Sian Cleaver, a 36-year-old engineer from Chelmsford, is playing a pivotal role in NASA’s upcoming Artemis II mission, set to launch later this week. This exciting mission will send four astronauts on a ten-day journey around the Moon. That’s the farthest humans have traveled from Earth since 1972. Cleaver, who works for Airbus in Bremen, Germany, contributed significantly by helping to build the propulsion system for the Orion spacecraft.
In addition to her work on the Orion’s propulsion, Cleaver’s team was responsible for creating large solar arrays for the European Service Module. These solar arrays, which artist’s impression shows unfurling after launch, are critical building blocks of the spacecraft that will keep the mission powered. Cleaver expressed her excitement about her involvement in this landmark project, stating, “I always wanted to work in the space industry and now I am doing that on a human space flight mission, which for me is a dream come true.”
David Morris, 65, the other stalwart engine behind the effort. As the chief engineer for space imaging at Teledyne e2v in Chelmsford, he develops space imaging equipment that is destined for deep space missions. In his opinion, the Artemis II mission is about much more than just a return to the Moon. Further, it is an essential step for future exploration of the lunar surface and, ultimately, a crewed mission to Mars.
Morris went on to discuss the potential global impact of watching humans return to the Moon. Imagine if you could look back at 1969 and recapture the excitement of seeing men walk on the Moon. We can give the world that same thrill again when we return. It will catalyze the international community to take more seriously what it means to be ‘the international community’ and not just a collection of states.
Both Cleaver and Morris understand the importance of this historic moment in space exploration. Cleaver pointed out that “there are a couple of generations who haven’t lived through a moon landing; it’s almost becoming ancient history in a way.” She added, “To experience that with a whole new load of people on this Earth I think is going to be really special. It’s just the first step on our journey to Mars.”
And with Artemis II’s launch date fast approaching, the anticipation has only grown as we prepare to witness this historic mission. Cleaver and Morris are part of a new generation of engineers and scientists committed to expanding humanity’s frontiers through space exploration. We are grateful for their tireless efforts to advance NASA’s mission and inspire the next generation of explorers to think big and imagine what’s possible outside our home planet.