Shackleton crater may be a future landing site, and it’s located almost exactly at the Moon’s south pole (cross hairs).
Image Credit: NASA/Arizona State University.
This summer I am working as an intern at NASA and the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, TX. I will be studying the moon but the majority of my work is focused on identifying scientifically rewarding landing sites on the Moon for robots and/or astronauts. I feel extremely blessed in this field of space exploration, which is an incredibly optimistic line of work. The optimism comes from a sense that our scientific field is constantly improving from the new data coming back from Mercury, Venus, Mars, the Moon, Saturn, asteroids, the Sun, and Pluto. On top of this, scientists analyze old data to make new discoveries to satiate appetites of knowledge and wisdom. New spacecraft on the launch pad or on the drawing board also gives scientists an optimistic outlook for the future. As Christians, we also have the optimistic hope of heaven: “we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18, NIV) It’s exciting to have a flotilla of spacecraft sending back information about the planets, but if you trust in Christ for your salvation, you can have the hope of a joyful eternity in heaven!
