China on Thursday announced that it has successfully completed... a comprehensive test for the landing and take off of its manned lunar lander "Lanyue" at a test site in Huailai County in the northern Chinese province of Hebei. The "Lanyue" lunar lander is a newly developed extraterrestrial manned descent and ascent vehicle for China's first manned lunar exploration mission, which is primarily designed for transporting astronauts between lunar orbit and the lunar surface. The lander can carry two astronauts on round trips and is equipped to transport a lunar rover and scientific payloads, supporting astronauts in conducting surface activities and extended stays on the moon.show more

Robotic deconstruction for lunar expansion Watch as our rover... grinds and recovers material directly from a mock lunar lander. This capability allows us to "upcycle" hardware already on the surface into resources. Mastering this process is a core requirement for near-future lunar exploration, ensuring we can expand our footprint using the assets we already have. The lunar surface is our next worksite. Get on board:show more

The highly anticipated lunar flyby of the Artemis II... mission will take four astronauts on a pioneering survey of the moon Monday, including the rarely glimpsed lunar far side, which always faces away from Earth. The crew will see features on the lunar surface that human eyes have never observed before. Here's how:show more

BREAKING: 🚀 Artemis II has lifted off, sending NASA... astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back—the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.show more

The Moon in a box 🌑 NASA's Lunar Lab... and Regolith Testbeds is a simulated lunar environment. It features large boxes filled with simulated lunar dust, along with custom lighting and terrain features that create realistic conditions to test science instruments, robots, and rover designs for future Moon missions. Lear more about his facility:show more

China on Wednesday successfully conducted a low-altitude demonstration and... verification flight test for its Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for its new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou in the southern island province of Hainan, marking a major breakthrough for the country's future crewed lunar landing missions. The return capsule of the new-generation Mengzhou crewed spaceship has safely splashed down in the predetermined sea area, according to the China Manned Space Agency.show more

Apollo 11 entered lunar orbit on July 19, 1969... After a 76-hour journey from Earth, the spacecraft carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin executed a lunar orbit insertion burn to be captured by the Moon's gravity, setting the stage for the historic landing the following day. Credit: Apollo Flight Journalshow more

Artemis II Glides Past the Moon A stunning view... from deep space shows Orion — the spacecraft of NASA’s Artemis II mission — gracefully sailing near the cratered lunar surface. The ancient, rugged Moon fills the frame as humanity’s first crewed voyage beyond low-Earth orbit in over 50 years unfolds in real time.This historic flight carried four astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — on a daring loop around the Moon, pushing farther into space than any humans since the Apollo era. The mission successfully tested Orion’s systems for future lunar landings and beyond.The breathtaking contrast between cutting-edge human technology and the timeless, airless beauty of the lunar landscape captures the spirit of exploration: bold curiosity, technical mastery, and our enduring drive to reach new frontiers. Note: This is a creative or illustrative depiction of the scene. Actual mission imagery from Artemis II shows spectacular views of both the near and far side of the Moon captured by the crew.show more

NASA has just launched a new website for its... Moon Base missions, which aims to build a permanent $20 billion U.S. base on the Moon. SpaceX's Starship rocket will play a big role in these missions. "The Moon Base is a home away from Earth for Artemis astronauts who will live and work at humanity’s first lunar outpost. NASA is leading global teams of innovators across international space agencies, industry, and academia to build the Moon Base and establish an enduring human presence near the lunar South Pole for the benefit of all. Phase One (Now–2029): Experiment and Learn NASA will begin with a rapid series of robotic missions to scout the lunar South Pole region, test technologies, and prepare for surface operations ahead of future astronaut missions.: • A major increase in lunar activity, with up to 25 missions, including 21 landings. • Crewed and autonomous rovers for mobility demonstrations and surface preparation, along with four drones known as MoonFall and communications relay and observation satellites. • Early demonstrations of power, navigation, communications, and nuclear radioisotope heater unit technologies designed to endure the long lunar night. • Scientific payload opportunities integrated across landers and rovers. • The first tangible footprint of Moon Base effort, with four tons of payload delivered to test what works on the lunar surface. Phase Two (2029–2032): Early Habitation By 2029, NASA will transition to assembling semi-permanent infrastructure and initiating early habitation and logistics operations: • Deployment of expanded solar power systems and initial nuclear surface power capabilities, potentially including fission reactors and radioisotope power systems. • Upgraded rovers, potential advanced MoonFall drones, and early habitation elements. • Enhanced surface-to-orbit communications networks to provide reliable connectivity across the lunar South Pole region. • Delivery of up to 60 tons of cargo through as many as 24 landings using low-, medium-, and heavy-class cargo landers. Phase Three (2032 and Beyond): Sustained Human Presence This phase will scale operations to achieve a true enduring presence, with routine crew rotations and continuous surface activity. This is when living and working on the Moon becomes a reality: • Semi-permanent habitation modules with spacious interior for crew living and operations. • Operational fission surface power systems capable of delivering steady, reliable energy through the long lunar nights, leveraging in situ resource manufacturing. • Advanced logistics networks supported by crewed and autonomous rovers to keep the base supplied and functioning year-round. • Delivery of up to 38 tons of cargo annually to sustain habitats, power systems, logistics operations, and major science outposts, enabled by low-cost reusable heavy-lift capabilities." Moon base website:show more

How do we know there is water ice on... the Moon? NASA's Clementine in 1994 and Lunar Prospector, which began its mission mapping the Moon this week in 1998, were two of the first missions to find evidence for the existence of water ice on the Moon. In this visualization of Lunar Prospector's data, high concentrations of hydrogen—a sign of potential ice deposits—are seen around the south pole of the Moon. Read more about the history of evidence for water on the Moon:show more

China achieves first-ever sea recovery of reusable rocket stage​.... The Long March 10 booster was successfully retrieved from the ocean today—a key step toward reusable launch technology for manned lunar missions and space station operations.show more

You don’t go on a long road trip without... your charger and a trip to the Moon is no exception! Blue Ghost’s 4 batteries are now charged up and ready for the journey ahead. We’ll utilize these batteries as needed throughout the mission when sunlight is limited, such as in the lunar morning and lunar night. #BGM1show more

Watch our Blue Ghost Mission 2 lunar lander come... together! This timelapse captures the assembly of our lander's main structural and fluid components. Next up, integrating avionics, payloads, and engines. Our Riders 2 the Dark mission features two vehicles: our Blue Ghost lander stacked atop our Elytra orbiter. Each is assembled separately before stacking at the launch site, creating a 22-foot-tall spacecraft—more than 3X the height of our Mission 1 lander. Stay tuned for Elytra stacking in the coming weeks!show more

From the Moon, a lunar eclipse looks like a... total solar eclipse, but it lasts a LOT longer. For NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, that means the team has to plan carefully for the 4 hours that the spacecraft — and its solar panels — will be in the dark and the cold. 🌑🛰 1/3show more

the fan beside me asked LUNAR for a hug... and i somehow ended up in LUNAR’s hug as well😂 LUNAR is too cuteeeeee😭 TIPRACHA LUNAR TOY STORY 5 #SFxNamtanFilmLunarshow more

1 week until the Artemis III crew is revealed!... 🚀 On June 9, NASA will announce the next four astronauts who will fly aboard the Orion spacecraft. Artemis III will test critical rendezvous and docking capabilities needed to enable future lunar surface missions.show more

🚨 NEWS FROM NASA In a bold and decisive... move, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman just announced a $20 billion plan to build America’s permanent base on the Moon — and they’re doing it in just 7 years. Today, NASA officially confirmed it is cancelling plans for the Lunar Gateway — the small space station that was supposed to orbit the Moon as a waypoint for astronauts. Instead, those components and resources will be repurposed directly for the surface base, accelerating humanity’s return to sustained lunar presence. The goal is clear — move beyond short visits and flags-and-footprints missions. NASA wants a real, long-term foothold on the Moon: habitats, power systems, rovers, scientific labs, and infrastructure that can support crews for months at a time. This base will serve as the foundation for deeper space exploration, resource utilization (like mining lunar ice for fuel and water), and eventually — Mars. The $20 billion investment over the next seven years will reshape major parts of the Artemis program. It comes with real urgency too — China is pushing hard toward its own crewed Moon landing by 2030, and the U.S. is determined to lead, not follow. This isn’t just about science. · A permanent lunar base means:Testing technologies for Mars missions in a real off-world environment · Developing in-situ resource utilization (turning Moon dirt into rocket fuel and oxygen) · Opening the door to a true cislunar economy · Inspiring the next generation of engineers, scientists, and explorers Private industry will play a massive role, as always — with contractors already building key hardware now being redirected. This is the kind of ambitious, focused leadership the space program has needed. From the first boots on the Moon in 1969 to building a thriving outpost there by the early 2030s — what an incredible leap forward. Significanly, the Moon isn’t just a destination anymore: it’s becoming home base for humanity’s expansion into the Solar System.show more

NASA’s Epic 685,000-Mile Moon Odyssey! Get ready for history... in the making! Right now, NASA’s Artemis II mission is blazing a trail through deep space on an incredible 10-day journey covering more than 685,000 miles — and it’s already halfway to the Moon.Four brave astronauts are currently farther from Earth than any humans have traveled in over half a century, riding aboard the Orion spacecraft on a daring voyage that will take them on a breathtaking flyby of the lunar this video, we break down the full adventure: the outbound trajectory, the dramatic lunar flyby, and the precise free-return path that will slingshot them safely back home. You’ll see exactly how Orion navigates the vast emptiness of space using clever orbital mechanics and innovative mission design.Artemis II marks the first crewed flight of NASA’s Artemis program — the bold step that will return humans to the Moon and open the door to sustained lunar exploration and beyond.Buckle up — this is how humanity returns to deep space!show more

Chinese scientists have confirmed the existence of the Moon’s... 11th known mineral. A newly identified mineral, named magnesio‑chang’e‑site (Ce), was discovered while studying lunar soil samples brought back to Earth by China’s Chang’e‑5 mission, as well as in a lunar meteorite found in the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang in 2024. Chinese researchers submitted both samples to the International Mineralogical Association — the global body responsible for reviewing and naming newly discovered minerals. Its Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) has officially validated the discovery.show more