Tag

Lunar

All articles tagged with #lunar

science12 days ago•186 min saved

June’s Strawberry Moon Lights Up Summer Skies This Week

The full strawberry moon—the first full moon of summer—will rise this week and peak at 7:57 p.m. ET on Monday, appearing as a micromoon near apogee. In the Northern Hemisphere it will trace the year’s lowest arc, while in the Southern Hemisphere it will reach its highest. Its color can appear warmer or cooler depending on atmospheric conditions, but the Moon’s actual color doesn’t change. For best viewing, head outside to a dark, unobstructed spot. The name comes from Algonquin berry-harvesting season, with other cultures calling it the hoer or blooming moon. The article also lists six more full moons in 2026 (Buck Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Harvest Moon, Hunter’s Moon, Beaver Moon, Cold Moon) and ties this year’s lunar activity to renewed interest in lunar exploration as NASA’s Artemis program advances.

via CNN|

#artemis #astronomy #full-moon

space-and-spaceflight18 days ago•16 min saved

Moon Biocontainment Plan: Scientists Call for an Automated Lunar Quarantine Lab

Biologist Frederick Moxley and McGill’s Anthony Ricciardi propose NASA build a self-contained, automated lunar biocontainment facility (BSL-X) on the Moon to quarantine and sterilize potentially hazardous extraterrestrial samples before any Earth return, arguing Earth-based labs may be insufficient to guard against novel alien microbes; they cite a 2018 ISS bacterium mutation as a cautionary example and frame the plan as a precautionary firewall for interplanetary exploration.

via Gizmodo|

#biosafety #biosecurity #lunar

policy1 month ago•4 min saved

Report Flags Lunar Mass Drivers as Dual-Use First-Strike Threat

A new American Foreign Policy Council report warns that deploying cargo catapults on the Moon—mass drivers—could be a dual-use technology enabling rapid, potentially undetectable first strikes. It outlines three dangers: direct ground impact from fired payloads, satellite destruction via tight-cone projectiles, and the ability to launch warheads exceeding current reentry limits with low heat signatures, raising concerns about a space-enabled arms race as nations seek a lunar foothold.

via extremetech.com|

#defense-policy #dual-use #lunar

space1 month ago•4 min saved

New Lunar Trajectory Slashes Fuel Costs by 58.80 m/s

Researchers using the theory of functional connections simulated 30 million routes to the Moon and found a more fuel-efficient path that enters the lunar variate from the far side, reducing delta-v by 58.80 m/s and maintaining continuous Earth communication. The findings, based on gravity-assisted trajectories in the Interplanetary Transportation Network, could lower mission costs, though it is an initial result and future work may incorporate solar gravity as lunar missions scale up (e.g., Artemis 2).

via The Times of India|

#delta-v #interplanetary-transportation-network #lunar

space1 month ago•72 min saved

Lunar Outpost bets on autonomous Moon infrastructure with Pegasus rover

Lunar Outpost, already testing the Eagle rover, has secured about $30 million to develop Pegasus, a smaller, autonomous lunar rover aimed at building a broader Moon infrastructure ecosystem. The company envisions rovers that autonomously construct launch pads, energy storage, habitats, and other facilities, potentially working alongside Artemis astronauts. Pegasus is slated for delivery by 2027 with a Moon launch planned for 2028, aligning with NASA’s Artemis timeline and part of a wider push to enable a sustained human presence on the Moon and multi‑planetary exploration.

via Space|

#artemis #lunar #nasa

space2 months ago•4 min saved

Chang'e-5 Moon Samples Uncover Rare-Earth Lunar Minerals

Chinese scientists have identified two previously unknown lunar minerals, magnesiochangesite-(Y) and changesite-(Ce), from Chang'e-5 samples. Both belong to the merrillite group and were officially approved by the International Mineralogical Association, marking a continuation of China’s lunar mineral discoveries. The ultra-rare, micrometer-scale crystals—found in Oceanus Procellarum material and a lunar meteorite—reveal unique crystal structures not seen on Earth and offer new insights into the Moon’s magmatic history and potential rare-earth resources for future in-situ utilization. Scientists used a suite of advanced instruments to confirm the minerals’ composition and structure, underscoring the complexity of lunar soil and its geological diversity.

via Global Times|

#change-5 #lunar #merrillite

space2 months ago•19 min saved

Moon Trash, Human Heritage: A look at what we left on the Moon

Humans have dumped a surprising amount of material on the Moon—from rocket stages and rovers to sentimental keepsakes (an Apollo 16 family photo, Gene Shoemaker’s ashes, and goodwill messages from 73 nations), commemorative patches, a rumored Moon Museum ceramic wafer, a falcon feather, and even 96 bags of human waste. NASA’s 2012 list tallies about 400,000 pounds of Apollo‑era debris, with additional gear from other programs; retroreflectors remain on the surface for millimeter‑precision distance measurements. As new missions resume lunar exploration and imaging improves, lunar debris management could become a hot topic for future explorers.

via Hackaday|

#apollo #lunar #moon

space3 months ago•4 min saved

Europe to redefine Gateway role as Artemis changes, decision due in June

With NASA suspending work on the lunar Gateway, ESA is assessing how to adjust its three Gateway-related contributions (the European Service Module, I-Hab, Lunar View, and Lunar Link) and will present a plan to the ESA June Council. The evaluation will cover whether ongoing Gateway developments can continue, be repurposed, or reallocated, how work should be performed (in Europe or the U.S.), changes to Artemis 3/4’s architecture, and how astronaut participation and funding already invested will be treated, all while coordinating with Canada, Japan, and the UAE.

via SpaceNews|

#artemis #esa #esm

space4 months ago•13 min saved

Artemis II set to reveal lunar secrets and Earth’s water history

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.

via CNN|

#artemis #lunar #moon

technology5 months ago•4 min saved

Moon Leads the Way: SpaceX Prioritizes Lunar City Over Mars

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.

via SpaceNews|

#lunar #mars #moon

technology5 months ago•2 min saved

US Aims Lunar Nuclear Power by 2030 for Artemis Missions

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.

via NASA (.gov)|

#artemis #doe #lunar

science9 months ago•3 min saved

New Insights into the Moon's Contrasting Sides and Temperatures

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.

via Gizmodo|

#discovery #geology #lunar

technology9 months ago•2 min saved

NASA awards and contracts boost lunar wireless technology development

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.

via SpaceNews|

#lunar #nasa #solstar

science11 months ago•1 min saved

NASA Seeks Industry Proposals for Lunar and Martian Communications

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.

via SpaceNews|

#budget #deep-space-network #ground-stations

science1 year ago•2 min saved

NASA Reduces Funding for Lunar and Space Science Conferences

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.

via NASA Watch|

#conferences #funding #lunar