Moon

Scientists say a giant impact knocked off the raw ingredients for the moon off the primitive molten Earth and into orbit.

Related Topics: Earth, Apollo Program, Moon Phases 

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Artist's illustration of NASA's BioSentinel cubesat, which launched with the Artemis 1 mission on Nov. 16, 2022.

Artemis 1's BioSentinel cubesat aces lunar flyby, readies for biology mission

By Andrew Jones published

The shoebox-sized BioSentinel spacecraft, which launched on NASA's Artemis 1 mission, is all set to begin its deep-space biology experiment after making a flyby of the moon.

spacecraft at right with the worm logo 'nasa' running around the top. behind is the moon with the black of space visible

Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft captures selfie as Earth sets behind moon (video)

By Elizabeth Howell published

A new video shows NASA's Orion spacecraft capturing a selfie with the background Earth setting behind the moon, along with a suite of other timelapses during its lunar voyage.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft captured this selfie shortly after completing an engine burn that inserted the capsule into lunar orbit on Nov. 25, 2022.

Artemis 1's Orion spacecraft enters orbit around the moon

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft arrived in orbit around the moon on Friday afternoon (Nov. 25) after acing an 88-second engine burn.

two close-up rocket views side by side with lots of smoke and steam billowing underneath

Artemis 1 flies away from the launch pad in epic Orion spacecraft video

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Artemis 1 launch on Nov. 16 cataloged fresh footage of the launch pad down below, receding as NASA's huge Space Launch System rocket flew into space over a dark pad.

close-up of spacecraft with spindly legs on the surface of the moon with the black of space in behind

SpaceX to launch Japanese moon lander, UAE rover on Nov. 30

By Elizabeth Howell published

Tokyo-based ispace aims to pull off the first-ever soft landing on the moon by a private company — and its Hakuto-R lander will deploy a UAE rover, if all goes to plan.

Incredibly detailed photograph of the surface of the moon covered in craters of varying size.

Artemis 1's Orion spacecraft captures stunning photos of the moon during its closest approach

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

Artemis 1's Orion spacecraft captured a series of detailed images of the moon during its the closest approach on Nov. 21.

Jay Pasachoff views an annular solar eclipse in 2016. (Pasachoff is wearing solar viewing glasses, not regular sunglasses).

Astronomer and solar eclipse expert Jay Pasachoff dies at age 79

By Robert Lea published

Jay Pasachoff perhaps witnessed more solar eclipses than anyone else. But his greatest contribution to science may have been his public outreach and inspiration of future generations of scientists.

orion spacecraft with the earth far in behind

Artemis 1's Orion spacecraft watches Earth rise over the shadowed moon (video)

By Elizabeth Howell published

Shortly after the Orion spacecraft finished a crucial engine burn near the moon on Monday (Nov. 21), it spotted Earth rising above our shadowed neighbor.

A photo of the moon and Earth taken by cameras on board NASA's Orion capsule as it makes a close approach to the lunar surface.

NASA loses contact with Artemis 1's Orion spacecraft for 47 minutes

By Mike Wall published

NASA unexpectedly lost contact with its Artemis 1 Orion capsule early Wednesday morning (Nov. 23), for reasons that remain unclear.

NASA's LunaH-Map cubesat is designed to measure the distribution and abundance of hydrogen in the moon's south polar region.

Artemis 1 cubesat fails to fire engine as planned during moon flyby

By Mike Wall published

NASA's LunaH-Map cubesat failed to perform a planned engine burn during its Nov. 21 moon flyby, likely because of a stuck valve in its propulsion system.

artist's conception of a small spacecraft firing its engines while deploying a rolling lander on the surface of the moon. an orange spiral suggests the lander's movements

Artemis 1's tiny Japanese probe abandons moon landing try

By Elizabeth Howell published

A tiny cubesat moon lander riding with Artemis 1 could not establish contact in time to reach its destination, but it may be able to do some other deep-space work.

orion spacecraft at left, earth at bottom and moon at right with black of space behind

Artemis 1's Orion spacecraft sees Earth setting behind moon (video)

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Orion spacecraft's lunar flyby Monday (Nov. 21) delivered a celestial Thanksgiving treat a few days early, as its cameras caught the distant Earth setting behind our moon.

NASA's CAPSTONE probe arrived in lunar orbit on Nov. 13, 2022. This is an artist's illustration of the cubesat.

NASA's CAPSTONE cubesat reaches final orbit around the moon

By Mike Wall published

NASA's tiny CAPSTONE spacecraft has settled into its final lunar orbit, shifting into the operational phase of its pioneering moon mission.

plumes of orange smoke underneath a rocket lifting off into space, with black of night in behind

Huge Artemis 1 moon rocket blew the doors off NASA's launch tower elevators (video)

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA is assessing the damage Artemis 1 left behind after the huge Space Launch System rocket lifted off on Nov. 16, but officials emphasize everything is manageable for future missions.

Artist's conception of BioSentinel, one of the confirmed operational Artemis 1 cubesats.

NASA's Artemis 1 mission launched 10 cubesats. Here's how they're doing

By Elizabeth Howell published

Most of the Artemis 1 cubesats have checked in as the Orion spacecraft looped around the moon, but a few still have not phoned home after launch.

The Mobile Power Rover 1 will supply electricity to robots exploring permanently shadowed craters around the lunar south pole.

'Power tower' rover to land on the moon by 2025

By Tereza Pultarova published

A "charger" rover that could supply power to robots exploring shaded craters on the moon's south pole will join expanding lunar infrastructure by 2025.

NASA's Artemis I Orion spacecraft heads for a close flyby of the moon as seen in this "selfie" taken by a camera mounted on one of the capsule's solar array wings on Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. Four small pieces of the moon collected by the Apollo 11 mission were on board the Orion for the journey.

NASA's Artemis 1 spacecraft flies by moon with Apollo 11 lunar soil aboard

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Four small pieces of the moon on a NASA spacecraft have come closer to the lunar surface than they have been in over 50 years. The Apollo 11 samples' return home was part of the Artemis 1 mission.

The NASA Orion spacecraft from Artemis 1 during a live broadcast November 21, 2022, with Earth far in the background and the moon at right.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft aces close moon flyby in crucial engine burn

By Mike Wall published

Orion zoomed just 80 miles (130 kilometers) above the lunar surface Monday (Nov. 21) at 7:44 a.m. ET. and completed an engine burn needed to continue its historic mission.

The moon as seen from an Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft solar array camera on Nov. 18, 2022.

Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft sees the moon for 1st time in stunning video

By Tariq Malik published

NASA's Orion spacecraft has spotted the destination of its Artemis 1 test flight the moon and captured a stunning video to mark the moment.

A view of Earth as seen from the Artemis 1 Orion capsule more than 9 hours into flight on Nov. 16, 2022.

Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft 'exceeding expectations' and on track for moon flyby on Nov. 21

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion capsule is exceeding expectations in deep space and remains on target to fly by the moon on Monday (Nov. 21), agency officials said.