exploration of the moon
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NASA Astronauts Set to Take the Wheel of Lunar Spacecraft for Artemis 2 Test
The Artemis 2 astronauts are gearing up for a key test of the Orion capsule, to see if the Moon crew can manage manual maneuvers prior to a lunar flyby. NASA’s Artemis 2 mission is set to launch in September 2025, carrying a four-person crew on board the Orion capsule for the first time on…
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Former Blue Origin Employees Want to Harvest Helium-3 From the Moon
Over billions of years, the surface of the Moon has been bombarded by solar wind, carrying high-energy particles that include a highly coveted resource, helium-3. Although the element is scarce on Earth, it has recently become in demand by several industries, including those working on quantum computing and nuclear fusion reactors. Helium-3 has been deemed…
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Could Blue Origin Actually Beat SpaceX to the Moon?
Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, is finally setting some ambitious timelines, saying it plans to conduct an uncrewed Moon landing in as little as a year from now, deploying a demonstration version of its Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) cargo lander. This ramps up the space rivalry big time, putting Bezos…
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Landing on the Moon Wasn’t Easy for Odysseus, Which Clearly Has a Broken Leg in New Photo
A new photo of Odysseus released by NASA illustrates just how rough the lander’s journey to the Moon has been, shining a light on its spunky resilience against all odds. Taken on February 22, the day the lander touched down on the Moon, the photo shows Odysseus, affectionately called “Odie,” with a clearly broken leg…