Astronaut Gerst: "We want to unlock the moon's secrets" - Europe secures three seats on NASA's historic Artemis Moon missions

The European Space Agency has secured three seats on NASA’s Artemis missions for its astronauts. A German, a French, and an Italian astronaut will travel to the Moon within the next few years. The earliest opportunity for a German astronaut to participate is the Artemis 4 mission, currently planned for 2028. NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon. The Artemis 2 mission, set for the first half of 2026, will be the first crewed flight under the program. It will not land on the lunar surface but will send astronauts to the Gateway station orbiting the Moon.

Artemis 3, planned for 2027, will mark the first crewed lunar landing in over 50 years. These missions will explore new regions of the Moon, moving beyond the equator targeted by earlier expeditions.

Germany’s Alexander Gerst and Matthias Maurer are among the candidates for the flights. Both have expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming missions. However, it is still uncertain whether Gerst or Maurer will be selected for the German seat.

The long-term goal includes building research stations on the Moon for extended studies. This effort mirrors the way scientists currently operate in Antarctica. The Moon is also viewed as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars, with Europe expected to play a significant role. The Artemis program represents a major step in lunar exploration. European astronauts will join the missions, with Germany’s participation confirmed as early as 2028. The initiative paves the way for sustained human presence on the Moon and future journeys to Mars.