Lunar Missions
Ongoing coverage on Lunar Missions.
Latest coverage
A Falcon 9 stage gouged a 60-foot crater into the Moon — and ULA finally has a new chief
A spent Falcon 9 upper stage created a 60-foot crater on the Moon, captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. In leadership news, Mark Peller has become the new CEO of United Launch Alliance, taking over from Tory Bruno. The article also covers recent developments in rocket launches and failures from various companies including SpaceX, Innospace, and China's LandSpace, alongside updates on European and Chinese space programs.
NASA plans for up to three more lunar missions before the end of 2026
NASA is planning up to three additional lunar missions before the end of 2026. These missions will focus on delivering payloads to the lunar surface and testing equipment developed by Blue Origin and Astrolab.
NASA is set to begin training with a prototype of Blue Origin's crew moon lander
NASA is preparing to train astronauts with a prototype of Blue Origin's crew moon lander. The space agency aims to land astronauts on the moon in 2028.
The Artemis II astronauts are back after a 10-day journey around the moon
The Artemis II astronauts have successfully returned to Earth after a 10-day mission around the Moon, splashing down off the coast of San Diego. This test flight, carrying NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen, paves the way for future lunar surface missions like Artemis III, which will involve landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin.
NASA's Artemis II crew just flew farther away from Earth than anyone ever has before
The NASA Artemis II crew has set a new record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth by humans, surpassing the previous record held by Apollo 13. The four astronauts are currently orbiting the Moon, reaching over 250,000 miles from Earth and capturing new images of the lunar far side. The mission is a precursor to future crewed landings on the Moon.
The Artemis II mission has started its 10-day journey around the moon
The Artemis II mission, carrying NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, has begun its 10-day journey around the moon. Launched from Kennedy Space Center, this marks the first crewed Artemis flight and a return to deep space exploration since the Apollo program. The mission includes testing the Orion spacecraft's manual piloting capabilities for future lunar landers.