Page 2 - Nasa Moon Mission

America's Odysseus spacecraft makes 1st commercial moon landing in history

Notably, this landing comes months after India's Chandrayaan-3 lander, which became the first spacecraft from the country to safely reach the lunar surface in August 2023

China says it will launch its next lunar explorer in the first half of 2024

China's space agency said on Wednesday that its latest lunar explorer had arrived at the launch site in preparation for a mission to the moon in the first half of this year. State broadcaster CCTV posted photos on its website of the unit under wraps as it was unloaded from a large cargo airplane earlier this week and then transported by flatbed truck to the Wenchang launch site on southern China's Hainan island. The announcement came a day after a US company abandoned a lunar landing planned for February 23 because of a fuel leak that started soon after takeoff on Monday. China and the US are both pursuing plans to land astronauts on the moon in what has become a growing rivalry in space. The US plans to do so in 2026, and China's target date is before 2030. The China National Space Administration said that pre-launch tests would be carried out on its Chang'e-6 probe. The mission's goals include bringing back samples from the far side of the moon. Another US moon lander from a Hou

After new rocket's successful launch, US moon lander faces malfunction

"The team is responding in real time as the situation unfolds and will be providing updates as data is obtained and analysed," Astrobotic posted on the social media service X

Biden hosts 4 NASA astronauts, 1st crew aiming to fly around moon in 50 yrs

The four astronauts assigned to fly around the moon for the first time in 50 years met with President Joe Biden on Thursday at the White House, where he showed off an moon rock on display in the Oval Office that was collected in the Apollo era. The Artemis II crew three Americans and one Canadian said the president was making good on a promise to host them at the White House after they were named to the mission earlier this year. They also met with Vice President Kamala Harris. It's been really nice to shake their hands and tell them thank you for their leadership and making it possible for us to have this amazing journey," said pilot Victor Glover. The four astronauts will be the first to fly NASA's Orion capsule, launching atop a Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center no earlier than late 2024. They will not land or even go into lunar orbit, but rather fly around the moon and head straight back to Earth, a prelude to a lunar landing by two others planned for a year

Japan launches X-ray satellite, Moon Sniper lunar lander. Details here

Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is taking a uniquely long route to the Moon and is scheduled to make a landing in four to six months

Pakistan terms Chandrayaan-3's success as 'great scientific achievement'

Pakistan, in a belated response, has termed the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission as a great scientific achievement for which ISRO scientists deserved appreciation while the country's leading dailies heaped praises on India for achieving the feat on a lesser budget than rich nations. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch during her briefing on Friday was asked to comment on the successful soft-landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission on the Moon. I can only say that it is a great scientific achievement, for which ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) scientists deserve appreciation, she said in her brief response. Pakistan had so far officially ignored the landmark success of India. The media, however, gave front-page coverage to the historic event on Wednesday. The Dawn newspaper in its editorial headlined 'India's space quest' called the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission historic. The paper said this particular feat deserves appreciation as India achieved on a le

Bengal governor approaches Isro for tech to curb ragging on campuses

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has reached out to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for identifying an appropriate technology solution to curb the menace of ragging on college and university campuses, a statement issued by Raj Bhavan on Thursday night said. A first-year undergraduate student died earlier this month after allegedly being ragged and sexually harassed in a hostel of Jadavpur University, sparking an outcry in West Bengal. "C V Ananda Bose, Hon'ble Governor of West Bengal and Chancellor of the universities, contacted the Chairman of ISRO for identifying appropriate technology to effectively contain and eliminate the menace of ragging in the university campuses," the statement said. Bose has also held discussions with a Hyderabad-based firm over the issue. "They are trying to develop an appropriate technology solution using multiple sources such as video analytics, image matching automatic target recognition and remote sensing," the governor said in the

Chandrayaan-3 mission: All set for automatic landing sequence, says Isro

ISRO on Wednesday said it is all set to initiate the Automatic Landing Sequence (ALS) for its ambitious third Moon mission Chandrayaan-3's Lander Module (LM) to touch down on the lunar surface this evening. The LM comprising the lander (Vikram) and the rover (Pragyan) is scheduled to make a touch down near the south polar region of the Moon at 6:04 pm on Wednesday, a feat not achieved by any country so far. "All set to initiate the Automatic Landing Sequence (ALS). Awaiting the arrival of Lander Module (LM) at the designated point, around 17:44 Hrs. IST (5:44 pm)," ISRO said in a post on X. "Upon receiving the ALS command, the LM activates the throttleable engines for powered descent. The mission operations team will keep confirming the sequential execution of commands," it said. After checking all the parameters and deciding to land, ISRO will upload the required commands from its Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) facility at Byalalu near here, to the LM, a few hours before the ..

Nasa picks geology team for first crewed lunar landing mission in 50 yrs

For advancing scientific research and opening the door for extensive lunar exploration, Nasa's Artemis III mission will send humans, including the first woman to set foot on the Moon

Chandrayaan-3 Mission will help our understanding of Moon: Ex-Nasa official

Gold stressed on India having amazing amounts of human capital, of manufacturing capacity that when applied to commercial space could be transformative

Chandrayaan-3 mission: Successful manoeuvre sets stage for next phase

India's lunar exploration endeavour, the Chandrayaan-3 mission, has achieved a milestone as it successfully completed the orbit circularisation phase, marking a crucial step towards its goals

TMS Ep464: Go First airline, risk tourism, microcap stocks, Artemis Accords

Can Go First take off once again? Will the Titan submarine tragedy sink risk tourism? Should you invest in micro-cap stocks? What are Artemis Accords? All answers here

NASA's first moon crew in 50 years includes 1 woman and three men

NASA on Monday named the four astronauts who will fly to the moon by the end of next year, including one woman and three men. The three Americans and one Canadian were introduced during a ceremony in Houston, home to the nation's astronauts as well as Mission Control. This is humanity's crew, said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. The four astronauts will be the first to fly NASA's Orion capsule, launching atop a Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center no earlier than late 2024. They will not land or even go into lunar orbit, but rather fly around the moon and head straight back to Earth, a prelude to a lunar landing by two others a year later. The mission's commander, Reid Wiseman, will be joined by Victor Glover, an African American naval aviator; Christina Koch, who holds the world record for the longest spaceflight by a woman; and Canada's Jeremy Hansen. All are space veterans except Hansen. This is a big day. We have a lot to celebrate and it's so much more than t

Indian-origin engineer to lead NASA's latest Moon to Mars Programme

Amit Kshatriya, a decorated Indian-American software and robotics engineer was appointed as the first head of NASA's newly-established Moon to Mars Programme that will help the agency ensure a long-term lunar presence needed to prepare for humanity's next giant leap to the Red Planet. Kshatriya will serve as NASA's first head of the office, with immediate effect, the agency announced on Thursday. The new office aims to carry out the agency's human exploration activities on the Moon and Mars for the benefit of humanity, a NASA press release said. The golden age of exploration is happening right now, and this new office will help ensure that NASA successfully establishes a long-term lunar presence needed to prepare for humanity's next giant leap to the Red Planet," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. The Moon to Mars Programme Office will help prepare NASA to carry out our bold missions to the Moon and land the first humans on Mars, Nelson explained. The new office resides within t

Prez Biden proposes $27.2 bn for NASA to boost Moon, Mars programmes

The proposal asks $8.1 billion for the Artemis programme, which aims to send astronauts to Mars, through NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach

Nasa's Orion capsule returns from moon, lands in Pacific Ocean off Mexico

NASA's Orion capsule made a blisteringly fast return from the moon Sunday, parachuting into the Pacific off Mexico to conclude a test flight that should clear the way for astronauts on the next lunar flyby. The incoming capsule hit the atmosphere at Mach 32, or 32 times the speed of sound, and endured reentry temperatures of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius) before splashing down west of Mexico's Baja California near Guadalupe Island. A Navy ship quickly moved in to recover the spacecraft and its silent occupants three test dummies rigged with vibration sensors and radiation monitors. NASA needed a successful splashdown to stay on track for the next Orion flight around the moon, currently targeted for 2024. Four astronauts will make the trip. That will be followed by a two-person lunar landing as early as 2025. Astronauts last landed on the moon 50 years ago Sunday. After touching down on Dec. 11, 1972, Apollo 17's Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent three da

Nasa's Orion capsule flies over Apollo landing sites, heads home

NASA's Orion capsule and its test dummies swooped one last time around the moon Monday, flying over a couple Apollo landing sites before heading home. Orion will aim for a Pacific splashdown Sunday off San Diego, setting the stage for astronauts on the next flight in a couple years. The capsule passed within 130 kilometres of the far side of the moon, using the lunar gravity as a slingshot for the 3,80,000-kilometre ride back to Earth. It spent a week in a wide, sweeping lunar orbit. Once emerging from behind the moon and regaining communication with flight controllers in Houston, Orion beamed back photos of a close-up moon and a crescent Earth Earthrise in the distance. Orion now has its sights set on home," said Mission Control commentator Sandra Jones. The capsule also passed over the landing sites of Apollo 12 and 14. But at 1,900 kilometres up, it was too high to make out the descent stages of the lunar landers or anything else left behind by astronauts more than a half-cen

Nasa Orion spacecraft makes closest flyby of Moon at 130 kms distance

NASA's Orion spacecraft has successfully performed its first Moon flyby as part of the uncrewed Artemis I mission, to pass within 130 kms of the lunar surface

NASA's Artemis mission on way to Moon after launch by giant new rocket

A space capsule hurtled toward the moon on Wednesday for the first time in 50 years, following a thunderous launch of NASA's mightiest rocket in a dress rehearsal for astronaut flights. No one was on board this debut flight, just three test dummies. The capsule is headed for a wide orbit around the moon and then a return to Earth with a Pacific splashdown in about three weeks. After years of delays and billions in cost overruns, the Space Launch System rocket roared skyward, rising from Kennedy Space Center on 8.8 million pounds (4 million kilograms) of thrust and hitting 100 mph (160 kph) within seconds. The Orion capsule was perched on top and, less than two hours into the flight, busted out of Earth's orbit toward the moon. It was pretty overwhelming, said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. We're going out to explore the heavens, and this is the next step." The moonshot follows nearly three months of vexing fuel leaks that kept the rocket bouncing between its hangar and the pad. .

NASA fuelling new moon rocket for launch after leaks, hurricanes

NASA began fuelling its new moon rocket on Tuesday for a middle-of-the-night launch, its third try to put an empty capsule around the moon for the first time in 50 years. Fuel leaks plagued the first two attempts in late summer, then a pair of hurricanes caused more delays. While engineers never pinpointed the cause of the escaping hydrogen, they altered the fuelling process to minimise leakage and were confident that all the plumbing in the 322-foot (98-metre) rocket would remain tight and intact. NASA added an hour to the operation to account for the slower fill-up, vital for reducing pressure on the fuel lines and keeping the seals in place. It seemed to work, with no major leakages reported during the early stages. "So far, everything is going very smoothly," said assistant launch director Jeremy Graeber about an hour into fuelling. The rocket was being gassed up with nearly one million gallons (3.7 million litres) of super-cold hydrogen and oxygen. After more than four hours,