Seminars

2023: Artemis
Putting the Man in the Moon

Date:Wednesday 15th November 2023
Time:18:00-20:10 GMT (Log on from 17:30)
Downloads:An information sheet will be available soon.
Access to the Seminar:The seminar is free, but advance registration is required. Booking will open nearer the date. You will be sent an email with the access link and password a few days before the event.
Synopsis:EMSTA aims to promote interest in Engineering, Maths, Science and Technology. Past Seminars have predominantly been about Engineering subjects, and were usually topical. This year’s seminar is no exception, and focusses on the NASA Artemis plan to establish a permanent Moon base, and provide a lunar gateway as a staging post for the further manned exploration of the outer planets (notably Mars) and (potentially) deep space. This seminar will address elements of the Artemis programme.
Unlike the Apollo series of moon landings, that were wholly funded by governments, the Artemis flights will be a mix of public and privately funded operations. The component parts of the Artemis challenge are:
1. Getting into Earth orbit,
2. Transferring from Earth orbit to lunar orbit,
3. Transferring from lunar orbit to lunar surface,
4. Finally, as part of all this, maintaining secure communications between Earth, the various Spacecraft and the moon.

To answer these questions we will address:
1. Getting into Earth Orbit in the 21st Century vs 20th Century.
In particular To get into Earth orbit, we have to negotiate the space debris accumulated since the Apollo landings. The challenge is real.
2. Transferring from Earth orbit to Lunar orbit.
Unlike the Apollo series, wherein a command module and lunar Lander were both entered into lunar orbit, from where the lunar lander made its way to the lunar surface, the Artemis programme plans to fly Orion to a lunar gateway, where it will rendezvous and transfer personnel to a dedicated lunar Lander. However, there are experienced voices arguing against a Lunar Gateway.
3. From Lunar gateway to the Lunar surface.
This will be accomplished by using private spacecraft, notably SpaceX Starship and/or Blue origin as Human Lander systems (HLS). The Lunar gateway will act as a storage depot, fuel station and Mission Control relay station.
4. Tracking Control and Telemetry of the overall mission.
The initial missions will, use NASA’s established network of gateway earth stations to manage the programme. But from Artemis 3 onward, Comms will be subject to tender by private commercial operators. UK is in a strong position to bid by Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd.

Phases of the Artemis Programme:
Artemis 1 The first proving flight of SLS / Orion was successfully completed in 2022.
Artemis 2 This will be with live human crew in 2024. Again, like Apollo 8, this flight will be on a free return trajectory and will splash down in the Pacific Ocean.
Artemis 3 will send a crew of four to the lunar surface - where they will stay for a planned 6 1/2 days. This is scheduled to occur no sooner than December 2025.
Artemis 4 will dock with the Lunar Gateway in 2028. And then provide the second lunar landing.
Artemis 5 will see the third planned launch along with the European Space Agency “Esprit” Refuelling and communications module and the Canadian built robotic arm system for the gateway. That will happen no sooner than September 2029.


Open Forum:An important element of the prestige seminar is the chaired discussion when the audience can put forward their questions to the speakers and debate some of the issues discussed.
Timetable:Titles and presenters of videos not available yet

17:30 Registration opens. Log on with the link you will have been sent.
18:00 Welcome: Professor Quintin McKellar CBE, Vice-Chancellor
and Chief Executive of the University of Hertfordshire.
18:05 Protocols and introduction to Chair: Roger Boddy, Chair, EMSTA
18:10 Introduction to Seminar:
18:15 Introduction of EMSTA award:
18:20 EMSTA award presentation
18:25 Thanks & Introduction of Video 1:
18:30 Video 1 Summary:
18:40 Video 1:
19:00 Thanks & Introduction of Video 2:
19:05 Video 2:
19:25 Thanks and introduction of Moderator:
19:30 Intro of Live Q&A session:
19:35 Live Q&A session
20:05 Thanks & Conclusion: Roger Boddy
20:10 Seminar ends
Continuing Professional Development:This event can contribute two hours to your continuing professional development (CPD) as part of your institution's CPD monitoring scheme.
EMSTA Prestige Seminar 2024TBA