Bezos gets his Moon wish with $3.4 billion lunar lander contract

After an initial disappointment, Jeff Bezos is back in the Moon business. NASA selected Blue Origin’s Blue Moon crewed lander for the space agency’s Artemis V mission to the lunar South Pole in 2029 under a firm-fixed price contract of (US)$3.4 billion… Continue reading Bezos gets his Moon wish with $3.4 billion lunar lander contract

Jupiter probe Juno has close encounter with fiery Io

In a close encounter of the Jovian kind, NASA’s Juno deep space probe has made its closest flyby yet of Jupiter’s volatile moon Io. During its 51st orbit of the giant planet, the solar-powered robotic spacecraft came within 22,600 miles (35,500 km) of … Continue reading Jupiter probe Juno has close encounter with fiery Io

Huge haul of 62 new moons gives Saturn the solar system record

Saturn has overtaken Jupiter as the planet with the most known moons in the solar system. Astronomers have announced a bumper crop of 62 new moons orbiting the ringed planet, pushing its total to well over 100.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, ScienceTa… Continue reading Huge haul of 62 new moons gives Saturn the solar system record

Success: Juice radar antenna breaks free after remote control thump

ESA’s Juice Jupiter mission is back on track after Mission Control in Darmstadt, Germany managed to shake loose and deploy the stuck ice-penetrating Radar for Icy Moons Exploration (RIME) antenna that was stuck due to a tiny pin.Continue ReadingCategor… Continue reading Success: Juice radar antenna breaks free after remote control thump

Thirsty astronauts could just throw some Moon dust in the microwave

While there is water on the Moon, it’s not kept in convenient reservoirs, it’s locked away in the lunar soil. Now, a team of scientists has found that thirsty astronauts could one day refresh themselves fairly easily – by throwing a cup of Moon dirt in… Continue reading Thirsty astronauts could just throw some Moon dust in the microwave

Vintage Apollo data shows Moon has a solid inner core

Looking back at data from the geology experiments left on the lunar surface by the Apollo missions half a century ago, scientists have finally determined that the Moon has a solid core surrounded by a fluid outer core similar to the Earth’s.Continue Re… Continue reading Vintage Apollo data shows Moon has a solid inner core