The moon

Latest about The moon

China's Mengzhou crew capsule aced a key abort test on Feb. 10, 2026. The Long March 10 rocket that launched the test successfully steered itself to an ocean splashdown as well.
China aces test of next-gen lunar capsule and rocket in effort to land humans on moon before NASA (video)

By Mike Wall Published

China just took another step toward landing astronauts on the moon, acing a key abort test with its Mengzhou crew capsule and pulling off a soft splashdown with the returning rocket.

35 Comments
The moon
Artist's illustration of SpaceX's Starship vehicle on the moon during an Artemis astronaut mission for NASA.
A city on the moon: Why SpaceX shifted its focus away from Mars

By Mike Wall Published

Just 13 months after declaring the moon "a distraction," Elon Musk has announced that Earth's nearest neighbor is now the focus of SpaceX's settlement plans. What changed?

135 Comments
The moon
A rendering of a lunar lander of the European Space Agency’s Argonaut program, which has its first mission to the moon scheduled for 2030. Methane released from spacecraft like these could contaminate icy regions of the moon’s poles that might harbor clues about the origins of life on Earth.
Moon landings could contaminate evidence about life's beginnings on Earth. Here's how

By Sharmila Kuthunur Published

Exhaust from lunar landers drifts across the moon and contaminates ultra-cold polar craters that are rich in ancient ice and organic clues, a new study reports.

10 Comments
The moon
An illustration shows an asteroid heading for a lunar impact
A colossal asteroid may have warped the moon from the inside out

By Keith Cooper Published

The findings are a big clue as to why the far and near hemispheres of the moon look so different.

The moon
illustration of a small, faraway moon base on the hilly, crater-marked surface of the moon.
The US really wants a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030. 'Achieving this future requires harnessing nuclear power,' NASA chief says

By Mike Wall Published

NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy have firmed up their commitment to develop a nuclear reactor for use on the surface of the moon by 2030.

7 Comments
The moon
An artist impression of a future lunar hotel.
This company is taking $1 million reservations for hotel rooms on the moon

By Tereza Pultarova Published

A California-based start-up wants to open a hotel on the moon by 2032 and is now accepting bookings for the out-of-this world travel experience.

13 Comments
The moon
An illustration of a spacecraft covered in gold foil next to the moon in space
China's next moonshot: Chang'e 7 could search the lunar south pole for water this year

By Leonard David Published

China's ice-hunting Chang'e 7 mission is scheduled to launch to the moon later this year, helping set the stage for a lunar base that the country aims to build in the 2030s.

8 Comments
The moon
A white lunar lander with the Earth in the background
Moon rush: These private spacecraft will attempt lunar landings in 2026

By Andrew Jones Published

Lunar landers from Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic are gearing up for moon landing attempts in 2026 as the commercial exploration of deep space expands.

8 Comments
The moon
Large fully illuminated moon with large craters against a black background.
Full moon names 2026 (and how they came to be)

By Joe Rao Last updated

Reference The full moon names for each month, why they're named so and what we can expect from these lunar events.

Reference
moon
The race to mine the moon is on – and it urgently needs some clear international rules

By Jessie Osborne, Adam Urwick Published

There are billions of dollars in it for companies able to kickstart mining operations, even if such returns are still years away.

The moon
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives