Return to the moon

Return to the moon

From BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

April 9, 2026 · 26 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the significance of the Artemis mission and the future of human presence on the moon.

This week, humans once again looked down on the magnificent desolation of the lunar surface, from the orbit of the moon itself. They saw earth rise and earth set. They named the craters on the far side. They travelled further from Earth than any human has travelled before. Now, the Artemis mission returns home. Libby Jackson, Head of Space at the Science Museum, joins Inside Science to illuminate whether this lunar flyby is nothing but a test ride or significant for the future of human spaceflight and science. Nasa believes Artemis II will pave the way to not only land on the moon but establish a lunar base. Kelly Weinersmith, author of A City on Mars, joins Tom to discuss the complications that are likely to arrive when and if humans attempt to establish a semi-permanent presence on the lunar surface. Is it really possible? Presenter: Tom Whipple Producer: Harrison Lewis and Katie Tomsett Editor: Martin Smith

People in this episode

Host: Tom Whipple

Guests: Libby Jackson, Kelly Weinersmith

Topics covered

  • lunar exploration
  • Artemis mission
  • human spaceflight
  • lunar base
  • space science

Keywords

  • moon
  • Artemis II
  • lunar flyby
  • space exploration
  • human presence

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Science Museum, Nasa

Books & works: A City on Mars

More episodes of BBC Inside Science

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the BBC Inside Science podcast page.