NASA has released an updated set of nine potential landing regions near the lunar South Pole for its Artemis III mission.
The refined candidate Artemis III lunar landing regions are, in no priority order:
— Peak near Cabeus B
— Haworth
— Malapert Massif
— Mons Mouton Plateau
— Mons Mouton
— Nobile Rim 1
— Nobile Rim 2
— de Gerlache Rim 2
— Slater Plain
Criteria used
According to NASA, these regions contain diverse geological characteristics and offer flexibility for mission availability.
Criteria used to pick these regions: Science potential, launch window availability, terrain suitability, communication capabilities with Earth, and lighting conditions.
Additionally, the multidisciplinary team assessed the combined trajectory capabilities of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System to ensure safe and accessible landing sites.
The lunar South Pole has never been explored by a crewed mission and contains permanently shadowed areas that can preserve resources, including water, NASA explains.