moon
-
NASA Probe Spots History-Making Odysseus Lander on the Moon
Following a less-than-perfect touchdown, the Odysseus lander has been spotted from lunar orbit while lying on its side on the surface of the Moon. The lunar lander also beamed back its first images from the Moon as it fights to stay alive before it runs out of power. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured images…
-
The U.S. and China Want the Same Landing Spot for Upcoming Moon Missions
China is planning to send its next lander to the lunar surface, this time targeting an impact crater with a sun-lit rim that could hold precious resources for long-duration stays on the Moon. The upcoming Chang’e 7 mission, scheduled for launch in 2026, is targeting a landing site on the Shackleton crater in the Moon’s…
-
The Moon Is Shrinking and That’s Bad News for NASA’s Artemis Program
Do not scratch your eyes: the Moon is slowly shrinking, causing quakes on its surface that complicate NASA’s plans for landing Artemis 3, the first Artemis mission that will make a crewed landing on the Moon, and more ambitious missions geared towards maintaining a prolonged human lunar presence. Yes, there are plenty of tremors on…
-
Sunlight May Reignite Japan’s Struggling ‘Lunar Sniper’ on the Moon
Japan’s space agency, JAXA, achieved a historic soft landing with SLIM on Friday morning, but the lander ran into instant trouble by not being able to collect solar energy and generate electricity. Hopeful for some westerly sunshine, JAXA is cautiously optimistic that SLIM could spring back to life in a couple of weeks. Shortly after…