The Moon is a jumping off point for Mars – Axios

NASA's vision of astronauts walking on Mars hinges on first getting them back to the Moon.

Why it matters: NASA is planning to launch its first test flight of its new Moon rocket today, marking one of the agency's first major steps along a decades-long journey to Mars.

State of play: By using the Moon as a proving ground for technology needed for missions to Mars, NASA says it can make those future missions safer.

Between the lines: NASA has already started laying the groundwork for exploring Mars with astronauts one day.

The intrigue: NASA is shoring up international cooperation with its Artemis program that could one day translate to coordination between nations on Mars itself.

The big picture: NASA has been studying Mars from orbit and using rovers on the surface for decades, but a well-trained astronaut on the ground could be a game-changer for science on the Red Planet.

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The Moon is a jumping off point for Mars - Axios