Moon Orbit

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  Jupiter Was Once Twice as Big With 50x Stronger Magnetism, Says New Study

  A 2025 study reveals Jupiter was once twice its current size with 50x stronger magnetism. Using moon orbits for data, researchers show how early Jupiter shaped the solar system’s structure.

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  NASA's LROC Captures ispace RESILIENCE Landing Site Ahead of June 2025 Lunar Touchdown

  NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has imaged Mare Frigoris, the planned landing site for ispace’s RESILIENCE lander. Set for a June 2025 touchdown, the mission marks a key step in commercial lunar exploration and highlights the scientific value of this ancient volcanic region near the Moon’s north.

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  NASA’s Europa Clipper Captures Stunning Infrared Image of Mars

  During a Mars flyby on March 1, 2025, NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft captured thermal images with its E-THEMIS infrared imager. The mission team used this opportunity to test key instruments ahead of Clipper’s arrival at Jupiter’s moon Europa in 2030.

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  China Uses Gravitational Slingshots to Rescue Two Satellites Stuck in Orbit for 123 Days

  After a rocket malfunction left two satellites spiralling in the wrong orbit, Chinese engineers turned to gravitational slingshot manoeuvres for a 123-day rescue mission—successfully restoring them and advancing China's ambitions in space autonomy.

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  Artemis II Orion Service Module Secured for Launch at Kennedy Space Center

  NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft is a step closer to its mission around the Moon. Three spacecraft adapter jettison fairings have been installed on its service module at Kennedy Space Center. These panels will protect the solar arrays from heat, wind, and acoustic forces during launch. Once in space, they will detach, allowing the arrays to dep...

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  NASA Tracks GNSS Signals on Moon, Advancing Lunar Navigation Technology

  NASA and the Italian Space Agency made history by successfully tracking GNSS signals on the Moon through the LuGRE experiment. The technology could revolutionise lunar navigation, aiding missions like Artemis. LuGRE had earlier set records for GNSS signal acquisition in deep space, reaching lunar orbit before its final touchdown. The data collected...

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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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  Watch: Blue Ghost Spacecraft Shares Incredible Footage Of Dark Side Of The Moon

  Days before it makes a landing attempt, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost spacecraft has shared some stunning visuals of the lunar surface. It entered the Moon's orbit earlier this month, capturing footage of the dark side from 120 km above the surface.

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  Blue Ghost Lander Lowers Orbit, Prepares for Lunar Touchdown on March 2

  Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has successfully lowered its orbit to 120 km in preparation for a lunar touchdown on March 2. The spacecraft, which launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Mission teams are monitoring its orbit and finalizing descent plans, though commun...

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  ISRO's Chandrayaan-4 to Land on Moon and Bring Back Lunar Samples in 2027

  India’s space agency ISRO is gearing up for the Chandrayaan-4 mission, scheduled for 2027. This ambitious mission will involve a complex system of five modules, launched using two LVM3 rockets. Once in lunar orbit, two modules will descend to the surface, with one collecting samples and the other remaining on the Moon. The sample return module wi...

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  New Study Finds Active Lunar Tectonics, Challenges Moon’s Dormancy

  A recent study published in The Planetary Science Journal reveals that the moon is still experiencing tectonic activity. Scientists identified 266 small ridges on the far side of the moon, formed within the last 160 to 200 million years. The study suggests these ridges result from geological forces like lunar shrinking and orbital shifts. The findi...

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  SpaceX Achieves 400 Orbital Rocket Landings with Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy

  SpaceX achieved its 400th orbital-class rocket landing with Falcon 9 leading the charge. The company’s focus on reusable technology has reshaped space exploration, with Falcon Heavy contributing through multi-booster landings. Starship development also continues, aiming to support human missions to the moon and Mars. This milestone underlines Spa...

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  Stunning Images Of Mercury's Surface Captured By ESA Spacecraft

  Barely larger than our own Moon, Mercury orbits precariously close to the Sun at an average distance of roughly 58 million kilometres.

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  Japan's Wooden Satellite LignoSat Launched: Everything You Need to Know

  Japan has launched LignoSat, the world’s first wooden satellite, into orbit, marking a step toward sustainable space technology. Developed by JAXA, the satellite is crafted from honoki magnolia wood, chosen for its durability and resistance to environmental stress. Sensors onboard will monitor temperature, radiation, and physical strain to assess...

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  New "Kiss-and-Capture" Theory Explains Pluto's Formation of Largest Moon, Charon

  A new theory proposes that Pluto’s largest moon, Charon, was formed billions of years ago through a rare "kiss-and-capture" collision in the Kuiper Belt. This process involves two icy bodies briefly merging and then separating, leaving Charon in a stable orbit around Pluto. Unlike traditional collision models, this event challenges previous theor...