Lunar Missions
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Firefly’s Blue Ghost Moon Lander Mission Unveils Surprising Discoveries on the Lunar Surface
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Moon Lander uncovered unexpected hard rock formations and extreme lunar heat variations during its mission. These discoveries provide critical insights for improving future lunar landers. As Firefly prepares for its annual moon missions, the lessons learnt from Blue Ghost's successes will guide robotics and human op...
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NASA’s Lunar Space Station Module Enters Final Phase Before Artemis Gateway Launch
NASA’s HALO module, a key element of the Artemis Gateway, has arrived at Northrop Grumman in Arizona for final outfitting. The module will support astronauts with living and working spaces in lunar orbit. Outfitting includes critical systems for power, life support, and communications, marking a major milestone toward NASA’s long-term lunar mis...
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China Uses Gravitational Slingshots to Rescue Two Satellites Stuck in Orbit for 123 Days
After a rocket malfunction left two satellites spiralling in the wrong orbit, Chinese engineers turned to gravitational slingshot manoeuvres for a 123-day rescue mission—successfully restoring them and advancing China's ambitions in space autonomy.
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Artemis II Orion Service Module Secured for Launch at Kennedy Space Center
NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft is a step closer to its mission around the Moon. Three spacecraft adapter jettison fairings have been installed on its service module at Kennedy Space Center. These panels will protect the solar arrays from heat, wind, and acoustic forces during launch. Once in space, they will detach, allowing the arrays to dep...
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Supernova Remnants Found in Oceanic Samples, Scientists Look to Moon
Scientists have identified supernova debris in deep-sea sediments, including a rare plutonium isotope linked to a kilonova. Researchers believe a neutron star collision occurred nearly 10 million years ago, scattering radioactive material across space. To validate this theory, they plan to analyze lunar soil, which remains undisturbed by Earth's ge...
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Chandrayaan-5 Approved: ISRO Plans 350kg Rover, India-Japan Collaboration
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed the Centre’s approval for Chandrayaan-5, advancing India’s lunar exploration plans. The mission, which includes a 350kg rover, will be developed in collaboration with Japan. ISRO is also working on Chandrayaan-4, focusing on sample collection, and has outlined plans for an independent space station by 2035. ...
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NASA’s Space Station Research Aids Lunar Missions With Key Technologies
Research aboard the International Space Station is advancing lunar exploration. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission-1, which landed on 2 March 2025, carries three experiments linked to space station studies. LEXI observes X-ray emissions to study space weather, RadPC tests radiation-tolerant computing, and LuGRE detects GNSS signals for lunar ...
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MAPP Rover Stranded as Athena Lander Tips Over During Lunar Mission
The MAPP rover, designed for lunar exploration, was ready to deploy but remained stuck as the Athena lander tipped over upon landing. The mishap left the rover functional but unable to move, ending the mission prematurely. Despite the setback, Lunar Outpost confirmed that data was successfully collected, and upcoming missions will continue lunar ex...
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ISRO Expands with Two Launchpads, Chandrayaan-4 to Launch in 2028 with Lunar Sample Return Mission
Isro is developing two new launchpads in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to support its growing space program. Chandrayaan-4, a 9,200 kg mission planned for 2028, will involve a lunar sample return. The organisation is also collaborating with NASA on the NISAR satellite for environmental monitoring. In the past decade, Isro has launched 433 satellite...
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NASA Tracks GNSS Signals on Moon, Advancing Lunar Navigation Technology
NASA and the Italian Space Agency made history by successfully tracking GNSS signals on the Moon through the LuGRE experiment. The technology could revolutionise lunar navigation, aiding missions like Artemis. LuGRE had earlier set records for GNSS signal acquisition in deep space, reaching lunar orbit before its final touchdown. The data collected...
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NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer Moon Probe Struggles with Power and Signal Loss
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer, launched on 26 February, has lost communication and is running low on power. The spacecraft, meant to detect water ice on the moon, has been unable to perform key trajectory corrections. Ground controllers are using the Deep Space Network and observatories to assess its position, but recovery remains uncertain. The missi...
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Athena Lunar Lander Successfully Lands Near Moon’s South Pole on IM-2 Mission
Intuitive Machines' Athena lunar lander has successfully landed near the Moon’s south pole as part of NASA’s IM-2 mission. Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the lander aims to explore lunar resources and test new technologies, including NASA’s PRIME-1 water ice experiment and Nokia’s 4G network. The exact condition of Athena remains...
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Japan's ispace Eyes Second Moon Landing Attempt On June 6
Japanese moon exploration company ispace said its Resilience lander will attempt a lunar touchdown at 4:24 am on June 6 local time (1924 GMT on June 5).
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Firefly Blue Ghost Moon Lander Successfully Lands on Moon for NASA Mission
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has successfully landed on the Moon, marking a major milestone in private space exploration. Part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, the mission aims to study radiation levels, test lunar sample collection, and capture a total solar eclipse. The spacecraft, which landed in Mare Cris...
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US Spaceship Hours Away From Daring Moon Landing Attempt
Nicknamed "Ghost Riders in the Sky," the mission comes just over a year after the first-ever commercial lunar landing and is part of a NASA partnership with industry to cut costs and support Artemis.
-
Firefly’s Blue Ghost Moon Lander Mission Unveils Surprising Discoveries on the Lunar Surface
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Moon Lander uncovered unexpected hard rock formations and extreme lunar heat variations during its mission. These discoveries provide critical insights for improving future lunar landers. As Firefly prepares for its annual moon missions, the lessons learnt from Blue Ghost's successes will guide robotics and human op...
-
NASA’s Lunar Space Station Module Enters Final Phase Before Artemis Gateway Launch
NASA’s HALO module, a key element of the Artemis Gateway, has arrived at Northrop Grumman in Arizona for final outfitting. The module will support astronauts with living and working spaces in lunar orbit. Outfitting includes critical systems for power, life support, and communications, marking a major milestone toward NASA’s long-term lunar mis...
-
China Uses Gravitational Slingshots to Rescue Two Satellites Stuck in Orbit for 123 Days
After a rocket malfunction left two satellites spiralling in the wrong orbit, Chinese engineers turned to gravitational slingshot manoeuvres for a 123-day rescue mission—successfully restoring them and advancing China's ambitions in space autonomy.
-
Artemis II Orion Service Module Secured for Launch at Kennedy Space Center
NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft is a step closer to its mission around the Moon. Three spacecraft adapter jettison fairings have been installed on its service module at Kennedy Space Center. These panels will protect the solar arrays from heat, wind, and acoustic forces during launch. Once in space, they will detach, allowing the arrays to dep...
-
Supernova Remnants Found in Oceanic Samples, Scientists Look to Moon
Scientists have identified supernova debris in deep-sea sediments, including a rare plutonium isotope linked to a kilonova. Researchers believe a neutron star collision occurred nearly 10 million years ago, scattering radioactive material across space. To validate this theory, they plan to analyze lunar soil, which remains undisturbed by Earth's ge...
-
Chandrayaan-5 Approved: ISRO Plans 350kg Rover, India-Japan Collaboration
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed the Centre’s approval for Chandrayaan-5, advancing India’s lunar exploration plans. The mission, which includes a 350kg rover, will be developed in collaboration with Japan. ISRO is also working on Chandrayaan-4, focusing on sample collection, and has outlined plans for an independent space station by 2035. ...
-
NASA’s Space Station Research Aids Lunar Missions With Key Technologies
Research aboard the International Space Station is advancing lunar exploration. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission-1, which landed on 2 March 2025, carries three experiments linked to space station studies. LEXI observes X-ray emissions to study space weather, RadPC tests radiation-tolerant computing, and LuGRE detects GNSS signals for lunar ...
-
MAPP Rover Stranded as Athena Lander Tips Over During Lunar Mission
The MAPP rover, designed for lunar exploration, was ready to deploy but remained stuck as the Athena lander tipped over upon landing. The mishap left the rover functional but unable to move, ending the mission prematurely. Despite the setback, Lunar Outpost confirmed that data was successfully collected, and upcoming missions will continue lunar ex...
-
ISRO Expands with Two Launchpads, Chandrayaan-4 to Launch in 2028 with Lunar Sample Return Mission
Isro is developing two new launchpads in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to support its growing space program. Chandrayaan-4, a 9,200 kg mission planned for 2028, will involve a lunar sample return. The organisation is also collaborating with NASA on the NISAR satellite for environmental monitoring. In the past decade, Isro has launched 433 satellite...
-
NASA Tracks GNSS Signals on Moon, Advancing Lunar Navigation Technology
NASA and the Italian Space Agency made history by successfully tracking GNSS signals on the Moon through the LuGRE experiment. The technology could revolutionise lunar navigation, aiding missions like Artemis. LuGRE had earlier set records for GNSS signal acquisition in deep space, reaching lunar orbit before its final touchdown. The data collected...
-
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer Moon Probe Struggles with Power and Signal Loss
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer, launched on 26 February, has lost communication and is running low on power. The spacecraft, meant to detect water ice on the moon, has been unable to perform key trajectory corrections. Ground controllers are using the Deep Space Network and observatories to assess its position, but recovery remains uncertain. The missi...
-
Athena Lunar Lander Successfully Lands Near Moon’s South Pole on IM-2 Mission
Intuitive Machines' Athena lunar lander has successfully landed near the Moon’s south pole as part of NASA’s IM-2 mission. Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the lander aims to explore lunar resources and test new technologies, including NASA’s PRIME-1 water ice experiment and Nokia’s 4G network. The exact condition of Athena remains...
-
Japan's ispace Eyes Second Moon Landing Attempt On June 6
Japanese moon exploration company ispace said its Resilience lander will attempt a lunar touchdown at 4:24 am on June 6 local time (1924 GMT on June 5).
-
Firefly Blue Ghost Moon Lander Successfully Lands on Moon for NASA Mission
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has successfully landed on the Moon, marking a major milestone in private space exploration. Part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, the mission aims to study radiation levels, test lunar sample collection, and capture a total solar eclipse. The spacecraft, which landed in Mare Cris...
-
US Spaceship Hours Away From Daring Moon Landing Attempt
Nicknamed "Ghost Riders in the Sky," the mission comes just over a year after the first-ever commercial lunar landing and is part of a NASA partnership with industry to cut costs and support Artemis.
