Alexa to the Moon!

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

Alexa, my favorite houseguest, began her day today with an announcement that she would be heading to the moon later this year.  She was excited to share the news that she will be aboard the Artemis One unmanned mission which will orbit around the moon before returning to Earth.   The flight will represent NASA's first trip back to the moon in fifty years.  Alexa's role in the flight will be to see how she can  be of service to the mission and astronauts as NASA makes trips to the moon and beyond.

Pa Rock is betting that wifi-connectivity on the moon will eclipse that of West Plains, Missouri, by an astronomical amount!

One of the main goals of the planned upcoming Artemis missions is to send the first female astronaut to the moon as well as the first astronaut of color.  The name "Artemis" was apparently chosen because she was the Greek goddess of the moon, and a twin sister to Apollo.  NASA hopes to land a human crew, including a woman, at the South Pole of the Moon sometime in 2024.

This time NASA plans to stay connected to the moon through the establishment of a lunaar-orbiting space station, as well as setting up a base on the surface of the moon.  One goal is for the lunar-orbiting space station to be the launching site for the first US manned mission to Mars.

(Freeloading billionaire Elon Musk, mentioned in this space yesterday, apparently plans to launch his personal star fleet to Mars from an Earth orbit.)

The path to the Red Planet could get crowded, especially if another freeloading billionaire, Jeff Bezos, decides that he wants to plant his flag on Mars as well!

Alexa, play "Moon River" by Andy Williams . . . no, no . . . make that Van Morrison's "Moondance" . . . oh, oh . . . better yet, "Fly Me to the Moon" by Sinatra!  

Perfect, just perfect!

Have a great trip, Alexa.   I want to go, too!