NASA's vision of astronauts walking on Mars hinges on first getting them back to the Moon.<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Between the lines: NASA has already started laying the groundwork for exploring Mars with astronauts one day.<\/p>\n
The intrigue: NASA is shoring up international cooperation with its Artemis program that could one day translate to coordination between nations on Mars itself.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Read this article:<\/p>\n
The Moon is a jumping off point for Mars - Axios<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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. Continue reading