Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Artemis II mission is pushing the boundaries of humanity's understanding of the moon, the universe and our place in it.
And we had the pleasure of speaking with David Paige, a professor of Earth, planetary and space sciences to learn more about why this mission is scientifically significant — and how studying the moon can help scientists better understand the origins and evolution of our solar system.
His research focuses on the physical processes that shape planetary surfaces and climates, particularly the Moon, Mars and icy bodies across the solar system. He's been studying the moon for 40 years, with the last 17 years involving an orbiting instrument that maps the lunar surface every two hours.
"On Earth, most of the early history of the solar system has been destroyed," Paige said. "But the surface of the moon has not changed very much over its history, and therefore it's sort of recorded for us, the history of the solar system and the part of the universe that the Earth lives in."
Learn more: http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/the-bruin-side-of-the-moon 📽️: Alinna Martin '20, Steven Ruiz '22 and Tina Hordzwick/UCLA College #ArtemisIIMission
The Artemis II mission is pushing the boundaries of humanity's understanding of the moon, the universe and our place in it.
And we had the pleasure of speaking with David Paige, a professor of Earth, planetary and space sciences to learn more about why this mission is scientifically significant — and how studying the moon can help scientists better understand the origins and evolution of our solar system.
His research focuses on the physical processes that shape planetary surfaces and climates, particularly the Moon, Mars and icy bodies across the solar system. He's been studying the moon for 40 years, with the last 17 years involving an orbiting instrument that maps the lunar surface every two hours.
"On Earth, most of the early history of the solar system has been destroyed," Paige said. "But the surface of the moon has not changed very much over its history, and therefore it's sort of recorded for us, the history of the solar system and the part of the universe that the Earth lives in."
Learn more: http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/the-bruin-side-of-the-moon 📽️: Alinna Martin '20, Steven Ruiz '22 and Tina Hordzwick/UCLA College #ArtemisIIMission
