In this week’s episode of Space Minds we bring you a special panel discussion on the future of commercial lunar exploration which was recorded live during the build-up to a historic moon landing.

The post The business case for the moon  appeared first on SpaceNews.

In this week's episode of Space Minds, we explore how microgravity accelerates aging—and guest Dr. Nadia Maroouf shares her insights on the phenomenon and what she’s doing to help protect astronauts.

The post The ultimate backup drive: the moon appeared first on SpaceNews.

Firefly Aerospace says it plans to offer a commercial lunar imaging service for use by governments and companies, one that could supplement or replace an existing, but aging, NASA orbiter.

The post Firefly announces commercial lunar imagery service appeared first on SpaceNews.

China carried out a successful pad abort test early Tuesday for its next-generation crew spacecraft for moon and low Earth orbit missions.

The post China conducts pad abort test for crew spacecraft, advancing moon landing plans appeared first on SpaceNews.

China has sent several small spacecraft into specialized lunar and cislunar orbits to test communications, navigation and orbital dynamics for planned Earth-moon infrastructure.

The post China lays foundation for cislunar infrastructure with spacecraft in novel lunar orbits appeared first on SpaceNews.

China approved international requests, including from two U.S. universities, to borrow small portions of moon samples collected by its Chang’e-5 mission.

The post China to lend Chang’e-5 moon samples to U.S. universities appeared first on SpaceNews.

China has chosen payloads from a range of international partners to fly on the country’s Chang’e-8 lunar south pole mission, expanding its space diplomacy.

The post China selects international payloads for Chang’e-8 lunar south pole mission appeared first on SpaceNews.

DARPA is seeking proposals for a small lunar orbiter that could be used to test operations in very low orbits while prospecting for water ice.

The post DARPA requests proposals for water-prospecting lunar orbiter appeared first on SpaceNews.

A team behind the rescue of two lunar satellites left stranded by a launch anomaly have revealed the challenges they faced in salvaging the mission.

The post Mission team details complex rescue of Chinese lunar spacecraft appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — South Korea has approved new space strategies, including plans for reusable launch vehicles, as it seeks to become one of the world’s top five space powers. The Korea […]

The post South Korea approves strategic plans for space appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — China’s human spaceflight agency has announced a tender process for a lunar satellite to support the country’s first crewed moon landing and subsequent missions. The China Manned Space […]

The post China invites bids for lunar satellite to support crewed moon landing missions appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — A Pakistan-developed rover will fly on China’s Chang’e-8 moon lander mission in 2028, following an agreement between respective agencies. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Space and […]

The post Pakistan rover to fly on China’s Chang’e-8 lunar south pole mission appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — China’s space agency has accepted the participation of a commercial space company in a lunar exploration mission for the first time in a move which may foreshadow greater […]

The post China embraces commercial participation in moon mission for the first time appeared first on SpaceNews.

GOLDEN, Colorado — Interlune, a Seattle-based company of former Blue Origin technologists, has set its sights on the moon’s supply of Helium-3 — a rare heavy isotope deposited into lunar […]

The post Interlune plans to gather scarce lunar Helium-3 for quantum computing on Earth appeared first on SpaceNews.

China could look to laser power transmission from lunar orbit to supply spacecraft on the moon and solve one of the big challenges for its lunar exploration plans.

The post China explores using orbiting lasers to power spacecraft on the moon appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — China’s Yutu-2 rover, part of the first ever mission to land on the far side of the moon, may have made its final tracks, NASA lunar orbiter images […]

The post Yutu-2 rover likely immobile on the moon after historic lunar far side mission appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA experts argue that lunar missions are essential before attempting any human expeditions to the Red Planet.

The post NASA emphasizes role of the moon as testbed for future human Mars missions appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — An Omani space company has joined China’s effort to build its International Lunar Research Station as Beijing continues efforts to attract partners. Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s […]

The post Omani space company signs up to China’s ILRS moon base project appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — China launched its first Long March 12 rocket Saturday, marking an advance in its crewed moon plans and the debut of a new spaceport that will boost the […]

The post China launches first Long March 12 from new commercial spaceport in boost for country’s lunar plans appeared first on SpaceNews.

BREMEN, Germany — The European and Japanese space agencies have issued a joint statement on furthering cooperation on planetary defense, the moon, Mars and beyond. JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa and […]

The post ESA and JAXA sign statement on expanding deep space cooperation appeared first on SpaceNews.

BREMEN, Germany — China has taken another step toward its crewed lunar goals by successfully testing fairing separation for its Long March 10 moon rocket series. The fairing separation test […]

The post China performs fairing separation test for crewed moon mission rocket appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — China’s Long March 10A rocket is set to have its first flight in 2026, in what will be a crucial step in the country’s efforts to get astronauts […]

The post China’s new rocket for crew and moon to launch in 2026 appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — China’s human spaceflight agency has selected two teams to develop prototype rovers for the country’s planned crewed moon mission before the end of the decade. The country last […]

The post China selects 2 proposals for crewed moon rover appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — India’s Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission will target a landing between 85 and 90 degrees latitude in the southern hemisphere of the moon, and follow up with a […]

The post India to target moon’s south pole with sample return mission appeared first on SpaceNews.