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SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch of Private Griffin Moon Lander Pushed to 2026 Amid Testing Phase
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launch carrying Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 lunar lander has been delayed to July 2026 due to ongoing testing. The mission, part of NASA’s CLPS program, will deliver multiple rovers and cultural payloads to the Moon, marking a key milestone for private lunar exploration.
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Blue Origin to Land NASA’s VIPER Rover on the Moon's South Pole in 2027
NASA chose Blue Origin to deliver the VIPER rover to the Moon’s South Pole by late 2027 under a $190 million CLPS contract. VIPER will explore permanently shadowed craters for water ice, a key resource for Artemis goals and sustainable human exploration on the lunar surface.
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India, Japan Sign Deal For Joint Chandrayaan-5 Mission To Explore Moon's South Pole
India and Japan on Friday signed the implementing arrangement for the Chandrayaan-5 mission, a joint exploration of the polar region of the moon by the space agencies of the two countries.
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NASA Awards Firefly $177M for 2029 Mission to Deliver Rovers to Moon’s South Pole
NASA has awarded Firefly Aerospace a $176.7 million contract for a groundbreaking 2029 mission to the moon’s south pole. The CLPS mission will deploy multiple rovers and scientific instruments to explore permanently shadowed regions, analyze lunar regolith, and search for water ice—key steps toward supporting Artemis program goals and enabling ...
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Japan’s Resilience Lander to Touch Down on the Moon on June 5: What You Need to Know
ispace's Resilience lander is on the brink of touching down on the Moon’s Mare Frigoris region. If successful, this June 5 landing will mark a major milestone for Japan’s private space sector and the SMBC x HAKUTO-R Mission 2. The mission could mark a significant achievement for private space exploration in Japan.
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Chandrayaan-5 Approved: ISRO Plans 350kg Rover, India-Japan Collaboration
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed the Centre’s approval for Chandrayaan-5, advancing India’s lunar exploration plans. The mission, which includes a 350kg rover, will be developed in collaboration with Japan. ISRO is also working on Chandrayaan-4, focusing on sample collection, and has outlined plans for an independent space station by 2035. ...
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MAPP Rover Stranded as Athena Lander Tips Over During Lunar Mission
The MAPP rover, designed for lunar exploration, was ready to deploy but remained stuck as the Athena lander tipped over upon landing. The mishap left the rover functional but unable to move, ending the mission prematurely. Despite the setback, Lunar Outpost confirmed that data was successfully collected, and upcoming missions will continue lunar ex...
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Athena Lander, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer to Moon
On February 26, 2025, SpaceX Falcon 9 launched Athena and NASA's Lunar Trailblazer from Kennedy Space Center. Athena, developed by Intuitive Machines, will land near Mons Mouton to investigate lunar ice using the PRIME-1 drill. Lunar Trailblazer will orbit the Moon, mapping water ice deposits. The mission includes two secondary vehicles: MAPP, a ro...
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NASA’s IM-2 Mission Brings Ice Mining, Mobile Robots, and More on Moon
NASA is launching IM-2, the second lunar mission under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, to explore the Moon’s South Pole. The Nova-C lander, built by Intuitive Machines, will carry groundbreaking technologies, including an ice-mining drill, a mobile hopping drone, and a lunar 4G network. These innovations will help scienti...
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China Names Its Moon Spacesuit and Rover Ahead of Lunar Mission
China has named its lunar spacesuit "Wangyu" and rover "Tansuo," crucial for its human moon landing plans by 2030. The prototype development phase is in progress, with extensive testing conducted. Additional mission components, including the "Mengzhou" spacecraft and "Lanyue" lunar lander, have also been named. The construction of essential infrast...
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NASA Looks for Private Partners To Revive VIPER Moon Rover Mission
NASA is inviting private companies to collaborate on deploying the VIPER moon rover, initially halted due to budget constraints. The rover, designed to locate lunar water ice, was previously set to launch aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin lander. Companies must submit proposals by February 20, 2025, with final selections expected mid-year. Chosen firms...
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Space Exploration Highlights 2024: Lunar Missions, Mars Discoveries, and More
2024 saw significant space exploration advancements. Japan's SLIM mission exceeded expectations, while NASA’s Perseverance found evidence of ancient life on Mars. The Europa Clipper launched to investigate subsurface oceans on Jupiter's moon Europa, promising new discoveries by 2030.
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Bristol's System Could Revolutionise Lunar Exploration with Remote Rover Control
The University of Bristol has developed a teleoperation system enabling remote control of lunar rovers, potentially revolutionising how lunar missions are conducted. The system bypasses signal delays, enabling precise sample collection and assembly tasks. Haptic feedback simulates lunar conditions, giving operators a realistic sense of touch when p...
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Chandrayaan-3 Rover Discovers Ancient Moon Crater Older Than South Pole-Aitken Basin
Chandrayaan-3 has made a significant discovery by identifying an ancient crater on the moon, measuring 160 km in diameter. This crater is believed to be older than the South Pole-Aitken basin, one of the largest and oldest impact basins on the lunar surface. The data, collected by ISRO’s Pragyan rover and Vikram lander, offers valuable insights i...
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China to Build Lunar Base at the South Pole by 2035, Unveiling Ambitious Two-Phase Plan
China is set to build a lunar base at the moon's south pole by 2035, with the project rolling out in two phases. The first phase will conclude by 2035, while a more comprehensive model is expected by 2050. The base will utilise solar, radioisotope, and nuclear generators for power, along with advanced communication networks. Lunar vehicles, includi...
-
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch of Private Griffin Moon Lander Pushed to 2026 Amid Testing Phase
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launch carrying Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 lunar lander has been delayed to July 2026 due to ongoing testing. The mission, part of NASA’s CLPS program, will deliver multiple rovers and cultural payloads to the Moon, marking a key milestone for private lunar exploration.
-
Blue Origin to Land NASA’s VIPER Rover on the Moon's South Pole in 2027
NASA chose Blue Origin to deliver the VIPER rover to the Moon’s South Pole by late 2027 under a $190 million CLPS contract. VIPER will explore permanently shadowed craters for water ice, a key resource for Artemis goals and sustainable human exploration on the lunar surface.
-
India, Japan Sign Deal For Joint Chandrayaan-5 Mission To Explore Moon's South Pole
India and Japan on Friday signed the implementing arrangement for the Chandrayaan-5 mission, a joint exploration of the polar region of the moon by the space agencies of the two countries.
-
NASA Awards Firefly $177M for 2029 Mission to Deliver Rovers to Moon’s South Pole
NASA has awarded Firefly Aerospace a $176.7 million contract for a groundbreaking 2029 mission to the moon’s south pole. The CLPS mission will deploy multiple rovers and scientific instruments to explore permanently shadowed regions, analyze lunar regolith, and search for water ice—key steps toward supporting Artemis program goals and enabling ...
-
Japan’s Resilience Lander to Touch Down on the Moon on June 5: What You Need to Know
ispace's Resilience lander is on the brink of touching down on the Moon’s Mare Frigoris region. If successful, this June 5 landing will mark a major milestone for Japan’s private space sector and the SMBC x HAKUTO-R Mission 2. The mission could mark a significant achievement for private space exploration in Japan.
-
Chandrayaan-5 Approved: ISRO Plans 350kg Rover, India-Japan Collaboration
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed the Centre’s approval for Chandrayaan-5, advancing India’s lunar exploration plans. The mission, which includes a 350kg rover, will be developed in collaboration with Japan. ISRO is also working on Chandrayaan-4, focusing on sample collection, and has outlined plans for an independent space station by 2035. ...
-
MAPP Rover Stranded as Athena Lander Tips Over During Lunar Mission
The MAPP rover, designed for lunar exploration, was ready to deploy but remained stuck as the Athena lander tipped over upon landing. The mishap left the rover functional but unable to move, ending the mission prematurely. Despite the setback, Lunar Outpost confirmed that data was successfully collected, and upcoming missions will continue lunar ex...
-
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Athena Lander, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer to Moon
On February 26, 2025, SpaceX Falcon 9 launched Athena and NASA's Lunar Trailblazer from Kennedy Space Center. Athena, developed by Intuitive Machines, will land near Mons Mouton to investigate lunar ice using the PRIME-1 drill. Lunar Trailblazer will orbit the Moon, mapping water ice deposits. The mission includes two secondary vehicles: MAPP, a ro...
-
NASA’s IM-2 Mission Brings Ice Mining, Mobile Robots, and More on Moon
NASA is launching IM-2, the second lunar mission under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, to explore the Moon’s South Pole. The Nova-C lander, built by Intuitive Machines, will carry groundbreaking technologies, including an ice-mining drill, a mobile hopping drone, and a lunar 4G network. These innovations will help scienti...
-
China Names Its Moon Spacesuit and Rover Ahead of Lunar Mission
China has named its lunar spacesuit "Wangyu" and rover "Tansuo," crucial for its human moon landing plans by 2030. The prototype development phase is in progress, with extensive testing conducted. Additional mission components, including the "Mengzhou" spacecraft and "Lanyue" lunar lander, have also been named. The construction of essential infrast...
-
NASA Looks for Private Partners To Revive VIPER Moon Rover Mission
NASA is inviting private companies to collaborate on deploying the VIPER moon rover, initially halted due to budget constraints. The rover, designed to locate lunar water ice, was previously set to launch aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin lander. Companies must submit proposals by February 20, 2025, with final selections expected mid-year. Chosen firms...
-
Space Exploration Highlights 2024: Lunar Missions, Mars Discoveries, and More
2024 saw significant space exploration advancements. Japan's SLIM mission exceeded expectations, while NASA’s Perseverance found evidence of ancient life on Mars. The Europa Clipper launched to investigate subsurface oceans on Jupiter's moon Europa, promising new discoveries by 2030.
-
Bristol's System Could Revolutionise Lunar Exploration with Remote Rover Control
The University of Bristol has developed a teleoperation system enabling remote control of lunar rovers, potentially revolutionising how lunar missions are conducted. The system bypasses signal delays, enabling precise sample collection and assembly tasks. Haptic feedback simulates lunar conditions, giving operators a realistic sense of touch when p...
-
Chandrayaan-3 Rover Discovers Ancient Moon Crater Older Than South Pole-Aitken Basin
Chandrayaan-3 has made a significant discovery by identifying an ancient crater on the moon, measuring 160 km in diameter. This crater is believed to be older than the South Pole-Aitken basin, one of the largest and oldest impact basins on the lunar surface. The data, collected by ISRO’s Pragyan rover and Vikram lander, offers valuable insights i...
-
China to Build Lunar Base at the South Pole by 2035, Unveiling Ambitious Two-Phase Plan
China is set to build a lunar base at the moon's south pole by 2035, with the project rolling out in two phases. The first phase will conclude by 2035, while a more comprehensive model is expected by 2050. The base will utilise solar, radioisotope, and nuclear generators for power, along with advanced communication networks. Lunar vehicles, includi...
