Content tagged "lunar exploration".
4 items (4 articles, 0 stories)
The closest photo of Japan's SLIM lander lying face-down on the Moon was taken by SORA-Q, an 80mm, 250-gram sphere built with transforming-toy technology from Takara Tomy. At roughly 1/4000th the weight of NASA's Mars rover Perseverance, why did such a small, simple design hold up so well in a brutal environment? SORABUMI explains.
On June 9, 2026, NASA announced the four astronauts of Artemis III. None of them will set foot on the lunar surface. Instead, they'll spend about two weeks circling Earth, testing dockings with landers from Blue Origin and SpaceX. The actual landing has been pushed to Artemis IV in 2028. Here's a look at the unglamorous reality behind spaceflight: sometimes you need a dress rehearsal before the real thing.
In May 2026, NASA officially announced its plans to build a base at the lunar south pole. The goal has shifted from 'returning to the Moon' to 'staying there.' We break down the seven-year plan and what lunar living would actually require.
Tucked into an orbit that is neither the lunar surface nor Earth's backyard, Gateway is one of the stranger ideas in the Artemis program. Why build a small station out there at all? Here's a plain-language look at the NRHO, how Gateway differs from the ISS, and why it matters for reaching Mars.