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[Music]

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Artemis is our 21st century return to the Moon.

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Together, NASA, international space agencies,

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and a growing global space industry

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will explore Earth’s nearest neighbor with advanced robotics

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and our next generation of astronauts.

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But where will our astronauts explore?

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The Moon is a treasure trove of scientific discovery,

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and NASA has its sights set on the South Pole.

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This mysterious region features soaring mountains

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and deep craters, leading to unique locations

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that experience nearly continuous sunlight –

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in contrast to nearby depressions that never see the sun.

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Artemis III will mark humanity’s return to the lunar surface 

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for the first time since 1972.

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NASA has identified thirteen regions near the South Pole

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that meet safety requirements for landing

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and present opportunities to search for lunar resources.

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Each region can also help us learn more about

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the history of the Moon,

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and gain a better understanding of our place in the solar system.

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These thirteen candidate landing regions represent

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a diversity of features in the lunar South Pole,

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ranging from the summits of mountains

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rising miles above their surroundings,

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to the rims of large craters.

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These features together act to both expose and preserve

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billions of years of geologic history.

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Using robotic orbiters and rovers,

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NASA and the global science community

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will continue to study these regions

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before selecting the Artemis III landing site.

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The astronauts selected for this bold expedition

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will literally and figuratively shine a light

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on some of the deepest, darkest areas of the solar system,

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revealing ancient secrets of the universe.

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[Music fades]