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NASA's Ambitious Plan for Over 20 Moon Missions to Establish Lunar Base by 2029

NASA's Ambitious Plan for Over 20 Moon Missions to Establish Lunar Base by 2029

NASA is planning more than 20 robotic missions to the Moon's South Pole over the next three years as part of its effort to establish a long-term lunar base by 2029. These missions will deliver equipment, conduct scientific studies, and test technologies that could support future human habitation on the Moon. NASA is collaborating with commercial companies such as Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines, and Voyager Technologies to develop landers capable of transporting scientific instruments and infrastructure to the lunar surface. The missions are part of the first stage of NASA's Moon Base plan, which aims to prepare the lunar environment for future astronauts.

After historic landing, SpaceX may lose Starship to the sea, Musk says

After historic landing, SpaceX may lose Starship to the sea, Musk says

SpaceX managed to land the upper section of its Starship rocket intact in the Indian Ocean. Towing it to Australia, though, is proving even harder.

SpaceX to Launch Falcon 9 Booster for 18th Time, Highlighting Reusability Advantage

SpaceX to Launch Falcon 9 Booster for 18th Time, Highlighting Reusability Advantage

SpaceX to Launch Falcon 9 Booster for 18th Time, Highlighting Reusability Advantage

Perseverance Rover Completes Marathon on Mars with Autonomous Navigation

Perseverance Rover Completes Marathon on Mars with Autonomous Navigation

NASA's Perseverance rover has completed a marathon distance on Mars, achieving this milestone in less than half the time it took the Opportunity rover. The rover's success is attributed to its advanced AutoNav system, which allows it to navigate autonomously by analyzing terrain and avoiding hazards. In December 2025, Perseverance also completed the first AI-planned drives on another planet, using generative AI to analyze orbital images and plan routes. These advancements highlight the rover's ability to conduct scientific exploration with minimal human intervention, marking a significant achievement in space exploration technology.

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 2 to Make Historic US Landing on Moon's Far Side

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 2 to Make Historic US Landing on Moon's Far Side

Firefly Aerospace is preparing for its Blue Ghost Mission 2, which aims to achieve the first US landing on the Moon's far side. This mission is part of NASA's broader plan to establish a lunar base by 2029. The Blue Ghost lander, mounted on Firefly's Elytra orbital spacecraft, will carry three NASA payloads to explore the Moon's geology and the cosmic Dark Ages. The mission is designed to advance scientific research and test technologies for future lunar habitation. The Elytra spacecraft allows for payload deployment both in lunar orbit and on the surface, providing flexibility for scientific and logistical operations. This mission builds on the success of Firefly's first lunar landing and is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which aims to establish a reliable supply system between Earth and the Moon.

SpaceX Faces Challenges in Recovering Starship Upper-Stage After Successful Landing

SpaceX Faces Challenges in Recovering Starship Upper-Stage After Successful Landing

SpaceX Faces Challenges in Recovering Starship Upper-Stage After Successful Landing

The Evolving History of Ceres Explained

The Evolving History of Ceres Explained

Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt, has a fascinating history of discovery and classification. Initially discovered in 1801 by Giuseppe...

ISS Deorbit Audit Begins as Russia Plans New Station, U.S. Faces Potential Spaceflight Gap

ISS Deorbit Audit Begins as Russia Plans New Station, U.S. Faces Potential Spaceflight Gap

The International Space Station (ISS) is undergoing a joint technical audit by Roscosmos and NASA to assess its readiness for a controlled deorbit procedure expected to conclude around 2030. This audit marks the beginning of the end for the ISS, with Russia planning to transition some of its modules into a new Russian Orbital Station (ROS). The U.S., however, faces a potential gap in human presence in low Earth orbit due to funding constraints and schedule slippages in developing commercial successor stations. The leading candidates for these stations include Vast's Haven-1, Axiom Space's first module, Starlab Space, and Blue Origin's Orbital Reef, all of which have experienced delays.

UAE's Ambitious Space Program Aims for Lunar Exploration and Economic Growth

UAE's Ambitious Space Program Aims for Lunar Exploration and Economic Growth

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly advancing its space program, aiming to become a leading space economy by 2031. The UAE's space initiatives include the development of the Rashid Rover 2, set to explore the far side of the Moon aboard Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 2. The UAE's strategy involves leveraging setbacks as learning opportunities and building capabilities through government investment, international partnerships, and private-sector participation. The UAE has also approved a National Space Strategy 2031, aiming to double space-sector revenues and place the country among the world's top 10 space economies.

NASA Celebrates Idaho National Laboratory's Role in Nuclear-Powered Space Exploration

NASA Celebrates Idaho National Laboratory's Role in Nuclear-Powered Space Exploration

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman visited the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to celebrate its contributions to nuclear power in space exploration. The visit highlighted INL's work on microreactors and the Space Reactor 1 Freedom (SR-1), which is set to power an interplanetary spacecraft to Mars in 2028. The event underscored the collaboration between NASA and the Department of Energy, with INL playing a pivotal role in advancing nuclear technology for space missions. The celebration also marked the successful testing of nuclear reactors at INL, aligning with an executive order from President Trump to advance nuclear power.

South Korean Satellite Captures SpaceX Rocket Impact on Moon

South Korean Satellite Captures SpaceX Rocket Impact on Moon

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute's Danuri spacecraft has captured images of the impact site where a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's upper stage crashed into the Moon on August 5, 2026. The rocket, initially launched in January 2025 to deploy Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander, remained in lunar orbit due to gravitational forces before impacting the Moon. The images show a darker area and a newly formed crater at the impact site, although the dust ejected is not visible. NASA plans to further investigate the site with its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Interlune and Vermeer Expand Partnership for Lunar Excavation Technology

Interlune and Vermeer Expand Partnership for Lunar Excavation Technology

Interlune, an American lunar mining startup, and Vermeer, an Iowa-based equipment manufacturer, have announced an expansion of their strategic partnership to develop technology for lunar excavation. The collaboration aims to create equipment capable of extracting helium-3 from the Moon's surface, a resource believed to be abundant there. This partnership builds on a previous joint development agreement that resulted in a full-scale prototype of an all-electric lunar excavator. The companies plan to deliver a mission-ready tool by 2028, aligning with NASA's Moon Base program. The initiative is driven by the need for new helium sources, as helium is critical for manufacturing semiconductors and other technologies but is scarce on Earth.