Japan Reaches the Moon, but the Fate of Its Precision Lander Is Uncertain
Japan’s SLIM precision-landing spacecraft—a potential game-changer for upcoming lunar exploration—may expire on the moon before fulfilling its mission
Peregrine, a Private U.S. Moon Lander, Burns Up in Earth’s Atmosphere
Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander, which endured a crippling postlaunch malfunction for longer than expected, could set a precedent for a coming wave of U.S. moon missions
NASA’s Moon Program Faces Delays. Its Ambition Remains Unchanged
If successful, the Artemis program promises to revolutionize travel to other celestial bodies. But many more tests of hardware remain
Ailing Peregrine Moon Lander Is on Course to Crash into Earth
Peregrine will likely burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, the moon lander’s builder has said
Space and Submarine Explorers Are Right to Take Risks
What lessons does the loss of the Titan submersible have for preventing spaceflight disasters?
Private U.S. Lunar Lander Suffers ‘Critical’ Anomaly after Launch
Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander was meant to be the first commercial spacecraft to operate on the surface of the moon. Instead it may not reach lunar orbit at all
Human Remains Are Headed to the Moon despite Objections
The Navajo Nation has called for a delay in launching the commercial lander Peregrine, which is set to carry human remains on a private mission to the moon
India’s Aditya-L1 Space Probe Heads for Gravitational ‘Island’
Aditya-L1 will join more than four active spacecraft at the first Lagrange point, a nearly stable region in the gravitational field between Earth and the sun
Two Private U.S. Moon Landers Prepare for Historic Launches
The first vehicles to fly under NASA’s new lunar delivery initiative will aim to be the first commercial spacecraft to land softly on another celestial body
Tech Billionaires Need to Stop Trying to Make the Science Fiction They Grew Up on Real
Today’s Silicon Valley billionaires grew up reading classic American science fiction. Now they’re trying to make it come true, embodying a dangerous political outlook
NASA Lab’s Workforce Woes Threaten Major Space Missions
A brain drain from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory could pose problems for the space agency’s ambitious science plans
Mars Can Wait. Questions Surround Settlements on Other Worlds
Establishing a permanent Mars settlement in the foreseeable future makes little sense. The weakest reason for doing it is also the strongest—and not in a good way