Tag: moon

Duffy to Announce Plans to Build Nuclear Reactor on Lunar Surface

Politico reports, “Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will announce expedited plans this week to build a nuclear reactor on the moon, the first major action by the former Fox News host as the interim NASA administrator. NASA has discussed building a reactor on the lunar surface, but this would set a more definitive timeline and come just as the agency faces a massive budget cut. The move also underscores how Duffy wants to play a role in NASA policymaking.”
Full Story (Politico)

China Becomes First Country to Retrieve Rocks from Far Side of the Moon

The New York Times reports, “China brought a capsule full of lunar soil from the far side of the moon down to Earth on Tuesday, achieving the latest success in an ambitious schedule to explore the moon and other parts of the solar system. The sample, retrieved by the China National Space Administration’s Chang’e-6 lander after a 53-day mission, highlights China’s growing capabilities in space.”
Full Story (New York Times)

China’s Chang’e-6 Heads Home Carrying First-Ever Lunar Far Side Samples

Space News reports, “China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft is on its way to Earth to deliver samples collected from the far side of the moon. The Chang’e-6 service module likely fired its engines for a trans-Earth injection around June 21. The spacecraft is now on the final leg of its complex, 53-day voyage involving a lunar landing, sampling, ascent and docking. A reentry capsule containing the unique samples will be released from the service module shortly before arrival at Earth early June 25.”
Full Story (Space News)

China’s Chang’e-6 Collects Moon Samples and Launches Them into Lunar Orbit

Space News reports, “Material from the far side of the moon has begun its journey for Earth after Chinese spacecraft collected samples and launched them into lunar orbit. The Chang’e-6 mission ascent vehicle lifted off from atop the mission lander in Apollo crater at 7:38 p.m. Eastern June 3 (2338 UTC), the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced. The ascender is now tracking the Chang’e-6 orbiter in a retrograde low lunar orbit.”
Full Story (Space News)

SLIM Moon Lander Powers Back on

Space News reports that Japan’s SLIM moon lander “has resumed operations more than a week after its imperfect yet historic lunar landing.” The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) “confirmed contact had been reestablished with the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) spacecraft late Jan. 28.” The development “comes just days ahead of a likely mission-ending sunset.” The large SUV-sized spacecraft “was forced to power down just two over hours after landing Jan. 19 due to its solar cell not generating electricity.” SLIM finally “powered up again as the position of the sun in the sky changed, finally illuminated SLIM’s solar cell.”
Full Story (Space News)

JAXA’s ‘Moon Sniper’ Missed its Mark

CNN reports that Japan’s space agency “said Thursday that its ‘moon sniper’ robotic explorer landed 55 meters (165 feet) from its target on the lunar surface last week, calling it a ‘significant achievement’ despite problems during the landing that put the mission in jeopardy.” The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) mission “reached the moon’s surface just after 10:20 a.m. ET (12:20 a.m. Saturday Japan Standard Time) on January 19, according to data shared by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.” During its descent, the spacecraft experienced “some kind of anomaly” at a “distance of around 50 meters (165 feet) above the surface, JAXA officials said in a news conference.” The thrust from “one of the main engines was lost as a result, forcing the spacecraft to land on its nose with its ‘main engine facing upward and in an almost vertical position.’”
Full Story (CNN)

Japan Becomes Fifth Country to Land a Spacecraft on the Moon

ABC News reports “Japan became the fifth country in history to reach the moon” when one of its uncrewed spacecrafts “successfully made a soft landing on the lunar surface early Saturday.”  Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down within the Shioli crater at 10:20 a.m. Eastern, Jan. 19 (12:20 a.m. JST, Jan. 20). JAXA confirmed the successful landing approximately two hours later. Japanese space officials “said the craft’s solar panel had failed to generate power, which could shorten its activity on the moon.”  Japan joins the US, China, the Soviet Union, and India as all having made it to the lunar surface.
Full Story (ABC News)

Czech Republic Signs Artemis Accords

SPACE reports that a ceremony held at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday “the Czech Republic’s Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the nation alongside NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.” The Czech Republic now “becomes the 24th country to sign on to the international agreement that lays out principles for responsible exploration and development of the moon and space.” Lipavsky said during the ceremony, “I believe that the Artemis Accords will enable closer cooperation and coordination between like-minded nations. We believe that the signature will kickstart the development of an institutional and industrial cooperation within the Artemis community.”
Full Story (SPACE)

SpaceX’s Starship to Launch Private Moon Rover in 2026

SPACE reported that Astrolab has secured an agreement with SpaceX to launch its Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover on one of SpaceX’s Starship moon missions. The mission could occur as early as 2026. FLEX would be the largest rover ever to operate on the moon’s surface. The rover would be able to carry two astronauts and could alternately be remote-controlled. Astrolab built FLEX “within NASA’s requirements for the agency’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) specifications, and hopes to have an entire FLEX fleet roving the moon’s surface as part of the Artemis program.”
Full Story (SPACE)