SpaceX booster slams into the Moon at 5,400 mph, carving a new crater
A SpaceX Falcon 9 booster launched from Cape Canaveral struck the Moon at about 5,400 mph, creating a fresh crater on the lunar surface.
Tag
Lunar
All articles tagged with #lunar
Sunlight Turns Lunar Soil Into Oxygen and Fuel in Lab Demonstration
In a July 2025 lab test, researchers using material from China’s Chang’e-5 mission concentrated sunlight to heat lunar soil, releasing water and driving reactions with carbon dioxide to produce oxygen, hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a single photothermal process. While this demonstrates an integrated ISRU approach, it is not a full lunar plant and cannot yet support life or propellant production; it suggests future bases could produce water, oxygen and fuels on site, reducing Earth shipments—though an illustrative $83,000-per-gallon mass-penalty figure remains just an estimate, not current launch pricing.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.