Lunar Lander
-
NASA
Fourth Launch of NASA Instruments Planned for Near Moon’s South Pole
Sending instruments to the Moon supports a growing lunar economy on and off Earth, and the next flight of NASA science and technology is only days away. NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative is a lunar delivery service that sends NASA science and technology instruments to various geographic locations on the Moon using American companies. These rapid, cost-effective commercial…
Read More » -
Press Releases
Valkyrie Launches First-Ever Space Data Center to the Moon, Marking New Era in Data Storage
In a historic leap for space technology, Valkyrie, a leading applied sciences lab, is about to transform how we store and protect humanity’s most valuable data by launching the first-ever knowledge graph to the Moon. On February 26, 2025, this revolutionary technology will blast off from Kennedy Space Center aboard Intuitive Machine’s IM-2 Mission as part of the Athena Mission…
Read More » -
NASA
NASA Sets Coverage of Firefly’s First Robotic Commercial Moon Landing
With a suite of NASA science and technology on board, Firefly Aerospace is targeting no earlier than 3:45 a.m. EST on Sunday, March 2, to land the Blue Ghost lunar lander on the Moon. Blue Ghost is slated to touch down near Mare Crisium, a plain in the northeast quadrant on the near side of the Moon, as part of…
Read More » -
Press Releases
Astrolab’s FLIP rover joins Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 As Primary Payload to the Moon
Venturi Astrolab (Astrolab) and Astrobotic announced that Astrobotic’s Griffin lander will deliver an Astrolab rover to the Moon as part of Astrobotic’s Griffin Mission One (Griffin-1). The rover, currently known as FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform), will be deployed at the Nobile Region of the lunar south pole. The Astrobotic mission, originally carrying the VIPER payload as part of NASA’s…
Read More » -
NASA
NASA to Talk Science, Tech Aboard Next Intuitive Machines Moon Flight
NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EST Friday, Feb. 7, to discuss the agency’s science and technology flying aboard Intuitive Machines’ second flight to the Moon. The mission is part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence. Audio of the call will stream on the agency’s website…
Read More » -
NASA
NASA Instrument on Firefly’s Blue Ghost Lander to Study Lunar Interior
LMS instrument aboard the Blue Ghost Lander heading to Mare Crisium in mid-January As part of its Artemis campaign, NASA is developing a series of increasingly complex lunar deliveries and missions to ultimately build a sustained human presence at the Moon for decades to come. Through the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, commercial provider Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander will…
Read More » -
NASA
NASA to Test Solution for Radiation-Tolerant Computing in Space
Onboard computers are critical to space exploration, aiding nearly every spacecraft function from propulsion and navigation systems to life support technology, science data retrieval and analysis, communications, and reentry. But computers in space are susceptible to ionizing solar and cosmic radiation. Just one high-energy particle can trigger a so-called “single event effect,” causing minor data errors that lead to cascading…
Read More » -
Press Releases
Electrodynamic Dust Shield Heading to Moon on Firefly Lander
Defeating dust may be a small concern for most people on Earth, but for astronauts and spacecraft destined for the Moon or Mars, it is a significant hazard that must be mitigated. That’s why researchers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are seeking innovative ways to use the Electrodynamic Dust Shield (EDS) technology. The EDS technology is headed to…
Read More » -
NASA
NASA Lander to Test Vacuum Cleaner on Moon for Sample Collection
Among all the challenges of voyaging to and successfully landing on other worlds, the effective collection and study of soil and rock samples cannot be underestimated. To quickly and thoroughly collect and analyze samples during next-generation Artemis Moon missions and future journeys to Mars and other planetary bodies, NASA seeks a paradigm shift in techniques that will more cost-effectively obtain samples, conduct in…
Read More » -
NASA
NASA Science Payload to Study Sticky Lunar Dust Challenge
The Moon may look like barren rock, but it’s actually covered in a layer of gravel, pebbles, and dust collectively known as “lunar regolith.” During the Apollo Moon missions, astronauts learned firsthand that the fine, powdery dust – electromagnetically charged due to constant bombardment by solar and cosmic particles – is extremely abrasive and clings to everything: gloves, boots, vehicles, and…
Read More »