Artemis: Next people to walk on the Moon will make history

It's an exciting time for Moon exploration

A Japanese astronaut is set to make history by walking on the Moon, becoming the first person from outside America to do so.

Nasa's Artemis programme wants to see astronauts, including the first woman and the first person of colour, land on the Moon for the first time.

Japan and the United States announced their plan to work together on Wednesday; their hope is to advance human exploration of the Earth's satellite.

Japan will design, develop, and operate a rover to travel around the Moon's rocky surface and there are plans for two Japanese astronauts to work on future missions with US space agency Nasa.

Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon

Who has walked on the Moon?

Currently only 12 people, all of them American men, have landed on the Moon.

The first was Neil Armstrong on 21 July 1969. This was part of Nasa's Apollo programme which ran from 1969 to 1972.

No one has travelled to the lunar surface since then.

The Moon rocket for Artemis I launched in November 2022

When will Nasa's next Artemis Moon mission be?

The Artemis I uncrewed Moon-orbiting Orion capsule launched on 16 November 2022 and landed safely back on Earth just a few weeks later on 11 December.

It was the first in a series of missions that will help humans explore the Moon and even create future missions to Mars.

The next could be as soon as September 2025.

This is when Artemis II is set to take humans further than they've ever been in space on a crewed flight.

A Nasa spokesperson said the aim is to "make new scientific discoveries, and explore more of the lunar surface than ever before, for the benefit of all."

A rover will travel on the Moon's rocky surface

How will the Moon rover technology work?

In a later mission, Nasa will launch and deliver a rover - made by Japan - to the Moon.

It will act as a mobile laboratory and as a place where astronauts can live and work for extended periods of time.

Two astronauts will be able to stay in the rover for around 30 days as they explore the area near the lunar South Pole.

Nasa currently plans to use the pressurised rover on Artemis VII and missions for around 10 years after that.