NASA’s Artemis II mission, the closest human approach to the Moon since the end of the Apollo 17 program in 1972, will have the Argentine Atenea microsatellite, which will capture data and validate space technologies, as reported this Friday by President Javier Milei.
“The Argentine microsatellite will allow the validation of critical technologies for future space missions, providing fundamental information to NASA,” stated an official statement from the president.
The Artemis II mission, in which four astronauts will fly around the moon without landing, has a launch window stipulated from February 6 to April.
Atenea will be deployed during the launch of the mission and “once in space, it will measure radiation in deep orbits, evaluate components for space use, capture GPS data for geostationary transfer orbits, and validate long-range space communication links,” the statement explained.
The mission aims to validate the propulsion, navigation, communications and life support systems of the Orion spacecraft, which will be home for 10 days to four astronauts from the United States and Canada, including a woman.
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It will be the closest human approach to the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 and its success will be essential to advance Artemis III, which plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface.
The Argentine Government expressed that the fact that the country has been selected for such a mission “demonstrates the high level of technical and operational capabilities that the Argentine Republic maintains.”
The microsatellite of the National Commission for Space Activities (CONAE) was developed in conjunction with the Argentine company VENG SA, in addition to the Argentine Institute of Radio Astronomy (IAR), the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), the National University of La Plata (UNLP), the National University of San Martín (UNSAM) and the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Buenos Aires (FIUBA).
“Technological development and research in strategic matters is the priority of this Government’s investment in science, while resources are made more efficient by eliminating unnecessary expenses in social or political areas,” the statement stated.
The Milei Government, which has carried out a policy of severe fiscal adjustment since the beginning of its administration, in December 2023, has repealed in the 2026 Budget the financing guarantee for the national science and technology system, which established a minimum expenditure of 0.52% of GDP in 2026.
According to the law approved on December 26 by the Argentine Congress, expenses in that sector will fall by 10.7% in real terms in 2026.
With information from EFE
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