2024-03-11 02:22:30
A German astronaut has never been on the moon. That could soon change: Robert Habeck is campaigning in the USA for German astronauts to be able to fly to the moon with a NASA program.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck wants to bring German astronauts to the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program. During a trip to the USA, the Green politician is promoting the fact that “German astronauts can fly to the moon,” said Habeck on Wednesday shortly before his departure at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport. Germany is the strongest supporter of the US space agency’s Artemis program.
The astronauts Alexander Gerst and Matthias Maurer are part of the delegation that traveled to the USA with Habeck on Wednesday. Manned missions on the moon could collect scientific data that is “very, very important for us here on Earth,” said Maurer. He also emphasized the importance of the moon as an economic area. It is therefore important that “we as Europeans are involved so that we do not fall behind”.
People are expected to land on the moon in 2026
The Artemis program is intended to put people on the moon for the first time since 1972. A first unmanned test mission (Artemis I) was completed in 2022. Humans are not expected to orbit the moon with Artemis II until September 2025 at the earliest. Artemis III is also scheduled to land on Earth’s satellite at the end of 2026. Germany is involved in the program through the European Space Agency (ESA).
During Habeck’s trip to the USA on Thursday in Washington, in addition to discussions with US government representatives on economic and energy policy issues, a meeting with the chairman of the government’s space department is also on the agenda. Other stops on the visit, which lasts until Saturday, are New York and Chicago.