Space can be an unforgiving place. Last week, a lunar lander skidded across the surface of the Moon and ended up in a cold, dark crater, ending its mission before it began. Now, details newly revealed by Houston-based aerospace company Intuitive Machines relay its Athena lander’s final moments and how the spacecraft briefly sputtered to […]
Lunar Lander Photographs a ‘Diamond Ring’ During Solar Eclipse on the Moon
Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander captured breathtaking images of the so-called diamond ring effect as it observed a solar eclipse from its perch on the lunar surface early this morning. Blue Ghost got its first glimpse of the eclipse around 1:30 a.m. Eastern Time Friday, as Earth slowly blocked the lander’s view of the Sun. The […]
NASA Is Still Trying to Squeeze Some Life From Doomed Lunar Orbiter
NASA is not one to let a good spacecraft go to waste. For nearly two weeks, the space agency has been trying to reestablish communications with a recently launched satellite that was originally headed toward the Moon. Lunar Trailblazer launched on February 26 on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the aim of entering […]
Watch Firefly’s Blue Ghost Tear a Hole in the Lunar Surface
Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander has been parked on the Moon for a little over a week, probing the lunar surface for traces of water and other resources. A new video captures a glimpse of Blue Ghost’s surface operations as it deploys its space toolbox to gather material and data. Firefly Aerospace shared a brief, 30-second […]
How to Watch the Total Lunar Eclipse and Blood Moon on March 13
Skywatchers are gearing up for a rare celestial event that’s set to adorn the night skies across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. A total lunar eclipse will cast a shadow on the Moon, turning it into a spooky red color for one night. Here’s how you can watch it unfold. The total lunar eclipse […]
Intuitive Machines Moon Lander Confirmed Dead After Toppling on Its Side
Less than a day after Intuitive Machines landed on the Moon, the company declared an early end to its mission after its Athena spacecraft would up lying sideways on the lunar surface. Athena touched down on the Moon on Thursday around 12:30 p.m. ET. Its landing was less than ideal, however, as the lander ended […]
NASA Orbiter Captures Stunning View of Blue Ghost Lander on the Moon
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter managed to capture a photo of Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander on the surface of the Moon, in a stunning instance of the orbiter’s surveillance power. Ghosts are notoriously hard to photograph, and this (very real) commercial spacecraft is no different. Blue Ghost landed on the Moon early Sunday morning, finishing […]
Firefly Releases Stunning Footage of Blue Ghost Landing on the Moon
Landing on the Moon is no easy feat; the lunar surface has become a graveyard for far too many missions that came to untimely ends. But Firefly’s Blue Ghost conquered the lunar surface a few days ago, and is now standing tall on the Moon. Landing on the Moon never looked so good, with Blue […]
How to Watch Firefly’s Blue Ghost Attempt Its Historic Moon Landing
A private lunar lander is gearing up for its date with destiny. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost has been in space for 44 days, and on Sunday it will attempt to finally execute a soft landing on the Moon. Firefly will be livestreaming the landing attempt on its YouTube page. The livestream will start at 2:20 […]
Wednesday’s Stacked SpaceX Launch Is Sending Groundbreaking Science to the Moon and Beyond
Should Wednesday’s launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center proceed as planned, it’s gonna be carrying a buttload of science with it. The rocket will be carrying not one, not two, but three important payloads, including a satellite set to orbit the Moon, a privately operated lunar lander, and a spacecraft […]