadowed craters, for potential conversion into fuel or oxygen through a process like electrolysis. Meanwhile, mineral deposits like those containing iron and titanium might prove valuable for future in-situ construction , reducing the need to launch massive quantities of materials from Earth. These endeavors will require new tools for human habitation. The Artemis Spacesuits, currently in development, will be crucial for astronauts venturing out into the harsh lunar environment, with improved mobility and life support systems compared to previous spacesuit technology. This paves the way for a permanent human presence on the Moon, enabling scientific discovery and potentially serving as a launchpad for missions to even deeper space.
Links:
This poster is free to download and use. Go to: NASA.GOV
