The moon

Buzz Aldrin in a space suit on the lunar soil. Photographed by the first man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong. Photo: NASA.

Simulated lunar soil and recycled plastic could help produce components for lunar missions

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Concordia University researchers have printed energy-absorbing components and tools from a composite material; the polymer is recycled three times without significant loss of its properties, but the addition of simulated soil increased the material's brittleness.
Lunar soil may preserve 100 million years of supernova history

Lunar soil may preserve 100 million years of supernova history

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Mathematical model of regolith mixing reproduces the distribution of iron-60 in Apollo samples, and may help decipher deep cores collected on future lunar missions
Image caption: The South Korean lunar orbiter Danuri photographed the crater that opened up after the upper stage of the Falcon 9 launcher hit the moon on August 5, 2026. Image credit: KARI – Korea Aerospace Research Institute Alternative text: The crater formed on the moon after the upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket hit the moon, as photographed by the Danuri orbiter.

After Falcon 9 stage hits the moon: NASA and SpaceX are looking at how to prevent the next incident

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The South Korean probe Danuri confirmed the impact near Einstein Crater and documented changes in the ground and the scattering of material. The incident did not endanger anyone, but the large number of missions to the Moon requires planning in advance for the disposal of launch stages.
Falcon 9 stage likely hit the moon; confirmation will come from orbiting spacecraft images

Falcon 9 stage likely hit the moon; confirmation will come from orbiting spacecraft images

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The upper stage, which launched in January 2025 and remained in a high orbit around Earth, was expected to impact near Einstein Crater at a speed of about 8,700 km/h. No immediate confirmation of an impact observation was received, and NASA will search for the crater
An illustration of the Earth, Moon, and Mars against a background of space, marking the development of technologies for future space missions.

NASA has selected 41 technology projects for future missions to the Moon and Mars

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37 American companies will gain access to NASA facilities, hardware, software and experts to advance energy systems, navigation, landing, spacecraft maintenance and protection from lunar dust – but without direct funding from the agency
Is the asteroid Kamua'aluwa a fragment from the moon? The Chinese spacecraft will try to decide

Is the asteroid Kamua'aluwa a fragment from the moon? The Chinese spacecraft will try to decide

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The Chinese spacecraft Tianwen-2 is approaching the asteroid Kamoʻoalewa, one of Earth's semi-satellites. It will attempt to collect samples from its surface and return them to the laboratory, where researchers can determine whether it is a rock dislodged from the
Future research station on the moon

Proposal: Test samples from Mars in a quarantine facility on the Moon before bringing them to Earth

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Two researchers propose setting up an isolated robotic laboratory on the moon to test samples from Mars and other worlds. They say the moon could serve as an additional layer of protection against possible biological contamination, but this is a proposal at this stage.
The SLIM mission included three rovers in addition to the lander, one exploring the lunar surface and the others serving as a relay station. Credit: JAXA / Takara Tomy / Sony Group / Doshisha University

Baseball-sized rover successfully operates autonomously on the moon

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The Japanese rover SORA-Q, sent to the Moon with the SLIM lander, launched from a small two-wheeled vehicle, navigated around the lander, and photographed its surroundings. The findings, published in Science Robotics, demonstrate how tiny robots may expand the
NASA's Artemis 3 crew: Andre Douglas, Luca Parmitano, Randy Breznik and Frank Rubio in an official mission portrait.

NASA selects Artemis 3 crew, but New Glenn explosion casts shadow on path back to the Moon

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The next Artemis mission will remain in low Earth orbit and test docking with SpaceX and Blue Origin lunar landers. The New Glenn explosion could delay the 2028 manned landing plan.
A sky chart showing Venus and Jupiter close together above the western horizon after sunset, with Mercury next to them lower in the sky.

The two brightest planets in the evening sky are getting closer: Venus and Jupiter will be visible side by side after sunset

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NASA's High Performance Spaceflight Computing Processor. The processor is designed to survive harsh space conditions and provide a leap in processing capability for future spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

NASA is developing a new “brain” for spacecraft: an AI processor that will allow them to operate more independently

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The new processor is designed to allow spacecraft to analyze information, respond to unexpected situations, and make certain decisions without waiting for instructions from Earth. According to NASA, initial tests indicate a leap in performance compared to computers
Seconds before the Artemis II spacecraft lands. Screenshot: NASA

Live broadcast: Artemis II landed safely

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Orion's first crewed deep-space test flight tested launch, flight, return and recovery systems — paving the way for the next phase of the lunar return program
On April 7, 2026, the Artemis II crew was captured in a rare moment of shared embrace inside the Orion spacecraft on the way back from the Moon. Pictured are Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Reed Wiseman, and Victor Glover. The crew members were selected in April 2023 and trained together for three years in preparation for the mission. Photo: NASA

Artemis II Day 9: Orion orbit correction complete, preparing for atmospheric reentry and landing near San Diego

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In the past 24 hours, NASA completed another correction maneuver on the way back from the moon, restored contact after a brief communications glitch, and accelerated final preparations for atmospheric entry. Now all eyes are on the heat shield.

Not all cold traps at the moon's south pole preserved ice equally well

New scientific evidence suggests that ice has been accumulating on the moon for the past billion and a half years, revealing where it's best to look for it.
Moon colony. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Life on the Moon Won't Be Romantic: This Is What the True Test of the Human Body Will Look Like

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In preparation for an extended stay on the lunar surface, scientists warn of a dangerous combination of low gravity, cosmic radiation, lunar dust, isolation, and possible damage to bodily systems.
Earth setting after Artemis II completes its passage behind the Moon. NASA photo

Artemis II Day 7: Artemis II released the first images from its lunar orbit and continues safely on its return journey

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Artemis II crew members celebrate the completion of the passage behind the moon, April 7, 2026. Photo: NASA

Artemis II on the way back: Completed transit around the moon, human distance record broken, and viewing a solar eclipse

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Update 7/4 14:00: Orion passed behind the moon, came within 6,546 kilometers of the surface, set a new record of 406,770 kilometers from Earth, and also photographed areas from the far side.
In this fully illuminated photo of the Moon, taken by the Orion spacecraft, the near side of the Moon is visible on the right with the dark lava plains familiar from Earth-based observations. To the left is the Orientale Basin, a giant crater about 966 km wide that crosses both the near and far sides. Credit: NASA.

Day 6, Live: Artemis II Around the Moon; Orion Breaks Human Distance Record and Enters Mission Highlights

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The Artemis II crew surpassed the record of Apollo 13, making a historic pass around the moon and entering a window of scientific observations, communications blackout and a solar eclipse as seen from the spacecraft.
The Moon as photographed from the window of the Orion spacecraft at the end of Artemis II's fifth flight day (April 6, 2026), shortly before the historic pass around the far side of the Moon. Credit: NASA.

Live broadcast: The decisive day – Artemis II preparing to pass around the far side of the Moon

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NASA reports that Orion is on a precise trajectory for its passage around the moon on April 6, 2026. During the orbit, astronauts are expected to break the record for the distance humans have traveled from Earth and pass behind the moon.
Astronaut Christina Koch controls the Orion spacecraft during a manual flight test on day four of the Artemis II mission. She is flanked by Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen and astronaut Victor Glover. Credit: NASA

Artemis II Day 4: Crew practices manual flight of Orion and approaches historic flyby around the moon tomorrow

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NASA reported that Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen took manual control of the spacecraft for 41 minutes, while the entire crew completed scientific preparations for the lunar flyby on April 6. At the same time, NASA
Schematic illustration of how the impact that created the South Pole-Aitken Basin altered the lunar crust and mantle, leading to the loss of volatiles during the event. Credit: Illustration by Prof. Heng-Si Tien

Groundbreaking research: The giant impact that created the South Polar Basin changed the interior of the moon, not just the surface

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Analysis of samples collected by China's Chang'e-6 spacecraft reveals a unique geochemical signature indicating a massive loss of volatiles from the lunar mantle – and offers a new explanation for the mysterious asymmetry between the near and far sides
The Moon may seem timeless, but its face is still changing. Newly discovered impact craters reveal that impacts continue to leave new marks on the lunar landscape. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The Moon has taken another hit: NASA scientists discover a new crater formed

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A comparison of images from the orbiter with lunar surveys has revealed a 22-meter-diameter crater formed between 2009 and 2012, providing new evidence that asteroids and comets continue to shape the lunar surface today.
An illustration by principal investigator Andy Tsanidakis of the collision of planets orbiting the star Gaia20ehk in 2021.

Rare evidence of a collision between planets in real time

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Researchers at the University of Washington monitored the star Gaia20ehk, which is about 11 light-years from Earth, and discovered unusual dips in light along with a spike in infrared radiation, findings that may indicate a planetary collision similar in characteristics to the event.
The Artemis II spacecraft aboard the SLS launchers on February 2, 2026. Credit: NASA/John Kraus

NASA changes Artemis program: Artemis 3 will not land astronauts on the Moon

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Instead of a crewed landing in 2027, Artemis 3 will become a test mission in Earth orbit, while the program's first crewed landing is now postponed to Artemis 4 in 2028.
Image caption: NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Artemis II Orion spacecraft are seen illuminated at Launch Complex 39B, January 17, 2026, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the coming days, engineers will prepare for the "wet dress rehearsal," a two-day test that simulates launch day. Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber

Artemis II placed on launch pad: NASA moves forward with “wet return” test before crewed flight around the moon

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A perfect cosmic circle captured by Webb shows a distant spiral galaxy twisted around a closer elliptical galaxy. This Einstein ring provides a glimpse into the warped nature of spacetime. Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, G.

2025 in Space Summary: Hints of Life, a Commercial Moon, and a Sharper Look at the Risks

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Webb reignited the debate about signs of life on distant planets, the Moon advanced thanks to commercial missions, and Earth's orbit reminded us how crowded and fragile it is – with launches, a nearby asteroid, and preparations
Illustration of mining activity on the moon. Credit: NASA

The race to mine resources on the moon has already begun – and it requires clear international rules of the game.

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Countries and companies are racing to develop lunar mining infrastructure, but international law remains in the Cold War era – and ambiguity could ignite conflict
An artist's impression of the collision between early Earth and Theia. Because Theia formed in the inner part of the solar system, the Sun can be seen in the background. Credit: © MPS / Mark A. Garlick

Moon rocks reveal new clues about Theia – the planet that disappeared in the collision that formed the moon

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Precise analysis of iron isotopes in rocks from Earth and the Moon reveals that Thea – the body whose impact created the Moon – was likely born in the inner part of the solar system, even closer to the Sun.
Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt samples a rock at Station 7, at the foot of the North Mountain in the Taros-Littrow Valley. The large rock was dislodged by a powerful moonquake about 28.5 million years ago, likely the result of activity on the Lee-Lincoln Fault. Credit: NASA/JSC/ASU

Moonquakes could threaten future manned missions and infrastructure

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New study reveals that moderate-intensity tremors associated with the Lee-Lincoln fault in the Taros-Lytaro Valley could endanger permanent bases as part of the Artemis program
The European Space Agency's (ESA) planned NEOMIR space telescope will scan for asteroids approaching Earth while they are hidden by the glare of the sun. In doing so, it will fill a significant blind spot in modern asteroid warning systems. Credit: ESA / Pierre Caril

An asteroid tens of meters in diameter may hit the moon in 2032

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This is the same asteroid that was suspected of potentially hitting Earth, but updated observations rule out the risk of hitting Earth, but leave the possibility of hitting the Moon. ESA presents: Innovative telescope that will detect threats even from the problematic direction
The Moon may have been captured, broken off, or formed with Earth, but the leading theory is that it was formed in a violent collision. This "big splash" would have ejected material from Earth's mantle into space - and thus the Moon was formed. This is the best explanation for the strong resemblance between lunar rocks and rocks on Earth. Credit: ESA/AOES Medialab

The Moon's Explosive Backstory: How a Planetary Collision Created Our Little Light

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The Moon may have been captured, split, or born with the Earth, but the leading theory is that it was formed in a massive impact. This massive impact ejected the Earth's mantle into space, creating the Moon. This
After delivering ten NASA science and technology payloads to the near side of the Moon through the CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and NASA's Artemis operation, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1 lander captured this image of a sunset from the surface of the Moon. Credit: Firefly Aerospace

NASA captures sunset on the moon in stunning leaping images of dust and light (4K)

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Odysseus the moon lander. Illustration: Intuitive Machines

For the first time a private spacecraft lands on the moon

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A historic achievement for the United States, which returns to land on the moon for the first time since 1972, and the company Intuitive Machines, which seeks to prove its capabilities and serve as a supplier of equipment transfer to the moon as part of the Artemis program
Paved surfaces around a lunar base. An artist's perception. Courtesy of the European Space Agency

How to pave roads on the moon

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With the development of civilization comes roads, and this will be especially true on the moon. To do this, the dust must be kept away. In the Apollo era, dust blocked equipment and worn space suits.
Simulation of the landing of the Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft on the moon. Image: ISRO

India's Chandrayaan-3 Landing at the South Pole of the Moon - Space Policy Expert Explains the Context

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The fact that so many nations - the United States, Russia, China, India, Israel - and even commercial entities are interested in landing on the moon means that there are many opportunities to create new partnerships
The auxiliary purpose is essential for NASA's Artemis II mission. Credit: ULA

Moon in the crosshairs: Technicians add "target" to Artemis II rocket

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The four astronauts aboard Orion will use a target attached to the space propulsion stage to demonstrate approach operations to test Orion's navigation capabilities. The target underwent illumination tests in May to ensure it could be seen
Engineering model of the Genesis 2 lander. Courtesy of SPACEIL

A large group of donors is withdrawing from the Genesis mission

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The donor group that invested 45 million dollars in the Genesis 2 mission, announced that it would stop further funding; The Kahn Foundation: the group will continue to support the educational activities of the Spice IL association; CEO of Spice Eye
Artist's illustration of the LuSEE-Night radio telescope on the Moon. (credit: NASA/Tricia Talbert)

Building telescopes on the moon could change the face of astronomy - and it is becoming an achievable goal

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The moon still has much to tell us about the origin and development of the solar system. It also has scientific value as a platform for observational astronomy
Artist's impression of the Moon Gate, a habitat, refueling and research center for astronauts exploring the Moon as part of the Artemis program. Credit: NASA/Alberto Bertolin

what time is it on the moon Researchers suggest applying the time zone method to the moon as well

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what time is it on the moon Researchers suggest accommodating the time zone system on the moon as well
This artist rendering shows the briefcase-sized probe Lunar Flashlight using its near-infrared lasers to illuminate dark polar regions on the moon and search for water ice. Credit: Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Is NASA's lunar satellite in danger? Problems with the propulsion system of the Lunar Fleshlight spacecraft

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Mission Control is characterizing its new "green" propulsion system and developing an updated plan for Lunar Fleshlight's journey to the Moon
The scarred surface near the North Pole of the Moon as captured by one of the cameras of NASA's LRO probe. The first step of the researchers was to decipher the two-dimensional images in an attempt to understand how many pits and depressions there are in these areas, what their possible depth is and what proportion of their surface is permanently shaded NASA /GSFC/ASU

The frozen side of the moon

A new study by Weizmann Institute of Science scientists and their research partners in the USA indicates that at least some of the water on the moon may be trapped in much more accessible places - in pits and small depressions.
Calveus Crater on the Moon with an illustration depicting water trapped in the lunar soil inside, along with an image of NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (Sophia) which discovered lunar water in a sunny area. Credit: NASA

Water has also been discovered outside the shadowy craters on the moon

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The Sophia airborne observatory has detected water molecules (H2O) in Calveus Crater, one of the largest craters visible from Earth, located in the southern hemisphere of the Moon. Previous observations of the lunar surface have identified some type
The dark part of the moon is visible next to the bright scythe. Source: Radoslaw Ziomber, Wikimedia

Things people know: why is the moon white?

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Astronaut Buzz Audlerin sets up a seismological experiment in the Pacific Ocean, as part of the Apollo 11 mission, June 20, 1969. Photo: NASA

How did the moon get to where it is today?

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The area where the Beresheet spacecraft will land on the moon, in the northeastern part of the "Sea of ​​Tranquility" not far from Apollo 15 and 17. Courtesy of Prof. Oded Aharonson, Weizmann Institute

Genesis will land in the "calm sea" on the moon, not far from the two Apollo spacecraft

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The long trajectory of the spacecraft in Genesis to the moon. Illustration: SPACEIL

The engines of the Genesis spacecraft were activated for the first time - and successfully

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The Earth and the Moon are being bombarded by asteroids at an increased rate. Illustration: shutterstock

The Earth and Moon have had many more asteroid impacts since the age of the dinosaurs

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The landing area of ​​the Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 4 in the Von Kármán crater on the far side of the moon, immediately after its landing on January 2, 2019. Photo: China National Space Administration.

The Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 4 made a soft landing on the far side of the moon.

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The CHANGE 4 spacecraft on the lunar surface. Figure: National Academy of Sciences of China

China has launched a spacecraft that will land and retrieve a rover on the far side of the moon

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Simulating the collision of a body the size of the moon with a planet the size of the earth. Image: NASA

Falling Moons: When Ancient Earth Met Its Makers

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