These Failed Missions to the Moon Remind Us That Space Is Hard
The Apollo 13 Saturn rocket being rolled out to the launch pad in 1970.Photo: NASA For millennia, our species looked at the Moon as a place that would forever be…
Peregrine’s Failure Won’t Derail NASA’s Outsourced Space Dreams
The dreaded announcement arrived yesterday in a tweet, with Astrobotic admitting that, as a result of a catastrophic propellant leak, there’s “no chance of a soft landing on the Moon.”…
How to Watch Vulcan Centaur’s First Launch on Its Historic Moon Delivery Mission
Astrobotic’s Peregrine is gearing up for a chance to land on the Moon, hoping to become the first commercial lunar lander to touchdown on the dusty surface of the celestial…
Why 2024 Will Be an Epic Year in Spaceflight
A Martian moons mission, a plethora of private lunar landers, probes to Venus and Jupiter, and reusable heavy-lift rocket tests are among the many highlights we’ll be watching in the…
NASA-Funded Mission to the Moon’s Far Side Is Starting to Look Pretty Cool
A new payload has been added to Firefly’s upcoming mission to the far side of the Moon, one that will explore the lunar subsurface to find out if it can…
Japan’s ispace Delays Lunar Lander Mission for NASA Design Update
An illustration of the Apex 1.0 lunar lander on the surface of the Moon.Illustration: ispace From its new headquarters in the U.S., Tokyo-based startup ispace will develop its Apex 1.0…
Watch Live as Japan Launches Moon Landing Mission, X-Ray Satellite
An illustration of the XRISM spacecraft.Illustration: NASA Japan is gearing up for its first landing attempt on the Moon, launching a lunar lander designed to accurately touch down on the…
Spectacular Blast During Rocket Engine Test Marks Frustrating Setback for Japan
A second stage engine destined for Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Epsilon S rocket exploded during a test on Friday, spewing fire and smoke, and severely damaging the test facility, located…
NASA lunar orbiter locates debris from Japan’s failed lander
NASA has released new images that appear to show the broken remains of Japan’s Hakuto lander, which crashed on the lunar surface in a failed mission last month. Organized by…
Japanese Company Says Its Lander Unexpectedly Accelerated Before Crashing on the Moon
Following Tuesday’s failed attempt to land on the surface of the Moon, Japan’s ispace said its lunar lander may have unexpectedly accelerated on its way down before crashing on the…