All articles tagged with #lunar
Artemis II will launch a 10-day lunar flyby to observe the Moon’s far side, potentially uncovering its formation, interior structure, asymmetry between near and far sides, and water distribution, while guiding future landings (Artemis III/IV/V) and advancing understanding of Earth’s early history.
Elon Musk says SpaceX will focus on building a self-sustaining city on the Moon before pursuing a permanent Mars settlement, arguing the Moon allows faster iteration and a shorter timeline; Mars remains an eventual objective with a Mars city targeted in about five to seven years, though lunar development takes priority.
NASA and the Department of Energy sign a memorandum of understanding to co-develop a fission surface power system for the Moon, aiming to deploy a lunar surface reactor by 2030 to provide continuous power for Artemis missions and future Mars exploration, continuing a long-standing U.S. collaboration in space technology and national security.
New research suggests the Moon's far side is significantly colder internally than the near side, revealing deeper geological differences that may be linked to its formation and evolution, with implications for understanding Earth's history.
Solstar Space has received a NASA contract to develop Wi-Fi access points for lunar missions, including Artemis and CLPS programs, aiming to enable robust, space-rated wireless communication for astronauts, robots, and lunar surface systems.
NASA has paused its plans to acquire lunar communication ground stations due to uncertain budgets, aiming to support lunar missions and ease the burden on the Deep Space Network.
NASA's Science Mission Directorate has decided not to provide financial support for upcoming Lunar, Planetary, and Space Sciences Conferences, opting instead for a partnership approach where NASA participates as a collaborator without funding, and conference costs are covered by other partners.
The final supermoon of 2024 will be visible this Friday, appearing 14% larger and more vivid than usual, with peak illumination around 4:30 p.m. in New York, coinciding with sunset. This supermoon, about 225,000 miles from Earth, is the closest of the year, following a series of supermoons since August. Known as the beaver moon, it marks a time when beavers prepare their dams for winter. The event may follow a potential Northern Lights display earlier in the week.