If you're planning your next trip to the moon, you might want to consult astronaut Jeanette Epps.

"What we'd like to do is start establishing a presence on the moon," Epps said.

Well, you probably won't get to the moon, but Epps is looking to get there soon.

"So hopefully, eventually, as we start developing a presence on the moon, we'll start moving in these engineer wise steps and we'll start establishing a presence on the moon," Epps said.

In the meantime she's completing a caves expedition.

"We had to learn a lot of techniques of how to walk in and out of the caves," Epps said.

Epps was living and working in caves in Slovenia for six days.

"It's a great analog for space, especially for space missions that will likely take us to the moon," Epps said.

Expeditions like these help NASA prepare to send people to the moon to stay. It's through NASA’s Artemis program which ultimately hopes to get to mars.

"For the nation it's a goal and for me I believe it's going to be an international goal," Epps said.

It's a big and exciting future for NASA and mankind.

"Throughout the year, probably a couple of times a year, I visit Syracuse. And I do like to get back to my alma mater and different places and talk to students because I was one of those kids that had big dreams and I wasn't really willing to talk about them because dreams are dreams and they seem intangible. But with hard work and persistence you can get just about anywhere, even maybe to the moon,” Epps said.