A CubeSat is flying to the moon to make sure Lunar Gateway"s orbit is stable
Before this decade is over, NASA will send astronauts to the moon for the first time since the Apollo Era. As part of the Artemis Program, NASA also plans to establish the infrastructure that will allow for a "sustained program of lunar exploration.".....»»
How the Moon got a makeover
The Moon's former surface sank to the depths, until volcanism brought it back. Enlarge (credit: NASA Goddard/ASU) Our Moon may appear to shine peacefully in the night sky, but billions of years ago, it was given a facial.....»»
Image: Bolivian salt lakes from orbit
This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image features salt flats and lakes in southwest Bolivia, near the crest of the Andes Mountains......»»
NASA watchdog report: 100+ cracks on heat shield biggest threat to human moon mission
The damage to the Orion capsule from the Artemis I mission is already top of mind for NASA as it works to make the Artemis II mission safe for humans. But a new agency report has revealed the extent of the problem, including scores of cracks in Orion.....»»
White Sands propulsion team tests 3D-printed Orion engine component
When the Orion spacecraft carries the first Artemis crews to the moon and back, it will rely on the European Service Module contributed by ESA (European Space Agency) to make the journey. The service module provides electrical power generation, propu.....»»
Study reveals new mechanism to explain how continents stabilized
Ancient, expansive tracts of continental crust called cratons have helped keep Earth's continents stable for billions of years, even as landmasses shift, mountains rise and oceans form. A new mechanism proposed by Penn State scientists may explain ho.....»»
Bird flu is bad for poultry and dairy cows: It"s not a dire threat for most of us—yet
Headlines are flying after the Department of Agriculture confirmed that the H5N1 bird flu virus has infected dairy cows around the country. Tests have detected the virus among cattle in nine states, mainly in Texas and New Mexico, and most recently i.....»»
Geologists reveal mysterious and diverse volcanism in lunar Apollo Basin, Chang"e-6 landing site
The far side of the moon is a mysterious place that is never visible from the Earth. The most remarkable feature of the moon is its asymmetry between the lunar near side and far side in composition, crust thickness, and mare volcanism. Scientists hav.....»»
SpaceX got the fanfare, but Boeing’s first crew flight is still historic
Ars spoke with the three Americans alive who have test-flown a new spacecraft in orbit. Enlarge / Astronauts Suni Williams (left) and Butch Wilmore (right) inside a Starliner simulator at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. (.....»»
China publishes world"s first high-definition lunar geologic atlas
China has released a geologic atlas set of the global moon with a scale of 1:2.5 million, which is the first complete high-definition lunar geologic atlas in the world, providing basic map data for future lunar research and exploration......»»
Shining a light on untapped lunar resources
Near the moon's south pole lies a 13-mile wide, 2.5-mile-deep crater known as Shackleton, named for Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. Shackleton—and craters like it—may contain untapped resources that can be accessed with lunar mining......»»
NASA hasn’t landed on the Moon in decades—China just sent its third in six years
China is going. NASA is talking about going. What gives? Enlarge / A Long March 5 rocket carrying the Chang'e-6 lunar probe blasts off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on May 3, 2024 in Wenchang, China. (credit: Li Zhenzhou/.....»»
The 50 best movies on Netflix right now (May 2024)
The best movies on Netflix include Miller's Girl, The Judge, Anyone But You, King Richard, Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver, Anna, The Bricklayer, and more......»»
NASA’s Orion spacecraft has ‘critical issues’ with its heat shield, report finds
NASA intends to use its Orion capsule to send astronauts to the moon, but a report has found that issues with the capsule's heat shield could be a safety risk......»»
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, debris of Halley"s comet, peaks this weekend. Here"s how to see it
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, remnants of Halley's comet, peaks this weekend. And with just a waning crescent moon in the sky, it should be visible......»»
China sends a probe to get samples from the less-explored far side of the moon
China on Friday launched a lunar probe to land on the far side of the moon and return with samples that could provide insights into differences between the less-explored region and the better-known near side......»»
China is sending a probe to get samples from the less-explored far side of the moon
China is preparing to launch a lunar probe Friday that would land on the far side of the moon and return with samples that could provide insights into geological and other differences between the less-explored region and the better-known near side......»»
Two small NASA satellites will measure soil moisture, volcanic gases
Two NASA pathfinding missions were recently deployed into low-Earth orbit, where they are demonstrating novel technologies for observing atmospheric gases, measuring freshwater, and even detecting signs of potential volcanic eruptions......»»
NASA says Artemis II report by its inspector general is unhelpful and redundant
"The redundancy in the above recommendations does not help." Enlarge / Orion, the Moon, and Earth in one photo in December 2022. (credit: NASA) NASA's acting inspector general, George A. Scott, released a report Wednesd.....»»
NASA seems unhappy to be questioned about its Artemis II readiness
"The redundancy in the above recommendations does not help." Enlarge / Orion, the Moon, and Earth in one photo in December 2022. (credit: NASA) NASA's acting inspector general, George A. Scott, released a report Wednesd.....»»
Horizontal running could help lunar astronauts retain physical conditioning
A small team of pathophysiologists and human locomotion specialists at the University of Milan has found that it should be possible for astronauts on the moon to prevent muscle and bone deterioration by running horizontally in a cylinder. In their st.....»»