Is the Giant Moon Telescope Humanity’s Best Hope for Discovering Aliens?

Posted on August 29, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

“In 2050, the first 100m diameter telescope took shape in a crater on the moon.”

Vladimir Vasyansky/NASA

The Allsea eyes, operational since the 2070s, were the largest and most powerful optical systems ever constructed. Comprising eight telescopes dispersed across the lunar expanse, each equipped with a 100-meter mirror, the collective aperture of this composite telescope spanned the entire lunar surface, enabling exceptional imaging capabilities.

This marked the first occasion we could observe the “first light,” indicating the birth of the universe’s first star. We also captured details of distant exoplanet surfaces across great expanses of time.

In 2020, numerous proposals emerged for these ambitious, next-generation telescopes; however, the technological feasibility for large-scale space projects was limited at that time. By the 2050s, lunar transport became routine and economically viable, paving the way for lunar construction.

An earlier proposal from 2020 focused on what was termed Finally, a large telescope (ULT), with a mirror measuring 100 meters, came to fruition.

ULT utilized liquid mirrors instead of traditional glass. These liquids were more cost-effective to transport to the moon and could be molded into completely reflective surfaces. Given the moon’s gravity, constructing larger mirrors that exceed those on Earth became practical. For comparison, the James Webb Space Telescope, operational in the 2020s, features a 6.5-meter mirror.

While the lunar single telescope was powerful, it lacked the resolution to distinguish the detailed features of exoplanet bodies. Nonetheless, astronomers focused on expanding ULT’s capabilities.

A clever technique used in radio telescopes to enhance their range, Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), proved suitable for optical systems as well. In 2017, the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration employed VLBI to capture the first image of a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy by merging inputs from eight Earth-based telescopes to amplify the effective telescope size.

In 2025, scientists spearheaded by Zixin Huang at the Engineering Quantum Systems Center at Macquarie University, Australia, proposed using VLBI for optical telescopes. Although technical, political, and financial barriers prolonged development, the advent of the first 100-meter diameter telescope in lunar craters by 2050 led to serious initiatives for constructing a lunar-sized optical telescope.

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The telescope on the moon dates back 13 billion years and photographs the first generation of high-mass stars.
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By 2075, an additional seven telescopes were established on the lunar surface, linking to form an effective aperture equivalent to a 3000 km mirror.

In the mid-2020s, the James Webb Telescope revisited the past to observe the formation of the universe’s first galaxy. Now, through the combined observations, the enigmatic Population III stars have been unveiled. Stars are categorized into different groups; Population I contains recent stars abundant in heavy elements, Population II includes older stars with lower metal content, while Population III consists of the universe’s earliest stars formed post-Big Bang, characterized by minimal metallic content. The Big Bang primarily produced hydrogen and helium, with mere traces of lithium and beryllium. All heavier elements had to be synthesized in stars. The combined observations have looked back 13 billion years and documented the high-mass first-generation stars, including one blue giant star, 100,000 times the mass of the sun, dubbed Zixin-1 in honor of the astronomer who significantly contributed to the development of optical VLBI.

The moon-sized telescope concept has been referred to by various names over the years. Initially proposed in 2008 by a team from the University of Arizona, the lunar liquid spraying telescope eventually evolved into a larger project in 2020. To escape the possibly uninspired public names like Moony McMoonface, the term “Allsea Eyes” was officially adopted. The project is now affectionately dubbed Sauron: Super-Accessible Ultra-Resolution Optical Network.

The facility has enabled unprecedented imaging of black holes, but its primary objective was to determine if humanity is alone in the universe. The observations made of the exoplanet Gliese 667cc indicated the potential for alien civilizations to have developed in our cosmic neighborhood, particularly within the Trappist-1 system, about 22 light-years away. Despite debates surrounding the costs of constructing Sauron, they never gained significant traction.

Rowan Hooper is the podcast editor for New Scientist and the author of How to Spend $1 Trillion. These are 10 global issues that can be fixed. Follow him on BlueSky
@rowhoop.bsky.social

Topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Psyche Embodies the Essence of Earth and Moon

Posted on August 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

On July 20th and July 23rd, 2025, NASA’s Psyche spacecraft captured images of Earth and the Moon from a distance of approximately 290 million km (180 million miles). The spacecraft’s twin cameras took several long exposure photographs, showcasing the two celestial bodies as glimmering dots in the sunlight against the backdrop of the Aries constellation.

Psyche imaged Earth and the Moon, approximately 290 million km (180 million miles) away in July 2025. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU.

Psyche is NASA’s mission aimed at studying metal-rich asteroids located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

This mission marks NASA’s first endeavor to examine asteroids composed primarily of metal rather than rock and ice.

Psyche launched on October 13, 2023, at 10:19 AM aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center.

By August 2029, the spacecraft will begin its exploration of asteroids that scientists believe are remnants of planetary cores due to their high metal content.

“The multispectral imager equipment features a pair of identical cameras equipped with filters and telescope lenses designed to capture the asteroid’s surface using light across various wavelengths,” stated a member of the mission’s science team.

“The color and shape of the asteroid’s spectrum can provide insights into its composition.”

“For instance, the Moon and the large asteroid Vesta exhibit similar spectral ‘bumps and wiggles’ that scientists could potentially identify in Psyche.”

Researchers are interested in Psyche as it may enhance our understanding of how rocky planets with metallic cores, including Earth, were formed.

When selecting targets for imaging tests and calibration, they seek bodies that reflect sunlight similarly to Psyche.

This allows for comparisons with previous data obtained from telescopes or spacecraft observing these familiar spectral objects.

Earlier this year, Psyche pointed its cameras toward Jupiter and Mars for calibration purposes, and the results were successful.

To monitor changes in imager performance, researchers are also comparing data from various tests.

This ensures that when the spacecraft enters orbit around Psyche, the equipment will function as anticipated.

“We’re thrilled about the opportunity to further our understanding through our efforts,” remarked Dr. Jim Bell, Psyche Imager Instrument Lead at Arizona State University.

“We gather ‘trading cards’ from these distinct celestial bodies and run them through the calibration pipeline to ensure data accuracy.”

Psyche wasn’t the only instrument that underwent successful checkouts in July 2025.

The mission team also tested the spacecraft’s magnetometer and gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, a routine procedure conducted every six months.

“Everything is operational and functioning well,” stated Dr. Bob Mas, the mission project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

“We aim to fly by Mars in May 2026, having accomplished all planned activities for the cruise phase.”

“This flyby represents the next significant milestone for the spacecraft, utilizing the gravitational pull of Mars to assist in reaching Psyche.”

“This will be the first of two planned loops around the solar system, marking the initial 1.6 billion km (1 billion miles) journey since its launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in October 2023.”

Source: www.sci.news

Webb Uncovers a New Moon Orbiting Uranus

Posted on August 20, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have identified a previously uncharted small moon, provisionally named S/2025 U 1. This discovery, made from a series of images taken on February 2, 2025, brings Uranus’s total number of moons to 29.

This Webb/nircam image illustrates S/2025 U1 along with 13 of the other 28 identified moons. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STSCI/M. El Moutamid, SWRI/M. Hedman, University of Idaho.

Situated in the outer solar system, Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun.

This cyan ice giant, often referred to as a “lateral planet” due to its extreme axial tilt, has a thick atmosphere composed of hydrogen, helium, and methane.

The 28 moons of Uranus include five major ones: Titania, Oberon, Ambriel, Ariel, and Miranda, discovered between 1787 and 1948.

Known as “The Literary Moons,” the moons of Uranus are named after characters from the works of Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.

Astronomers estimate that Uranus’s larger moons are approximately equal parts water ice and silicate rock.

“As part of Webb’s Guest Observer program, we discovered a previously unknown satellite of the ice giant,” explained Dr. Maryame El Moutamid, a researcher at the Southwest Research Institute.

“This object is the smallest ever detected and was observed during a set of 10 long exposures captured by Webb’s near-infrared camera (NIRCAM).”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa8joehgtg

The moon, provisionally designated S/2025 U1, resides at the end of Uranus’s inner ring.

Estimated to have a diameter of only 10 km (6 miles), its reflectance (albedo) is presumed to be similar to that of other small Uranian satellites.

It is located approximately 56,250 km (35,000 miles) away from the Earth’s equatorial plane, positioned between the orbits of Ophelia and Bianca.

Ophelia has a diameter of about 43 km (13 miles), while Bianca is elongated, measuring 64 x 46 km (40 x 29 miles).

“While it’s a small moon, its discovery is significant. This is something that even NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft missed during its flybys nearly 40 years ago,” Dr. El Moutamid remarked.

S/2025 U1 becomes the 14th member of a complex system of small moons, circling inward among the larger moons, including Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon.

“Unlike other planets, Uranus possesses a remarkable number of small inner moons. The intricate interactions with its ring system indicate a chaotic history that merges the ring and lunar systems,” Dr. El Moutamid noted.

“Furthermore, this new moon’s small size and unexpected nature may lead to the discovery of even more complexities.”

Source: www.sci.news

Uranus: Explore Its Tiny New Moon in Just Two Hours of Walking!

Posted on August 20, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Introducing the Cosmic Welcome Mat, the newest addition to our solar system.

On Tuesday, astronomers discovered a new satellite approximately the size of 90 soccer fields. This new moon was found orbiting the seventh planet from the sun, Uranus, and was initially spotted by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope on February 2nd. It joins 28 other known moons in the busy orbit of Uranus.

The observations of Uranus made by the Webb telescope provide researchers with enhanced understanding of this enigmatic planet.

“Uranus has more small inner moons than any other planet,” stated Matthew Tiscareno, a member of the research team and senior research scientist at the SETI Institute in California. He mentioned in a statement.

Tiscareno added that the “complex interaction” between Uranus’s moons and its faint ring system hints at a tumultuous evolutionary history for the planet.

Moreover, this new moon is smaller and more surprising than the smallest previously known inner satellites, indicating there may be further complexities to uncover,” he stated in a report.

Researchers note that the new satellite is situated about 35,000 miles from the center of Uranus and maintains a nearly circular orbit.

With a diameter of just 6 miles, it can be traversed in roughly two hours at an active walking pace; however, follow-up observations are necessary to verify the moon’s size and additional characteristics.

These findings are still pending peer review.

Uranus is home to five major moons known as Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon. The recently discovered moon orbits among these five primary satellites, according to researchers.

All moons of Uranus are named after characters from the works of Shakespeare and Alexander Pope, as per NASA’s guidelines. The new moon is yet to be named and will require approval from the International Astronomical Union for its official designation.

“While small, this moon is a notable discovery. I didn’t even catch sight of it during the Voyager 2 mission nearly 40 years ago,” he remarked in a statement.

In 1986, the Voyager 2 spacecraft made history as the first human-made object to fly by Uranus, providing humanity’s first detailed observations of this distant planet. This encounter yielded over 7,000 images and led to the discovery of two new rings and 11 new moons around Uranus.

While the latest moon’s size might have been too small for the Voyager 2 camera to detect, the advanced instruments aboard the Webb telescope are expected to reveal more about Uranus and its system.

“Looking ahead, the discovery of this moon exemplifies how modern astronomy builds upon the legacy of missions like Voyager 2,” El Moutamid stated. “Now, almost 40 years later, the James Webb Space Telescope is pushing those boundaries even further.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Newly Discovered Moon Reveals Uranus Has the Smallest Orbit of Its Kind

Posted on August 19, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers have identified a new moon nestled among the 28 others near Uranus.

NASA, ESA, CSA, STSCI, M. ELMOU

A recently discovered, faint moon orbits Uranus, bringing its total count to 29. Several of the other moons of this gas giant bear names from the works of William Shakespeare, and there are discussions among scientists about which character will inspire the new moon’s name.

The moon was uncovered by a team led by Maryame El Moutamid from the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado, utilizing 10 long-exposure infrared images captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) on February 2 this year.

For now, the moon is temporarily designated as S/2025 U 1. However, it is likely to receive a name aligned with the tradition of naming Uranus’ moons after characters from Shakespeare’s plays, a convention established since the discovery of Titania and Oberon, the planet’s first two moons, in 1787.

All proposed names for newly discovered moons must receive approval from the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the authoritative body responsible for assigning names and designations to celestial objects. Mark Showalter from the Seti Institute, who is part of the research team and an avid theater enthusiast, mentioned that while there hasn’t been any discussion on candidates yet, it’s certainly an intriguing proposition.

Showalter described the challenge of detecting such a small, dim moon, comparing it to “trying to see a fly while staring directly at the headlights of a car.” He expressed admiration for the James Webb telescope’s sensitivity, which far exceeds that of any telescope that has come before it.

There is optimism for more moons to be discovered around Uranus, as Showalter remarked, “We certainly haven’t completed our observations.” He believes it’s reasonable to propose that additional satellites exist, particularly those that may influence the ring system.

El Moutamid pointed out that the clarity of Uranus’ rings suggests there could be more undiscovered moons associated with their formation. “Perhaps there are more waiting to be identified,” she added. Some could be uncovered by the JWST, while others may be detected by a proposed Uranus orbiter and probe mission targeted for 2044. “There likely are many very small moons that remain invisible due to the limitations of current observational methods,” she said.

The S/2025 U1 is estimated to measure around 10 km in diameter, rendering it too small to be captured by cameras on the Voyager 2 probe, which launched in 1977 and passed Uranus in 1986, coming within around 81,500 kilometers. To date, it remains the closest encounter with Uranus by any spacecraft from Earth.

The new moon resides at the inner edge of Uranus’ rings, situated approximately 56,250 kilometers from the center of the planet’s equatorial plane, fitting between the orbits of the moons Ophelia and Bianca.

NASA oversees the JWST’s “General Observer” program, which allows researchers worldwide to propose observation targets that require one of the telescope’s advanced sensors. El Moutamid dedicated time to studying Uranus’ rings using the JWST’s Nircam Instrument (a high-resolution infrared sensor), which ultimately led to the discovery of this new moon.

Topics:

Moon/
James Webb Space Telescope

Source: www.newscientist.com

Ganymede, Jupiter’s Moon, May Function as a Massive Dark Matter Detector

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

View of Ganymede from NASA’s Juno spacecraft

junocam/nasa/jpl-caltech/swri/msss/kalleheikki kannisto

Ganymede, one of Jupiter’s moons, has the potential to act as a significant dark matter detector, with upcoming space missions possibly unveiling unique dark matter craters on its ancient terrain.

Researchers typically seek dark matter by looking for lightweight particles that seldom interact with normal matter, employing large, insulated underground detectors. Alternatively, another category of dark matter particles could grow from the size of a basketball to that of an asteroid, but these are infrequent and interact rarely with conventional matter. To detect these hefty dark matter particles, a detector of lunar or planetary scale is necessary to account for their scarcity.

William Derocco from the University of Maryland has proposed that Ganymede, the solar system’s largest moon, may hold clues to these large dark matter particles. His research indicates that they could create a unique crater on the moon’s icy surface, preserved for millions of years due to its stable geology.

Derocco estimates the extent to which these giant dark matter particles penetrate Ganymede’s thick ice layers, finding that they reach the subterranean oceans, fostering unique minerals deeper than a standard asteroid might.

Future missions, such as NASA’s Europa Clipper and ESA’s JUICE, might be able to identify these dark material craters from orbit. Derocco believes these features will be relatively small and distinct, separated from other geological formations. He suggests that “if an underground intrusion radar is used, it may reveal this melted ice column extending down through the ice.”

Utilizing a moon-sized dark matter detector could help identify particles that elude detection on Earth, according to Zachary Picker from UCLA. He states, “Experiments on Earth struggle to find dark matter particles the size of a bowling ball. Particles the size of a refrigerator or car have interactions that are too infrequent.”

The proposal is thorough and well-reasoned, as noted by Bradley Cabana from the University of Cantabria in Spain. “There’s no compelling physical rationale to assume the existence of such massive dark matter particles,” he states. “It’s about exploring all possibilities.” He describes these as extraordinary objects, incredibly dense and held together by formidable forces from obscure sectors.

Topics:

Dark matter/
Space exploration

Source: www.newscientist.com

We Might Have Discovered a Simple Method for Producing Water on the Moon

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Researchers have created innovative technologies to extract water from lunar soil, potentially offering vital support for future lunar explorers.

Findings published in the journal Joule highlight how this could significantly lower the astronomical cost of transporting water from Earth, which stands at $22,000 per liter ($83,000 per gallon).

If successfully scaled, this technology may play a crucial role in supporting long-term missions on the moon.

Utilizing samples brought back by China’s Chang’e-5 mission in 2020, scientists showed that water can be extracted from lunar materials and used alongside carbon dioxide to produce essential resources. These resources include oxygen for astronauts to breathe and hydrogen-based chemicals that can be transformed into rocket fuel.

“We never fully imagined the ‘magic’ contained in lunar soil,” said Professor Lou Wang, one of the study’s authors from Shenzhen University and Hong Kong’s China University, in a statement.

“The most surprising aspect of our work was the real success achieved through this integrated approach. One stage of lunar ₂O extraction and photothermal _CO2 catalysts enhances energy efficiency and simplifies infrastructure development.”

This technique employs a photothermal method (which converts sunlight into heat) to facilitate water extraction and the chemical conversion process.

Chang’e-5 lunar samples on display in Beijing, China. The mission returned 1.7 kg (3.7 pounds) of lunar material to Earth in 2020 – Source: Getty

In laboratory tests, the team employed actual lunar soils from Chang’e-5, along with simulated samples, exposing them to CO2 while concentrating light into a batch reactor. The CO2 used in the conversion process can be easily obtained from astronaut exhalations on the moon.

Previous methods for extracting water from lunar regolith lacked direct links to generating other vital resources. This integrated approach indicates a more efficient advancement; however, researchers recognize that significant challenges persist.

The moon’s extreme temperatures, high radiation levels, and inconsistent soil composition complicate efforts to scale this technology. The amount of CO2 produced by an astronaut’s exhalation may not meet the requirements for complete resource recycling, and the catalytic process still lacks the efficiency needed for sustained life.

Nevertheless, this advancement represents a promising leap towards making life on the moon more viable. There is increasing global interest in establishing a long-term human presence on the moon, and leveraging local water resources could be instrumental for deeper space missions.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Ancient Moon Metstone, 23.5 Billion Years Old, Bridges 100 Million-Year Gap in Lunar History

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The examination of North West Africa (NWA) 16286 reveals a lunar metstone with a distinctive chemical profile, offering new perspectives on the evolution of the moon’s interior and emphasizing the enduring nature of its volcanic activity.

Backscattered electron images of NWA 16286 samples. Image credit: Joshu Asu Nape/University of Manchester.

Discovered in Africa in 2023, NWA 16286 is one of only 31 moon basalts officially identified on Earth.

The distinct composition of the 311-gram metstone, featuring melted glassy pockets and veins, indicates it was likely impacted by an asteroid or metstone on the lunar surface before being ejected and eventually landing on Earth.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Manchester supports the theory that the moon has maintained internal heat production processes responsible for lunar volcanic activity across various stages.

Lead isotopic analyses suggest that these rock formations are the youngest basalt lunar metstones identified on Earth, dating back approximately 2.35 billion years, a time when lunar samples are scarce.

The sample’s unique geochemical profile distinguishes it from those brought back by previous lunar missions, indicating that its chemical characteristics likely result from lava flows that solidified after ascending from the moon’s depths.

“While the moon rocks returned from sample return missions provide valuable insights, they are limited to the immediate areas around those landing sites,” stated Dr. Joshua Snape from the University of Manchester.

“In contrast, this sample could originate from impact craters located anywhere on the moon’s surface.”

“Thus, there is a unique coincidence with this sample. It fortuitously landed on Earth, unveiling secrets about lunar geology without the need for an extensive space mission.”

The sample contains notably large crystals of olivine and is classified as olivine basalt, characterized by medium titanium levels and high potassium content.

Alongside the atypical age of the samples, researchers found that the lead isotopic composition of the rocks—geochemical signatures preserved when the rocks formed—originates from internal lunar sources with unusually high ratios of uranium and lead.

These chemical markers can assist in identifying the mechanisms behind the moon’s prolonged internal heat production.

“The sample’s age is particularly intriguing as it fills a billion-year gap in the history of lunar volcanism,” Dr. Snape noted.

“It is younger than the basalts collected during the Apollo, Luna, and Chang-E 6 missions, yet significantly older than the more recent rocks retrieved by the Chang-E 5 missions in China.”

“Its age and composition indicate that volcanic activity persisted throughout this entire timeframe, and our analysis suggests a potentially continuous process of heat generation from radioactive elements that generates heat over extended periods.

“Moon rocks are a rarity, making it always exciting to acquire samples that stand out from the norm.”

“This specific rock presents new constraints on the timing and nature of volcanic activity on the moon.”

“We still have much to learn about the lunar geological history. Further analyses to trace surface origins will inform where future sample return missions might be directed.”

The researchers presented their results today at the Goldschmidt Conference 2025 in Prague, Czech Republic.

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Joshua F. Snape et al. Northwest Africa 16286: An investigation into the age and origin of new moon basalts. Goldschmidt Conference 2025

Source: www.sci.news

Asteroid 2024 YR4: On a Collision Course with the Moon, Possible Effects on Earth

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Asteroid 2024 YR4 may create the largest lunar impact in the past 5,000 years

Mark Garlic/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

Originally believed to be on a collision path with Earth, asteroid 2024 YR4 still poses some level of threat to our planet. There remains a chance that such celestial bodies could impact the moon, potentially resulting in a catastrophic explosion that could flood Earth with debris capable of damaging satellites.

Astronomers have been monitoring this building-sized asteroid since its detection in December 2024. Initial forecasts heightened the risk of a collision with Earth in 2032, suggesting the impact could unleash enough energy to obliterate a city; fortunately, it now appears 2024 YR4 will likely miss us.

Nonetheless, the likelihood of a lunar impact is gradually increasing, currently estimated at 4.3% based on observations made before the asteroid moved out of our telescopes’ view until 2028. Paul Wiegelt from the University of Western Ontario and his team suggest that such a collision could inflict significant damage on Earth’s satellites.

“We were somewhat taken aback by the amount of debris that could potentially reach Earth,” Wiegert remarked. “In reality, Earth is a surprisingly small target from the moon’s vantage point. Thus, while impacts on Earth are infrequent, gravitational forces can draw in that material under certain conditions.”

Wiegert and his colleagues calculated that 2024 YR4 could create a crater over a kilometer wide on the moon, marking the largest lunar impact in at least the last 5,000 years, albeit still small compared to typical craters. By ejecting debris into space and simulating their trajectories tens of thousands of times, they concluded that this event could lead to collision rates for Earth’s satellites comparable to those observed over years or even days.

While these collisions may not entirely disable a satellite, they could cause significant anomalies due to electrical disruptions. Accurately modeling their potential damage proves challenging, Wiegert noted.

If luck is not on our side, the impact of fragmented materials could be particularly severe, according to Mark Burchell at the University of Kent in the UK. “If they impact a spacecraft’s coolant pipe or an exposed sensor, the loss of critical functions occurs suddenly,” he explained. “Once damaged, satellites cannot be repaired. Even minor issues can lead to serious problems.”

Wiegert emphasized that this scenario should provoke global space agencies to consider deflecting asteroids on a collision course with the moon, similar to efforts aimed at protecting Earth. A NASA Planetary Defense Coordination Agency representative stated that while it is crucial to identify Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) posing potential risks, it is “premature to speculate on possible response options” for a potential 2024 collision.

Depending on how events unfold, swift action could be necessary. When 2024 YR4 reappears in Earth’s telescopic view in 2028, we should be able to refine the precision of its orbital path, Wiegert commented. As chances for a lunar impact rise, it offers a four-year window for decision-making on any necessary actions.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Japan’s Sturdy Lunar Lander Successfully Touches Down on the Moon

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The surface of the moon as captured from orbit prior to the crash

ISPACE SMBC X Hakuto-R Venture Moon

On June 5th at 7:13 PM, a Japanese space endeavor aiming to be the third private lunar landing failed as ISPACE’s Resilience lander succumbed on the moon’s surface.

The lander began its descent from around 20 km above the moon, but ISPACE’s mission control quickly lost communication after the probe activated its main engine for final descent, receiving no further signals.

The company announced that the laser tool used to gauge the distance to the surface seemed to malfunction, leading to inadequate slowing of the lander and likely resulting in a collision.

“Given the absence of a successful lunar landing at this time, our top priority is to analyze the telemetry data collected so far and diligently investigate the cause,” stated ISPACE CEO Mr. Takeshi.

Had it succeeded, Resilience would have marked the second private moon landing of the year and the third overall, making it the first non-U.S. company to land on the moon after ISPACE’s prior attempt, the Hakuto-R mission, failed in 2023.

The Resilience Lander embarked on its lunar journey aboard a SpaceX rocket on January 15th, alongside Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander. While the Blue Ghost successfully landed on March 2, Resilience took a more circuitous route, moving into deeper space before returning on May 6 to enter lunar orbit. This complex trajectory was essential for targeting the challenging northern plain called Male Frigolis, which had not been surveyed by previous lunar missions.

Equipped with six experiments, the lander included a device for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, a module for algae-based food production, and a radiation monitor for deep space. Additionally, it housed a five-kilogram rover named Tenesial, designed to explore and capture images of the moon during the two weeks that Resilience was set to operate.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Private Ispace Resilience Probes Set to Land on the Moon This Week

Posted on June 4, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Artist’s depiction of the Resilience lunar lander

ispace

The private spacecraft is set to attempt a landing this week. Should the Japanese company ISPACE succeed on this attempt, it would mark a historic achievement as the first non-US enterprise to land on the moon, following a failed attempt in 2023.

ISPACE’s Resilience Lander embarked on its journey towards the moon on January 15th. It launched with the assistance of a SpaceX rocket and Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Lander. While Blue Ghost made a successful landing on March 2nd, Resilience traveled a longer path, traversing deeper into space before entering lunar orbit on May 6th. This intricate route was essential for landing in the hard-to-reach northern plains of Mare Frigoris, which had been uncharted by previous lunar missions.

If the probe executes its landing operations successfully, it will commence its landing sequence on June 5th at approximately 7:20 PM BST, with a landing in Mare Frigoris scheduled an hour later. The landing attempt will be broadcast live on ISPACE’s YouTube channel.

The lander is outfitted with six diverse experiments, including a device capable of splitting moisture into hydrogen and oxygen for usable resources, a module for producing food from algae, and a radiation monitor for deep space studies. Additionally, it will deploy a 5-kilogram rover named Tenalious, tasked with exploring the lunar surface and capturing images during its anticipated two-week mission.

This marks ISPACE’s second attempt at a lunar landing, following the initial Hakuto-R spacecraft, which lost communication and crash-landed on the moon. The company asserts that it has enhanced Resilience with improved sensors leveraging data gathered from the initial mission, yet challenges remain, particularly in slowing the spacecraft from several hundred kilometers per hour to a complete stop in just three minutes. Should ISPACE choose to abort the landing on June 5th, there are three alternate landing sites and dates prepared as contingencies.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Planetary Researchers Discover Wobble-like Atmosphere Similar to Saturn’s Hazy Moon Titan

Posted on May 22, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Titan is the sole moon in our solar system with a significant atmosphere, captivating planetary scientists for years. Recent analysis of archival infrared data from the composite infrared spectrometer (CIRS) onboard the NASA/ESA Cassini-Huygens mission reveals that Titan’s hazy atmosphere does not rotate uniformly with its surface but instead exhibits a wobbly motion akin to that of a seasonally shifting gyroscope.

This view of Titan is among the final images received from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute.

“The dynamics of Titan’s atmospheric tilt are quite peculiar,” remarked Dr. Lucy Wright, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bristol.

“Titan’s atmosphere acts similarly to a gyroscope and seems to maintain stability in space.”

“We suspect that certain historical events may have displaced the atmosphere from its spin axis, resulting in its wobbling motion.”

“More intriguing is the observation that the degree of this tilt varies with Titan’s seasons.”

Dr. Wright and her team analyzed the symmetry within Titan’s atmospheric temperature field, confirming their hypothesis that it is centrally located at the poles.

However, this symmetry alters over time, corresponding with Titan’s extensive seasonal cycles that span nearly 30 years.

“What complicates matters is that this phenomenon is unaffected by the Sun or Saturn; it remains stationary in space, while the slope direction is fixed,” noted Professor Nick Teenby from the University of Bristol.

“This presents us with a riddle instead of a solution.”

This discovery will impact NASA’s upcoming Dragonfly Mission, a rotorcraft set to reach Titan in the 2030s.

Dragonflies will descend into the atmosphere, subject to the rapid winds of Titan, which are approximately 20 times faster than the surface rotation.

Understanding how the atmosphere wobbles seasonally is crucial for accurately determining the landing trajectory of the Dragonfly.

The tilt influences the payload’s aerial trajectory, making this study vital for engineers in predicting landing sites.

“The Goddard Space Flight Center noted: ‘NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center plays a significant role globally.”

“This instrument travels across the solar system, continuing to yield valuable scientific insights.”

“The behavior of Titan’s atmosphere as a rotating top detaches from the surface prompts fascinating inquiries that enhance our understanding of atmospheric physics, applicable to both Titan and Earth.”

Survey results were published this week in the Journal of Planetary Science.

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Lucy Wright et al. 2025. Seasonal evolution of the stratospheric slope and temperature field of Titan at high resolution from Cassini/CIRS. Planet. SCI. J 6, 114; doi: 10.3847/psj/adcab3

Source: www.sci.news

Unusual Events on the Moon: Our Team is Left Scratching Their Heads

Posted on May 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A recent study by NASA has uncovered an unexpected and curious fact about the moon’s deep interior.

Utilizing data from the Grail Spacecraft, researchers found that the side of the moon facing Earth is “bending” more than the far side, indicating a remarkably unstable internal structure between the two hemispheres.

“We have long believed the moon to be spherically symmetrical deep down, so encountering clear evidence to the contrary was both surprising and challenging,” said Dr. Ryan Park, the study’s lead author and head of the Solar System Dynamics Group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as reported by BBC Science Focus.

Published in Nature, the study reveals that the moon visible from Earth deforms more significantly under the gravitational influence of Earth than on its far side, measured using ultra-precision gravity techniques.

This finding relies on a metric known as the “Love number,” which quantifies the extent to which a celestial body deforms due to tidal forces. After nearly a decade of intricate calculations involving millions of parameters, the team found that the Love number was approximately 72% greater than what would be expected for a symmetrically spherical moon.

“When we first calculated higher Love numbers than anticipated, our team was genuinely perplexed,” Park noted. However, the calculations confirmed it: the moon exhibits instability both internally and externally.

These views of the near and far side of the moon are compiled from observations by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. -NASA/JPL-Caltech

The cause? The mantle on the near side is warmer and less rigid compared to the far side, attributed to radioactive heating early in the moon’s history.

This phenomenon is likely due to ancient geological activities. The near side contains a significantly higher concentration of radioactive materials, including up to 10 times more thorium. These elements emit heat as they decay.

Billion years ago, this heat led to the formation of pockets of partially melted rock, sparking massive volcanic eruptions. These eruptions resurfaced the near side with dark plains known as “Mare,” while the far side remained rugged and cratered.

This study generates the most comprehensive gravity map of the moon to date. Future missions, such as NASA’s Artemis program, aim to enhance navigation on the lunar surface and aid in developing lunar navigation systems.

Looking to other regions of the solar system, Park plans to apply a similar methodology to investigate the metal-rich asteroid Psyche and the icy moons of Jupiter, particularly Europa.

“The most astonishing aspect was how pronounced the asymmetry was,” Park added. “This compelled us to examine the intricacies of the moon’s thermal and structural evolution, ultimately yielding new insights into how the moon—and potentially other celestial bodies—develop internal disparities over billions of years.”

Read more:

About our experts

Ryan Park is the supervisor of the Solar System Dynamics Group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. His research has been featured in prestigious journals, including Science, Journal of Astrophysics, and Nature.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Weather Update from Titan, Saturn’s Moon: Partly Cloudy with Intermittent Methane Rain

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

With data from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and the Keck II telescope, astronomers have found signs of cloud convection in Titan’s northern hemisphere. The majority of Titan’s lakes and oceans are situated in this region, replenished by sporadic rains of methane and ethane. Webb has also identified essential carbon-containing molecules that offer insight into Titan’s intricate atmospheric chemical processes.

These Titan images taken by Webb on July 11, 2023 show the Keck II telescope on July 14, 2023 (lower row), showing methane clouds (white arrows) appearing at various altitudes in Titan’s northern hemisphere. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STSCI/KECK Observatory.

Titan is a fascinating world enveloped in a yellowish smog haze. Its atmosphere, primarily composed of nitrogen, experiences weather patterns similar to those on Earth, such as clouds and rain.

In contrast to Earth, where weather is influenced by the evaporation and condensation of water, Titan’s chilly environment features a methane cycle.

Methane evaporates from the surface, rising into the atmosphere to condense into clouds.

Occasionally, icy particles fall to solid surfaces as a form of cold, oily rain.

“The Goddard Space Flight Center involves astronomers,” stated Dr. Connn Nixon, an astronomer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

Utilizing both Webb and Keck II telescopes, Dr. Nixon and his team observed Titan in November 2022 and July 2023.

These observations revealed cloud formations in the northern and high northern latitudes of Titan, coinciding with its current summer, and indicated that these clouds were gradually rising to higher altitudes.

Previous research identified cloud convection in southern latitudes, marking the first evidence of similar convection in the northern hemisphere.

This finding is crucial, as most of Titan’s lakes and oceans are located in the northern hemisphere, making evaporation from these bodies of water a primary source for methane.

On Earth, the troposphere, the lowest atmospheric layer, extends to about 12 km in altitude.

However, due to Titan’s low gravity, its troposphere stretches to approximately 45 km.

By utilizing various infrared filters, Webb and Keck explored different atmospheric depths on Titan, enabling astronomers to estimate cloud altitudes.

Researchers noted that clouds seemed to migrate to higher altitudes over a few days, although direct observation of precipitation remains elusive.

“Webb’s observation occurred at the end of Titan’s summer, a season we couldn’t monitor during the NASA/ESA Cassini-Huygens mission,” remarked ESA researcher Dr. Thomas Cornet.

“Combined with ground-based observations, Webb is providing us with valuable new insights into Titan’s atmosphere. This ESA mission could explore the Saturn system in greater detail in the future.”

Titan is of significant astrobiological interest due to its intricate organic (carbon-containing) chemistry, despite its frigid temperatures of minus 180 degrees Celsius.

Organic molecules are the building blocks of life on Earth, and studying them in an environment like Titan may help scientists uncover the processes that contributed to the emergence of life on our planet.

Methane serves as a fundamental component driving much of Titan’s chemistry.

In Titan’s atmosphere, methane is broken down by sunlight or energetic electrons from Saturn’s magnetosphere, leading to the synthesis of ethane-like substances alongside more complex carbon-containing molecules.

The data from Webb provided a crucial missing piece for comprehending these chemical processes: the definitive detection of methyl radicals (CH)₃, which form when methane breaks apart.

Identifying this compound signifies that scientists can now observe chemical reactions occurring on Titan for the first time, not just the initial ingredients or the end products.

“We are very enthusiastic about this world,” said Dr. Stephanie Millam, a researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

This hydrocarbon chemistry will have lasting implications for Titan’s future.

As methane decomposes in the upper atmosphere, some of it recombines to form other molecules, eventually reaching Titan’s surface in one chemical form or another, while some hydrogen escapes into space.

As a result, methane reserves will diminish over time unless there is a source to replenish them.

A similar phenomenon has occurred on Mars, where water molecules were broken down, and the resulting hydrogen was lost to space, culminating in the arid desert planet we observe today.

“In Titan, methane is continuously consumable,” Dr. Nixon explained.

“It could be constantly replenished from the crust and interior for billions of years.”

“If not, eventually it will all disappear, leaving Titan as a desolate landscape of dust and dunes.”

These findings were published in the journal Natural Astronomy.

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Kanixon et al. The atmosphere of Titan in late northern summer from JWST and Keck’s observations. Nature Astronomy Published online on May 14th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41550-025-02537-3

Source: www.sci.news

Chinese Researchers Discover That Moon Rocks Indicate the Possibility of Water on the Moon

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The other side of the moon – the part that is always far from the earth – is strangely different from close. It is pockmarked with more craters, with a thicker crust and less Maria, where lava was once formed, or with fewer plains.

Now, scientists say the difference can be more than the depth of the skin.

Using samples from the moon obtained last year, Chinese researchers believe the inside of the moon is potentially drier than its near it. Their discovery, Published Wednesday’s Nature Journal will provide a clearer picture of how pearly orbs we admire in the night sky have formed and evolved over billions of years.

The difference in moisture in the distant side of the moon and its nearby appears to be “accidentally consistent” with variations in the surface features of the two hemispheres of the moon, said Senfu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and author of the new results. “It’s very interesting,” he said.

Until the 1990s, when scientists began to discover tips on water on its surface, the moon was believed to be “dry bones.” These tips were confirmed in 2009 when NASA denounced the rocket stage to the moon’s Antarctic.

One of the goals, including this mission, was to estimate the amount of water that lies deep within the moon. The interior of the moon is not changed much by the process of weathering the surface.

Returning to Earth with a Chang’e-6 sample in hand, researchers looked for hardened particles of lava erupted from the female entrance or within the lunar mantle. Some of these basalts were 2.8 billion years old, and contained olivine, a crystal that had ancient magma cooled in the moon and stored information about the composition of the mantle early in the history of the moon.

The amount of hydrogen trapped in olivine allowed scientists to estimate the amount of water present in the mantle at the time. 1-1.5 grams of water for every million grams of the moon rock.

Previous measurements from samples collected near the moon – the US, the Soviet Union, and most recently 200 times wet.

The harsh difference between the range of nearby lunar ranges between nearby and far side samples could suggest that the parts of the moon that we don’t see on Earth are generally much drier, Dr. Hu said.

Shuai Li, a planetary geologist at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, who studies water on the moon, described the results as “very interesting.” However, he pointed out that limited information can be extracted from a single sample.

“It’s hard to say if the far side is definitely dryer than the nearest side,” said Dr. Lee, who was not involved in the job.

One scenario the Chang’e-6 team proposed to explain the internal differences is that the impact of creating the Antarctic-Aitken basin is strong enough to throw water and other elements near the moon, depleting the amount of water beyond.

Another idea is that the basalt in the Chang’e-6 sample comes from a much deeper, dry part of the lunar mantle.

“For me, that’s a little more realistic,” said Mahesh Anand, a planetary scientist at the UK Open University. Estimate the moisture content inside the moon From near-side samples from China collected by the Chang’e-5 mission in 2020.

Dr. Anand also praised the researchers’ careful selection of hundreds of particles from Chang’e-6 samples, less than 16 inches in size, to estimate water abundance.

“The ability to do that is extremely laborious and requires a lot of sophisticated and careful work,” he said.

More samples from various locations collected by future moon missions will help scientists determine whether the inner interior of the width is uniformly dry, and whether it changes throughout the hemisphere.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Melting moon dust to create solar panels on the moon

Posted on April 3, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Boot print on the dusty surface of the moon

Public domain sources from CBW/Alamy/Access rights

The base of future moons could be powered by solar cells made on-site from the melted moon dust.

Building items on the moon using materials already there is more practical than shipping them from the Earth. when Felix Lang He heard about this idea at the University of Potsdam in Germany and knew what to do right away. “We have to make solar cells like this, we have to make them right away,” he says.

Two years later, Lang’s team built and tested several solar cells that featured lunar dust as an ingredient. Another important component is a crystal called halide perovskite, which contains elements such as lead, bromine, and iodine, as well as long molecules of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen.

The team melted a synthetic version of the lunar regolith, a layer of loose rock and dust that covers the moon, into “Moonglass.” Because they did not refine the regolith, the mungrass was less transparent than traditional solar cells. However, Lang says the team’s best prototype still reached around 12% efficiency. More traditional perovskite solar cells typically reach an efficiency close to 26%. Lang said the computer simulation suggests that his team could reach that number in the future.

In general, researchers agree that perovskite solar cells are superior to more traditional silicon-based devices in both space and Earth. From a lunar perspective, the use of perovskite materials is also attractive. This is because it can be kept very thin and reduces the weight of the material transported on the moon. Team estimates that a solar cell with an area of 400 square meters requires only about a kilogram of perovskite. This is an impressive claim, I say Ian Crawford at Birkbeck, University of London.

It is equally important that the regolith does not need to be purified. This means that no special reactor is needed. In fact, Lang says that the large curved mirror and sunlight can create a beam of light that is warm enough to make the mungrass. One of his colleagues has already tested the technology on their university roofs and saw signs of legolith melting, he says.

Nicholas Bennett At the University of Technology, Sydney says that while past research has tried to process the lunar regolith into clear glass, this is the first time that solar cells have been shown to work with fine moonglass instead. The challenge now, he says, is to make a lot of mungrass outside the lab. If successful, such melting techniques could help create other items that the moon base needs, such as tiles, Crawford says.

Michael Duke The Lunar and Planetary Institute states that manufacturing moongrass-based solar cells will require many technological advances, from excavating the legend to connecting individual cells. Still, if a solar plant is established on the moon, there could be a positive knock-on effect. In this future, space-based systems like satellites will need less energy to fire payloads from the moon, allowing solar cells covered in the moon rather than what was created on Earth.

Lang and his colleagues are currently working on increasing the efficiency of solar cells. For example, we know whether choosing iron before using magnets to melt Regolith can improve the quality of mungrass.

Ultimately, they want to expand the process to other dusty residents. “We’re already thinking, ‘Can we make this work on Mars Regolith?”,” says Lang.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

NASA’s luck turns around with success of Blue Ghost Moon Lander after month of disappointment

Posted on March 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

NASA took a chance some years back that commercial companies could conduct scientific experiments on the moon at a lower cost than institutions.

Unfortunately, last year, NASA’s initial attempt missed its mark, and the second attempt ended in a crash. However, this month saw success with the robot lander, Blue Ghost, built by Firefly Aerospace in Texas.

On March 16th, as Blue Ghost completed its mission on the moon, the mood at Firefly’s mission operation in Austin was a mix of happiness and bittersweet anticipation for the spacecraft’s demise.

The sun had already set on the lunar surface where Blue Ghost had been working for two weeks, 15 million miles away from Earth.

For solar-powered spacecraft like Blue Ghost, time was running out, and the end was near.

Ray Allensworth, the director of the spaceship program at Firefly, described the atmosphere as light and enthusiastic as they reflected on the successful mission of Blue Ghost.

While other commercial moon missions have faced challenges, Blue Ghost’s success has provided NASA with valuable data for future collaborations.

Scientists like Robert Grimm at the Southwest Institute in Colorado, who led one of the scientific payloads, expressed gratitude for the successful mission, noting that it was better than ending up as a crater.

One of the NASA experiments on Blue Ghost captured images of the lunar surface, providing valuable insights for future missions and research.

The data collected by the cameras will help scientists understand the dynamics of lunar surfaces and potential hazards for future spacecraft landings.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Private Moonlander to go silent two weeks into moon mission

Posted on March 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The Light out The first private Lunar Lander A completely successful moon mission.

Firefly Air Space Blue Ghost Lander We were silent over the weekend to close out NASA’s two-week science experiment. The end came when the moon sets, but no longer provides energy Lander’s solar panels.

“The mission is complete,” Firefly CEO Jason Kim said late Sunday night via X. “But the ghosts still live in our hearts and minds.

Lander was open for five hours on a moonlit night, as planned before his death on Sunday evening. Photos of the moon sunset and glow will be released on Tuesday, Kim said.

Blue Ghost was launched by Cape Canaveral in January as part of NASA’s commercial monthly distribution program. It landed on March 2nd at the northeastern edge of the moon. Carrying drills, vacuums and other scientific and technical equipment for NASA. Firefly confirmed on Monday that all 10 experiments worked.

Later last week, Blue Ghost observed a solar eclipse of the total sun from the moon. This is a total lunar eclipse, as seen from the Earth.

Texas-based Firefly has become the first private company to land on the moon without falling or crashing after a series of failed missions by other companies over the past few years. Only five countries in the US, Russia, China, India and Japan have successfully landed.

The lunar lander of the Japanese company shared the SpaceX Rocket Ride, but took an even longer route to reach the moon. That Lander from Ispace is targeting a touchdown in early June.

Another Texas company, an intuitive machine, lay down in a crater near the moon’s Antarctic earlier this month, dooming the mission. This was the second imperfect mission for the intuitive machine. That first Lander brought the US back to the moon for the first time since the Apollo era after a perfect landing that hindered communication last year.

Firefly is already working on the next moon lander, and is striving to land one lunar a year.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Images of Mars and Deimos captured by Hera from a moon

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

On March 12, 2025, Spatula – ESA’s first space safety mission – reached Deimos, coming within 5,000 km of the surface of Mars and 1,000 km from Deimos. During flybys, the spacecraft deployed scientific payloads for studying Earth and the Moon. Activating the instruments onboard Hera, scientists were able to visualize the surface of Mars and the features of Deimos.

Mars appears bright blue in this near-infrared image of the Hyperscout H Hyperspectral Imager, which was acquired on the Mission’s March 12th Gravity Assisted Flyby. The spacecraft was about 1,000 km from Deimos, 12.4 km in diameter when this image was acquired. In the background, you can observe various Mars features. At the top of the image is the bright Terra Sabaaa area near the equator of Mars, which is outlined in a dark area, with the huygen crater at a distance of 450 km to the left of the Terra Aaa at Sabaaa and the 460 km diameter Shea Parelli Crater. To the bottom right of the Mars disc is one of the largest known impact craters in the solar system, 2,300 km in diameter and over 7 km deep. Image credit: ESA.

Launched on October 7th, 2024, Hera is now en route to visit Dimorphos. Dimorphos was the first asteroid to have its orbit altered by human intervention.

By gathering detailed data on this asteroid, which was affected by NASA’s DART spacecraft in 2022, Hera aims to advance asteroid deflection into a well-understood and potentially replicable technology.

Hera’s Flyby of Mars was a crucial step in the journey through Deep Space, meticulously planned by ESA’s Flight Dynamics team.

Approaching within 5,000 km of Mars, the planet’s gravity assisted in adjusting the spacecraft’s path towards its target.

Traveling at 9 km/s relative to Mars, Hera was able to capture images of Deimos from 1,000 km away, exploring the far side of the tiny moon opposite to the red planet.

“The mission analysis and flight dynamics team at ESOC in Germany did an exceptional job in planning the gravity assist,” said Caglayan Guerbuez, ESA’s Hera Spacecraft Operations Manager.

“In particular, they had to fine-tune the operations to bring Hera closer to Deimos, which added quite a bit of extra work for them!”

Three instruments onboard HERA were utilized during the flyby.

– The asteroid framing camera of the Spara, used for navigation and scientific purposes, captured images in visible light.

– HERA’s Hyperscout H Hyperspectral Imager observed in multiple colors beyond human perception, aiding in characterizing mineral compositions with its 25 visible and near-infrared spectral bands.

– HERA’s thermal infrared imager, provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), revealed physical properties such as roughness, particle size distribution, and porosity, mapping surface temperatures in mid-red wavelengths.

“These instruments were previously tested before leaving Earth, but this is the first time they were utilized on a distant moon like Deimos where knowledge is limited,” said the Research Director of CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur.

“Upon reaching Deimos, one of the HERA instruments remained idle as the others were in use. This is due to the limitation of the Cubesats, which are only activated at slower speeds when at a considerable distance from the target,” added the Research Director.

Source: www.sci.news

Hera Asteroid Mission Captures Breathtaking Image of Deimos, Moon of Mars

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Mars appears bright blue in this near-infrared image taken by Hera's spacecraft. The month's deimos is a dark mark towards the center of the image

ESA

Space exploration mission to study asteroids that NASA deliberately crashed a spacecraft three years ago takes stunning bonus images of Mars and its moon Deimos is on the way to his final destination.

NASA's 2022 Double Planet Redirect Test (DART) was an attempt to show that bodies on a collision course with the planet could be deliberately redirected to avoid catastrophic effects. Observations from Earth showed that NASA successfully alters the orbit of the asteroid by crushing the 610-kilogram ship into distant asteroid shaped leaves at 6.6 km/sec. Dimorphos did not present any risk to the Earth, and simply acted as a subject.

Hera is a subsequent European Space Agency mission designed to explore the effects of crashes in detail. The craft is the size of a small car weighing 1081 kilograms when fully fueled. It was released on October 7, 2024 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket, and on March 12, 2025 I made a flyby to Mars on my way to the asteroid.

Deimos looks dark surrounded by Mars

ESA

Hera came close to 5,000 kilometers to the surface of Mars, received a gravity boost and cast it at Dimorphos. The operation reduced travel time by months and saved fuel.

It was very close to Mars, but I was able to turn on the trio of sensors to take detailed photos of some of the planets. Demos in the same frame. We captured images, infrared cameras and hyperspectral imagers that can sense different colors beyond the limits of the human eye using a 1020 x 1020 pixel resolution.

Hera moved at 9 km/sec compared to Mars, allowing him to image Deimos, a distance of just 1000 kilometers, ranging from 12.4 kilometers long. You can also photograph the side of the moon, which is attractively trapped from Mars, but that's not very common.

Deimos shines much brighter than Mars in this shot taken by Hera's thermal infrared imager

ESA/JAXA

The first concept behind the Hera mission was that it existed when Dart collided with Dimorphos, but delays in funding made it impossible. It will arrive a few years after the impact.

The mission also features two miniature satellites, called Juventus and Milani, or Cubesat. Rather than rotating the traits, these will fly before them and make a drastic pass at smaller, risky distances to collect data. Both are expected to look better if they eventually land on an asteroid and do everything they can in the distance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu31-crtr9s

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Intuitive Machine: Athena Lander Reaches Moon, but Deems to Have Collapsed

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

IM-2 missions in low lunar orbits

An intuitive machine

The intuitive machine Athena Lander has reached the moon, but appears to have fallen. The Lander is still working, but it is not yet clear which part of the mission will still be able to achieve.

The spacecraft was mounted on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cape Canaveral, Florida on February 27th. It landed on March 6th, but the landing was not completely successful, and the exact location or orientation of the lunar surface is still unknown.

“I don’t think we’re in the right attitude on the surface of the moon,” the CEO of the intuitive machine said. Stephen Altmus At a press conference just after landing. This is similar to the company’s last attempt at landing on the moon, the Odysseus spacecraft. It was the first time a private company had landed a spacecraft on the moon, but it turned over to its side and was unable to send much of the data back.

There are a variety of scientific instruments in Athena, but perhaps the most important of these are the regoliths and ice drills to explore new terrain (Trident), a NASA experiment designed to drill up to a maximum metre to a meter through the lunar soil. The purpose is to take samples from underground, analyze their contents, and search for water ice and other compounds.

“This experiment marks an important milestone as it will mark the first robotic drilling activity to be carried out in the Antarctic region of the lunar.” Jacqueline Quinn At KSC at a press conference on February 25th. If Trident is still working, “This is an important step in understanding and leveraging the moon’s resources to support future exploration,” she said.

As part of the IM-2 mission, Athena carried several rovers to the moon. One of them is called Grace after Grace Hopper, a computer scientist and mathematician, and unlike the rover that came before him, he is designed to fly around the surface, firing small boosters to dive into the air up to 100 meters, travelling about 200 meters. Grace aims to explore the strange, permanently shadowed craters of the moon.

Athena operators were able to send craft commands to turn it on and off and downlink some of their data to Earth. The solar panels also function to charge Lander electronics. That seems good news, but the team is still working to figure out which instruments can achieve some of their scientific goals, Altemus said.

This is part of a broader push to increase lunar exploration in preparation for planned human missions over the next decade. The Blue Ghost Lander at Firefly Aerospace arrived in the moon on March 2nd. Resilience Lander, a Japanese company Ispace, is on the way.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

A second civilian spaceship lands on the moon in just a week

Posted on March 6, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In less than a week, the second privately constructed US spacecraft is poised to land on the moon.

The robot lander, named Athena, was created by an intuitive machine based in Texas. It was launched into space on February 26th and has been traveling to the moon for the past week.

About the size of a dishwasher, the six-legged ship is set to land in the lunar Antarctic area, with plans to spend a week searching for possible water ice beneath the lunar surface.

The landing is scheduled for Thursday at 12:32 pm ET.

If successful, Athena will be the second vehicle to land on the moon in five days, following another robotic lander built by Texas-based Firefly Aerospace, which landed there on Sunday.

Both missions are part of NASA’s Commercial Moon Payload Services program, aimed at assisting private companies in developing Moonlander technology. Over a dozen US companies are involved in this initiative, which is crucial to NASA’s overarching goal of returning astronauts to the moon.

Athena’s landing will mark the second moonshot for the intuitive machine. The company previously made history in February 2024 by landing a commercially built spacecraft on the moon, becoming the first American spacecraft to land there in over 50 years since the 1972 Apollo 17 mission.

Athena’s Moon Lander.
An intuitive machine

The Lander, known as Odysseus, experienced a successful landing despite tipping over afterwards.

Both intuitive machine missions are focused on the Antarctic region of the moon. Odysseus landed near a crater called Marapart A, while Athena is targeting a vast flat mountain plateau known as Mons Mouton.

Scientists believe that water ice is relatively abundant in the moon’s Antarctic region, making it a crucial resource for potential crew missions and long-term stays on the moon.

Athena is equipped with several rovers, including the suitcase-sized vehicles developed by Colorado-based Lunar Outpost called Mapp (Mobile Autonomous Research Exploration Platform). These rovers are designed to explore the landing site and capture 3D images of the terrain.

Furthermore, a thumb-sized rover named “Astroant,” created by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will assess the health of the map rover and take regular temperature measurements.

In addition, the mission includes releasing a drone named Grace, which will hop around the Athena landing site, covering approximately 650 feet in four hops to explore nearby craters and scan for hydrogen traces and ice deposits.

While on the moon, Athena will also test a 4G communications system developed by Nokia, which could facilitate communication and data transfer between spacecraft on the moon.

Moon exploration continues beyond this week, with a Lander and small rover from a Japanese company called Ispace set to land near the northern pole’s vast basin known as Male Frigolis.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The Blue Ghost Spacecraft from Firefly completes its second commercial moon landing

Posted on March 6, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The Blue Ghost took a photo of the shadows on the moon.

Firefly Air Space

The Texas company has achieved its second commercial landing on the moon. And the first company didn't fall with a touchdown. Success comes even in the gusts of private and state moon exploration.

The Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Lander was launched on January 15th on top of the SpaceX rocket, and spent 45 days of travel to the moon. It landed at 8:34am on March 2nd. Chrysium in the Maresa smooth basin formed by a volcanic eruption three billion years ago.

Using thrusters, Blue Ghost slowed from an orbital speed of 1.7 km/sec to just 1 meter/sec, then landed on shock absorbing legs within 100 meters of the target. Jason Kim, CEO of Hotaru; I told CNN That the short height of the craft was the key to a safe landing: “It is a successful design, you see past designs and successful past designs, [they] Very similar – short and squatti. ”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqsgzztvpao

The Blue Ghost is approximately 2 metres tall and 3.5 metres wide, and features 10 scientific instruments as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program, which uses the private sector to perform various experiments prior to the planned crew mission.

These include testing of the lunar planet, which uses compressed gas blasts to mix and collect samples of lunar dust, radiation-curable computer chips, and lunar GNSS receiver experiments that pick up signals from GPS and Galileo navigation satellite constellation to bring Earth into orbit to provide timing data for the moon.

The Lander will be operating on Earth Day-Moon Day, approximately 14 days before falling into the darkness and closing around March 16th. While other landers have unexpectedly survived the harsh conditions before, a frostling moon night will likely be the end of the mission.

Last February, the Texas-based intuitive machine landed the Odysseus spacecraft on the moon, becoming the first private company to achieve a feat previously only achieved by the National Space Agency. Odysseus fell to the side while landing, but still managed to work surprisingly well.

Many moon missions are in progress or planning. Also, Blue Ghost's Launch Rocket was another commercial moon mission, Ispace's Resilience Lander, intended to land in April. It is expected that around 12 landers will reach the moon in 2025 alone.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

My Handcrafted Blue Ghost Spaceship Ready to Touch Down on the Moon

Posted on March 1, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The personally built spacecraft is a few hours away from landing on the moon, a feat only achieved by one other company in spaceflight history.

The robot lander, known as Blue Ghost, has been orbiting the moon for approximately two weeks, gearing up for a daring descent. Firefly Aerospace, a Texas-based company, has developed a spacecraft with the goal of landing on the moon around 3:34 am early Sunday.

If all goes as planned, Blue Ghost will become the second privately owned vehicle to land on the moon. In February 2024, another Texas-based company, Intuitive Machines, made history with the Odysseus Lander successfully touching down near the moon’s Antarctic region.

Firefly’s Blue Ghost Lunar Lander took a selfie on Earth.
Firefly Air Space

Firefly Aerospace’s future landing attempts are set for 2025 as part of a robotic mission to the moon. Recently, Intuitive Machines launched its second lunar landing vehicle into space. Japanese company, The Ispace, was also sent towards the moon on the same rocket as Blue Ghost, taking a longer route but expected to arrive around late May or early June.

Blue Ghost is targeting a landing site in a 350-mile-wide basin near the moon’s surface, always facing the Earth. This area is believed to be the location of an ancient asteroid impact, according to NASA.

During a recent orbit around the moon, the Lander captured footage showing distant craters on the lunar surface.

Firefly’s Blue Ghost Lander filmed footage of the other side of the Moon on February 24th.
Firefly Air Space

Blue Ghost is scheduled to begin its descent around 2 am on Sunday. NASA will broadcast live streams starting at 2:20 am ET on NASA TV.

Equipped with 10 NASA science instruments, the spacecraft will conduct various studies, including surveying the moon’s interior up to 700 miles deep, capturing Earth-focused x-ray images, analyzing space weather interactions with Earth’s magnetic field, and capturing detailed images during the descent for future missions.

The instruments onboard the Lander will examine lunar soil samples, study lunar dust adherence to different surfaces, and use lasers to measure Earth-Moon distance accurately.

Blue Ghost is expected to gather data on the moon for about two weeks.

While in Lunar Orbit, Firefly’s Blue Ghost Lander captured images of the moon’s Antarctic.
Firefly Air Space

This mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, a public-private partnership between NASA and US companies to deliver scientific experiments, technology, and cargo to the moon. It is a critical component of NASA’s Artemis program, designed to eventually return humans to the moon.

NASA allocated approximately $101.5 million to Firefly Aerospace to carry out the Blue Ghost Mission.

NASA states that the scientific experiments and technology demonstrations on these missions will enhance our understanding of the moon’s Antarctic region, where future human crews are expected to land.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

This week, a new moon lander will be launched at the Antarctic on the moon.

Posted on February 25, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Scheduled to appear in space this week, the Robot Moonlander is set to mark the second moon mission of a company that made history last year by becoming the first private company to successfully land on the moon’s surface.

The spacecraft, named Athena, was built by Intuitive Machines, a company based in Texas. It is equipped with a drill and various instruments to analyze the chemical composition of rocks and soil beneath the lunar surface.

The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Moon Payload Services Program, which aims to assist private companies in developing Moonlanders. The anticipated landing site is the plateau of the lunar Antarctic region, specifically a flat mountain known as Monsmouton.

NASA is particularly interested in the Antarctic region of the Moon due to the presence of water ice in permanently shadowed craters. The presence of water could be crucial for establishing permanent bases on the moon, and Athena’s mission will focus on searching for groundwater.

Athena is scheduled to launch on top of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday at 7:17pm from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The same rocket will also launch a lunar mapping satellite developed by NASA, called the Lunar Trailblazer.

In addition to these missions, NASA plans to send the Spherex Space Observatory into orbit on Thursday to study the origins of the universe. SpaceX’s Starship Megarocke is set for its eighth test flight on Friday, and another robot Moonlander developed by Firefly Aerospace will attempt to land on the moon over the weekend.

Following its release, the Athena Lander is expected to travel for about a week before landing, potentially as early as March 6th. The mission will also test a 4G communications system developed by Nokia on the moon’s surface.

During the mission, Athena Lander will deploy a drone named Grace to explore the landing site through a series of hops. The company aims to replicate their historic moon landing success from February 2024 near Marapart A crater in the Antarctic region of the Moon.

The goal is for Athena Lander to successfully land and fulfill its mission objectives, paving the way for future lunar exploration and potentially aiding in establishing human presence on the moon.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Athena, the intuitive moon lander machine, poised for explosive mission on the lunar surface

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Artist's impression of the moon's Athena spaceship

NASA

This week, a private space mission was launched on the moon, aiming to reach the southernmost point we've ever visited on the moon. The Athena spacecraft, built by an intuitive US-based machine, will be released from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida at 12:17am on February 27th (7:17pm on February 26th). It will be installed on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Also, several other missions hitch on the same rocket, including expeditions that mine asteroids.

The intuitive machine became the first private company to succeed on the moon last year when Odysseus' spacecraft landed near the moon's Antarctica. The spacecraft's instruments remained in operation, but Odysseus made a troublesome landing, flipped over, limiting the amount of data the equipment could collect, and shortening the mission.

The company hopes for a cleaner landing as Athena begins its descent towards the end of March. The planned landing site is near the highest mountain on the moon, the lunar mewton, about 60 kilometers from Antarctica, and Athena's attempts have become the most southern approach to date. If the ship is successful, it will start a moon night and operate for several weeks on par with the moon in a day before it loses power.

Athena carries over 10 musical instruments and missions from both NASA and other private companies. That's not all. The Falcon 9, the same one that fires Athena at the moon, also carries three unrelated spacecraft. These are asteroid-controlled spacecraft from space company Astroforge, and the first mission of this kind will investigate potential minable metal space rocks later this year. You can also map water to the moon along with NASA's lunar satellite aboard, looking for future landing sites. The third spacecraft, built by epic aerospace, is designed to help other satellites move between orbits.

Once Athena lands, NASA instruments will excavate up to 1 meter into the lunar soil to sample it, then look at water sediments and other chemicals. NASA would like to know if these will be present in sufficient quantities for future astronauts to be used as part of the Artemis Moon Landing, which is planned for the agency to be released in 2027. It's there.

Several small rovers will also be released near the landing site, including the plant pot-sized Yaokirovers of Japanese company Dimon. The heavier 10kg mobile autonomous exploration platform (MAPP), built by Space Company Lunar Outspost, explores and creates 3D maps of landing sites, testing how the 4G phone network built by Nokia works in a Lunar environment. Masu. Sitting on a mapp will be a much smaller, ant-sized robot built by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The intuitive machine deploys a suitcase-sized hopping robot called Grace. Grace runs a series of four hops, jumping into the air up to 100 meters, travelling a distance of about 200 meters until it lands in a deep, permanently shaded crater. Scientists have seen evidence that these areas do not get warmer than -170°C (-274°F), but have never been visited in person. Grace scans the bottom of this crater. This crater is scanned for about 45 minutes, about 20 meters below, before popping out again.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Photographs that encapsulate humanity’s eternal fascination with the moon

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Close-up photo of astronaut shoes and shoe marks in lunar soil taken by Buzz Aldrin in July 1969

NASA/Johnson Space Center

We say don’t stop thinking about or talking about the moon Matthew CindelCurator of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

“In cities with lots of artificial light that tend to make it difficult to see stars, the moon is still very bright above us. We have been obscuring the stars, but where do we go? And yet, the moon is this extremely constant presence during our nighttime,” he says.

in Ring: The history of the moon in myths, maps and matterCompiled by Sindel, 19 authors tell the story of this coexistence between humanity and celestial bodies through a series of insightful essays, impressive images, and detailed maps of the geological features of the moon.

“It’s a story of how people’s views across the universe have changed, how physics works, how they see their position in the universe, what their views are about,” says Sindel.

Geological Maps – Almost 4 dozen of them – Location month Changing readers’ understanding of the reality of the moon. They are part of the lunar atlas produced by NASA and the US Geological Survey between 1962 and 1974, and are based on telescope observations, images, and samples taken by Robotlanders and astronauts.

In these maps, the moon is divided into 144 sections called Quadrangles, some of which were named in the 1600s and began sketching what cartographers saw through newly developed telescopes (hereinafter referred to as).

Three portrayals of the moon by Claude Melan (1637) are considered to be the most detailed and realistic portrayal of the moon surface.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Beyond being a scientific document, the maps revealed the culture of their time. Part of the moon was named after modern monarchs, such as the Oceanu Philip IV of Spain. The dark plains of the moon were often labeled “sea.” Because early observers imagined they were like the oceans of Earth. Even today, looking at the moon maps can make you think about sailing through the Serenity seas or taking a dip in the Rainbow Bay.

Cindel says the more powerful telescopes came into being, the deeper the moon’s imagination became. One notable example is the 1835 Great Moon Hoax in New York solar The newspaper has released a series of false reports of the discovery of moon life, accompanied by flying and other sculptures of fantastic creatures. In the same era, we see the beginning and surge in science fiction stories about visiting the moon, folding into modern writers and scientifically advanced visions of the future, with ancient people worshipping it as a god. It was linked.

Published by the Great Moon Hoax (1835) solar It depicts a human-like moon valley and a flying bat-like creature

Library of Congress Prints and Photography Division Washington, DC

Sindel says that with scientific advances, many researchers have continued to cherish a very direct and personal approach to the moon. In the 1840s, it was possible to combine cameras and telescopes to photograph the moon, but due to technical challenges, many moon cartographers still have the eyes of being the best cartographer instrument. got it.

The map below shows the Petavius square, named after the 17th-century theologian Dennis Petau, and features a crater of the same name, about 200 kilometers in diameter.

www.newscientist.com

Study reveals signs of recent seismic activity on far side of the moon.

Posted on January 30, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A recent study by the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Maryland suggests that the rugged terrain of the moon may still be active in areas of current interest for future missions.

The small ridge on the other side of the moon (yellow) reveals evidence that the moon may not be as dormant as before. Image Credit: Smithsonian facility, Tomwattors

For decades, scientists have been studying the moon’s surface to better understand its complex geological and evolutionary history.

Evidence from the moon’s Maria, the dark and flat areas filled with solid lava, suggests that the moon underwent significant compression in its distant past.

Researchers initially believed that a large ridge near the moon was formed by shrinkage billions of years ago, leading to the conclusion that the moon’s Maria had been dormant since then.

However, new research indicates that there may be more dynamic activity beneath the moon’s surface.

Jaclyn Clark and her colleagues, researchers at the University of Maryland, discovered that the small ridge on the other side of the moon is significantly younger than previously studied ridges.

“Many scientists had previously thought that most of the moon’s geological activity occurred over two to three billion years ago,” Clark stated. “But it appears that these structural features have been active within the past billion years and may still be active today.”

“These small ridges formed within the last 200 million years, a relatively recent timeframe in lunar terms,” she added.

Using advanced mapping and modeling techniques, researchers uncovered a previously unknown small ridge on the far side of the moon.

The ridge consists of 10-40 volcanic groups likely formed 3.2 to 3.6 billion years ago in narrow areas with fundamental weaknesses on the moon’s surface.

To determine the age of these small ridges, researchers employed a crater count method and found them to be younger than surrounding features.

“The more craters present, the older the surface,” Dr. Clark explained. “Based on the number of craters, we estimate that these features have been structurally active within the last 160 million years.”

Scientists noted that the structure of the distant ridge resembles that seen near the moon, suggesting they were formed by similar forces.

A few decades ago, NASA’s Apollo Mission detected shallow moonquakes. Recent findings suggest that these small ridges may be related to similar seismic activity.

“I hope that future moon missions will include tools like terrestrial penetration radar to better understand the subsurface structure of the moon,” Clark expressed. “Knowing that the moon is still geologically active is crucial for planning human missions and infrastructure development on the lunar surface.”

The team’s paper was published this month in the Planetary Science Journal.

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Ca Nypaver et al. 2025. Moon Distant Ridges and Antartica – Recent Structural Deformation of an Incongruous Basin. Planet. Sci. J 6, 16; DOI: 10.3847/PSJ/AD9EAA

Source: www.sci.news

New study suggests Earth’s recent minimoon originated from the moon

Posted on January 23, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Near-Earth asteroid 2024 PT5 is in an Earth-like orbit and remained very close to Earth for several months at the end of 2024.

2024 PT5 captured a brief flyby from September 29 to November 25, 2024. Image credit: University of Colorado.

2024 PT was first detected on August 7, 2024 by the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope at the University of Hawaii in Sutherland, South Africa.

This asteroid poses no danger to Earth, but its orbit around the sun closely matches that of our planet.

The object, which is about 10 meters (33 feet) wide, appears to be composed of rock that broke off from the moon’s surface and was ejected into space after a major impact.

“There was a general idea that this asteroid might have come from the moon, but when we discovered that this asteroid is rich in silicate minerals, it became conclusive proof. The silicate minerals are not the kind found on asteroids, but rather the ones found in the moon’s rocks. Dr. Teddy Kaleta Astronomer at Lowell Observatory.

“It doesn’t seem to have been in space very long, perhaps only a few thousand years, because there was no cosmic weathering to cause its spectrum to turn red.”

Using observations from the Lowell Discovery Telescope and NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) at Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii, Dr. Kaleta and his colleagues show that the spectrum of sunlight reflected from the surface of 2024 PT does not match its spectrum. showed. A known asteroid type. Instead, the reflected light more closely matched the moon’s rocks.

This discovery doubles the number of known asteroids thought to originate from the Moon.

“Asteroid 469219 Kamooarewa was discovered in 2016 in an Earth-like orbit around the sun, indicating that this asteroid may also have been ejected from the lunar surface after a major impact,” the astronomers said. said.

“As telescopes become more sensitive to smaller asteroids, more potential lunar boulders will be discovered, and scientists studying the moon as well as scientists studying rare asteroid populations will It creates exciting opportunities for everyone.”

“If a lunar asteroid could be directly related to a specific impact crater on the Moon, studying it could provide insight into the cratering process on the pockmarked lunar surface.”

“Also, material collected from deep on the moon’s surface in the form of asteroids passing close to Earth could be available to future scientists for study.”

“This is a story about the moon told by asteroid scientists,” Dr. Kaleta said.

“It’s an unusual situation where we go out to study asteroids and end up wandering into new territory in terms of the questions we can ask for PT5 in 2024.”

of findings On January 14, 2025, Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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Theodore Caleta others. 2025. On the origin of the near-Earth asteroid moon2024 PT5. APJL 979, L8; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad9ea8

Source: www.sci.news

SpaceX Plans to Send Two Lunar Landers to the Moon

Posted on January 15, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The commencement of the new year for lunar exploration is set to take place early Wednesday, as two robotic landers and a small rover are poised to embark on their journey to the moon.

A SpaceX rocket is scheduled for liftoff from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:11 a.m. ET, launching two separate unmanned missions to the lunar surface.

The first mission, developed by Texas-based company Firefly Aerospace, aims to land the Blue Ghost lander in an area of the moon known as Mare Crisium—a 340-mile-wide basin believed to be the result of an ancient asteroid impact.

The second mission, conducted by Japanese company ispace, consists of a lander named Resilience and a “micro probe” called Tenacious, targeting a landing site in an area called Mare Frigoris in the moon’s northern region.

This will be ispace’s second attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon, following a failed 2023 mission when the lander Hakuto crashed due to unexpected acceleration during descent.

A model of ispace Inc.’s lunar rover Tenacious at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Space Center in Tsukuba.
Toru Hanai/Bloomberg, from Getty Images files

The ispace lander and rover are expected to take a longer and less energy-intensive path to the moon compared to Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander, with a 45-day journey time and an estimated arrival in four to five months.

Blue Ghost will transport 10 NASA scientific instruments to the moon and spend approximately two weeks collecting data on the lunar surface.

The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services Initiative, which involves NASA partnering with private companies to deliver scientific experiments, technology, and other cargo to the lunar surface.

These endeavors are within NASA’s broader Artemis program, which aims at the eventual return of humans to the moon.

Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, mentioned that the Blue Ghost lander mission will provide crucial insights for forthcoming Artemis expeditions involving astronaut crews.

For instance, details about the moon’s landscape and topography, including the conditions at the moon’s south pole—the designated landing spot for the manned Artemis mission—might be unveiled.

“This is a strategically significant and productive site, and we anticipate future astronaut explorers using their expertise to gather scientifically intriguing samples and bring them back to Earth,” Fox stated at a press conference on Tuesday.

The scientific equipment carried by Blue Ghost includes tools for precise measurement of the Earth-Moon distance, lunar dust study, and collection and analysis of lunar soil samples using a jet of compressed gas.

“Each accomplishment along the way will yield valuable data for upcoming missions, benefiting the United States and keeping our international collaborators at the forefront of space exploration,” Fox added.

SpaceX did not disclose the amount paid by the companies for the joint trip to orbit.

The plan involves the release of the Blue Ghost lander approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes post liftoff, followed by the ispace lander and rover about 30 minutes later, as per NASA’s NASA science mission director Juliana Shaiman.

a NASA broadcasts Falcon 9 rocket launch It commences at 12:30 a.m. ET.

Forecasts indicate a 90% likelihood of favorable weather for launch, with backup opportunities available until Jan. 20, according to SpaceX officials.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Blue Ghost and Resilience landers launched by SpaceX to the moon

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Artist’s impression of the Blue Ghost’s moon landing

firefly aerospace

In a sign of increased commercial activity on the moon, two private spacecraft aiming to land on the moon will be launched aboard a SpaceX rocket.

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander and iSpace’s Resilience lander, both aboard the same Falcon 9 rocket, departed from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:11 a.m. on January 15. It is scheduled to launch at 1:11 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time (1:11 a.m. ET).

This launch will be iSpace’s second attempt to land on the moon. The company suffered its first failure in 2023 when its Hakuto-R spacecraft crashed into the moon’s surface. The Japanese company has since said it has upgraded Resilience’s hardware and software to avoid the mistakes that led to the crash.

Meanwhile, the American company Firefly Aerospace is making its first attempt. The company has a contract with NASA as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which pays private companies to accomplish scientific goals.

Resilience will carry six payloads to the lunar surface, including an experiment to use microalgae to produce food on the moon, and a micro rover that will roam, analyze, and photograph the landing area. Blue Ghost will combine 10 civilian and public payloads, including a radiation-hardened computer, a drill to measure how heat flows across the moon’s surface, and a satellite receiver that will seek to establish a permanent link with the moon. We plan to take it to the moon. Earth’s GPS network.

Resilience Lunar Module is ready for launch

iSpace

Both missions reach Earth orbit relatively quickly, within minutes of liftoff, but it takes much longer to reach the Moon. After orbiting Earth for 25 days, Blue Ghost will start its engines and begin a four-day journey to the Moon, where it will orbit for 16 days. After this, it will descend autonomously and land on a plain called Mare Crisium, where it will take two weeks to complete its scientific objectives.

Resilience will take a more circuitous route, passing the moon a month after launch, gliding deep into space for several months, then turning around and making the journey back to the moon. Once in orbit, the spacecraft is expected to land on a plain called Mare Frigoris within four to five months of launch.

If the mission is successful, they will be the second and third commercial spacecraft to land on the moon. The first craft was Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander, which landed last year.

Blue Ghost and Resilience are the first of about a dozen spacecraft hoping to make contact with lunar soil this year, primarily by NASA’s CLPS, many of which will serve as future human lunar surface residents. It is designed to test and demonstrate the technology required for These include the second and third missions of Intuitive Machines. IM-2 will explore digging buried ice near the moon’s south pole for use in future missions, as well as deploying two rovers and a lunar satellite to communicate with Earth.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New research suggests the moon could be older than initially estimated

Posted on December 19, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

overview

New research suggests the moon may be older than many scientists thought.
This study suggests that the moon rock samples taken during the Apollo missions date back to an event in which the moon's surface melted, rather than the moment the moon formed.
Therefore, the authors believe that the Moon formed about 4.51 billion years ago, which is more than 100 million years earlier than the generally accepted estimate.

The moon may be more than 100 million years older than some scientists previously thought, according to a new study.

The study was published on Wednesday. journal naturechallenges long-held ideas The moon is thought to have formed about 4.35 billion years ago after an object the size of Mars crashed into the early Earth and created our natural satellite.

That timeline is based on analysis of lunar rock samples taken during NASA's Apollo mission. But new research shows that the moon formed much earlier, about 4.51 billion years ago, and then underwent a dramatic “remelting” phenomenon around the time other scientists thought the moon first formed. It suggests that you have experienced it.

According to the authors, the melting occurred because Earth's constant gravitational pull distorted the moon and made it extremely hot as it moved away from Earth. According to the study, this process altered the moon's surface and hid the moon's true age.

The study's lead author, Francis Nimmo, a professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz, said the extreme heating caused the moon's surface to re-melt, effectively “resetting all the clocks” on the moon's rocks. 'There is a possibility.

“So moon rocks don't tell us when the moon formed, but they tell us when subsequent events that heated the moon occurred,” he says.

The scientific community has disagreed for decades about the exact age of the moon. Nimmo and his colleagues are not the first to offer older estimates. This new discovery adds to the growing consensus that there may be more to the moon's history than the Apollo samples revealed.

For example, planetary scientists have wondered how a massive collision occurred 4.35 billion years ago, when most large objects in the history of the solar system were thought to have already come together to form planets. I have had a hard time explaining why the moon was formed.

“Those who studied the Apollo samples had reasonable guesses about the moon's age, but those who modeled how the planets in our solar system formed are wondering why so much material still remains after 200 million years. “It was always difficult to explain why the solar system was still flying,” Nimmo said. “That's the way it is, and the two camps want different ages.”

The adjusted schedule by Nimmo's team may also help explain why. A mineral called zircon found on the moon It was discovered in Apollo's moon rock and is estimated to be approximately 4.5 billion years old. The moon's zircons, like other minerals on the moon, were thought to have crystallized during the moon's extreme temperatures, but their much older age has long puzzled scientists. .

In a new study, Nimmo and his colleagues suggest that the moon's overheating is the product of a process known as “tidal heating.”

“There are certain spots where the moon's orbit can be temporarily thrown off as it gets pushed aside,” Nimmo said. “During that time, the moon can be squeezed and stretched by Earth's gravity, which causes it to heat up.”

Similar tidal heating is thought to occur between Jupiter and its moons. a 2020 survey Researchers have discovered that the gas giant's gravity can stretch and squeeze some of its icy moons to the point where they heat up their interiors and melt rocks into magma. It is believed that this also applies to Jupiter's moon Io.

Recent and upcoming lunar missions could provide better insight into the moon's evolutionary history, Nimmo said. This includes China's Chang'e 6 mission, which collected samples from…

“The evolution of the solar system was very rapid. In just tens of millions of years, all the objects we know today were formed,” Munker said. “That's why we need very good temporal resolution for these very early events and why it's important to understand how the Earth-Moon system formed.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

New research indicates that Jupiter’s moon Io does not have an underground magma ocean

Posted on December 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Juno and Galileo’s volcanic activity on Io, Jupiter’s innermost Galilean moon and the most volcanically active object in the solar system, is unlikely to originate from a global magma ocean just below the surface. Deep space networks and astronomical observations, according to new analysis of Doppler data.

The internal structure of Io revealed by this research. Image credit: Sofia Shen / NASA / JPL / Caltech.

Slightly larger than Earth’s moon, Io is the most volcanically active object in the solar system.

It is the innermost of Jupiter’s Galilean moons, which in addition to Io includes Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

Trapped in a gravitational tug of war between Jupiter, Europa, and Ganymede, Io is constantly squeezed, causing frictional heat to build up within its interior, which is thought to be the cause of sustained and widespread volcanic activity.

Volcanic activity on the Moon was first discovered in 1979. That’s when Linda Morabito, an engineer on NASA’s Voyager program, spotted an eruption plume in one of the images taken by the spacecraft during its famous Grand Tour of the outer planets.

Since then, countless observations have been made from both space telescopes and telescopes on Earth documenting Io’s restless nature.

“Io is Galileo’s innermost moon, orbiting Jupiter every 42.5 hours,” said Juno collaborator Dr. Ryan Park of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and colleagues.

“It has an average diameter of 3,643 km and a bulk density of 3,528 kg/m.³ As such, it is approximately 5% larger than the Moon, both in diameter and density.”

“Io’s eccentric orbit changes its distance from Jupiter by about 3,500 km, which leads to fluctuations in Jupiter’s gravitational pull.”

“Similar to the Moon’s tides caused by Earth, these gravitational fluctuations cause tidal deformations on Io, which are theorized to serve as the main energy source for the intense volcanism and infrared radiation observed on Io’s surface.”

The amount of tidal energy could be enough to cause Io’s interior to melt, potentially forming a magma ocean underground, but this theory is controversial.

Measuring the extent of Io’s tidal deformation could help determine whether the shallow magma ocean theory is plausible.

“Since the discovery of Morabito, planetary scientists have wondered how volcanoes were fed by lava beneath the Earth’s surface,” said Scott Bolton, Ph.D., principal investigator at Juno and a researcher at the Southwest Research Institute.

“Was there a shallow ocean of white-hot magma that fueled the volcano, or was the source more local?”

“We knew data from Juno’s two very close approaches could give us insight into how this beleaguered satellite actually works.”

Io’s arctic region was captured by NASA’s Juno on December 30, 2023, during the spacecraft’s 57th approach to the gas giant. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / MSSS / Gerald Eichstädt.

NASA’s Juno spacecraft flew very close to Io in December 2023 and February 2024, coming within about 1,500 km of the surface.

During its approach, Juno communicated with NASA’s Deep Space Network and acquired high-precision dual-frequency Doppler data. This data was used to measure Io’s gravity by tracking how it affects the spacecraft’s acceleration.

Combining these observations with archival Doppler data from NASA’s Galileo mission and ground-based telescopes, the researchers calculated how much Io is deformed by tidal forces.

This result is inconsistent with what would be expected if a shallow global magma ocean existed, suggesting that Io has a nearly solid mantle.

It is not yet known whether there are regions of magma deep within the moon.

The findings show that tidal forces do not necessarily create global magma oceans, which could have implications for our understanding of other moons such as Enceladus and Europa.

“Juno’s discovery that tidal forces don’t always produce global magma oceans not only prompts us to rethink what we know about Io’s interior,” Dr. Park said.

“It has implications for our understanding of other moons such as Enceladus and Europa, as well as exoplanets and super-Earths.”

“Our new findings provide an opportunity to rethink what we know about planet formation and evolution.”

The team’s paper published in this week’s magazine nature.

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RS Park others. Due to Io’s tidal reactions, shallow magma oceans do not form. nature published online on December 12, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08442-5

Source: www.sci.news

NASA to investigate subterranean ocean of Uranus’ moon

Posted on November 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Some of the icy moons in the Jupiter and Saturn systems appear to have oceans of liquid water inside them. Although our knowledge of Uranus' moons is more limited, future tours of the Uranian system may be able to detect subsurface oceans. To plan for this, we need to understand how the internal structure of satellites, with and without oceans, relates to observable quantities. New research from the University of Texas Geophysical Institute and the University of California, Santa Cruz shows it may be possible to diagnose the presence or absence of liquid water oceans inside some of Uranus' moons, including Miranda and Ariel. There is, Umbriel, and it is thought that this, combined with measurements of the gravitational field, may provide comprehensive constraints on the internal structure and history of Uranus' moons.

Uranus' four major moons, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon, may have oceanic layers. Salty seas, or salty seas, are found beneath the ice and above water-rich and dry rock layers. Miranda is too small to retain enough heat in the ocean layer. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

When NASA's Voyager 2 flew by Uranus in 1986, it took grainy photos of the large icy moon.

Now, NASA plans to send another spacecraft to Uranus, this time equipped to see if those icy moons hide oceans of liquid water.

The mission is still in the early planning stages, but planetary researchers are preparing by building a new computer model that can be used to detect oceans beneath the ice using only the rover's cameras.

Their computer model works by analyzing the moon's tiny vibrations, or wobbles, as it orbits its parent planet.

From there, you can calculate how much water, ice, and rock is inside. A small wobble means the moon is mostly solid, while a large wobble means its icy surface is floating in an ocean of liquid water.

When combined with gravity data, the model calculates the depth of the ocean and the thickness of the overlying ice.

Dr. Doug Hemingway, a planetary scientist at the University of Texas Geophysical Institute, said: “If we find that Uranus' moons have an inland ocean, it means there are a huge number of potentially habitable worlds across the galaxy. It may mean,” he said.

“The discovery of oceans of liquid water on Uranus' moons will change our thinking about the range of possibilities for life.”

All large moons of the solar system, including the moons of Uranus, are tidally locked.

This means that the same side always faces the parent planet while orbiting, as the gravity matches their rotation.

However, this does not mean that the satellite's rotation is completely fixed; all tidally locked satellites will oscillate back and forth during their orbit.

Determining the extent of the wobble is key to learning whether Uranus' moons have oceans, and if so, how large.

A satellite with an ocean of liquid water splashing inside will wobble more than one that is entirely solid. However, even the largest oceans experience only small wobbles. The moon's rotation can shift by just a few hundred feet as it passes through its orbit.

This is still enough for a passing spacecraft to detect it. In fact, this technique was previously used to confirm that Saturn's moon Enceladus has an internal ocean.

To find out whether the same technique would work on Uranus, Dr. Hemingway and his colleague Dr. Francis Nimmo of the University of California, Santa Cruz performed theoretical calculations on Uranus's five moons, using a variety of the most I came up with a plausible scenario.

Detecting smaller oceans means the spacecraft will need to get closer or carry more powerful cameras.

“The next step is to extend the model to include measurements from other instruments and see how this improves the interior of the satellite,” Dr. Hemingway said.

of the team work Published in a magazine Geophysical Research Letters.

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DJ Hemingway and F. Nemo. 2024. Search for the underground ocean inside Uranus's moon using balance and gravity. Geophysical Research Letters 51 (18): e2024GL110409;doi: 10.1029/2024GL110409

This article is a version of a press release provided by the University of Texas.

Source: www.sci.news

The abundance of ice deposits on the Moon is greater than initially believed

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Previous studies have found signs of ice in permanently shadowed regions near the moon’s south pole, including areas within the Cabeus, Howarth, Shoemaker, and Faustini craters. A new analysis of data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) shows there is widespread evidence of water ice outside Antarctica, at least within a permanently shadowed region toward 77 degrees south latitude. Ta.

This figure shows the distribution of permanently shadowed regions (blue) toward the moon’s poles at 80 degrees south latitude. They are overlaid on a digital elevation map of the lunar surface (gray) from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter Instrument aboard NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Image credit: NASA / GSFC / Timothy P. McClanahan.

Ice may have been embedded in the lunar regolith by comet or meteor impacts, emitted as steam (gas) from the moon’s interior, or formed by chemical reactions between hydrogen in the solar wind and oxygen in the regolith. there is.

Permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) typically occur in topographic depressions near the moon’s poles.

Due to the low angle of the sun, these regions have not seen sunlight for billions of years and are constantly in extremely cold conditions.

Ice molecules are thought to be repeatedly stripped from the regolith by meteorites, cosmic radiation, or sunlight, traveling across the lunar surface and landing on the PSR, where they become trapped in the extreme cold.

The PSR’s continuously cold surface could store ice molecules near the surface for perhaps billions of years, accumulating in sediments large enough for mining.

“Our models and analysis show that the largest ice concentrations are near the coldest parts of the PSR below 75 Kelvin (minus 198 degrees Celsius, or minus 325 degrees Fahrenheit) and on poleward-facing slopes of the PSR. It is expected to occur near the base of the Dr. Timothy McClanahan, researcher at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

“It is not possible to accurately measure the volume of ice deposits in the PSR or determine whether they are buried beneath a dry layer of regolith.”

“However, we expect it to be 1 m for each surface.² If present above these deposits, there should be at least about 5 liters of ice within the top meter of the surface compared to the surrounding area. ”

McClanahan and his colleagues used LRO’s Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) instrument to detect signs of ice deposits by measuring moderately energetic “exothermal” neutrons.

Specifically, they used LEND’s Collimating Sensor for Exothermal Neutrons (CSETN), which has a fixed field of view of 30 km (18.6 miles) in diameter.

Neutrons are produced by high-energy galactic cosmic rays that come from powerful deep space events, such as exploding stars, and impact the moon’s surface, destroying regolith atoms and scattering subatomic particles called neutrons.

Neutrons originate from depths of up to about 1 meter (3.3 feet) and ping-pong through the regolith, colliding with other atoms. Some are guided into space and detected by LEND.

Since hydrogen has approximately the same mass as a neutron, neutrons lose relatively more energy in collisions with hydrogen than in collisions with the most common regolith elements.

Therefore, if hydrogen is present in the regolith, its concentration will correspondingly reduce the number of medium-energy neutrons observed.

“We hypothesized that if all PSRs had the same hydrogen concentration, CSETN should detect hydrogen concentrations proportionally depending on their area,” Dr. McClanahan said.

“Therefore, more hydrogen should be observed towards the larger area of the PSR.”

of findings this week, Planetary Science Journal.

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TP McClanahan others. 2024. Evidence of widespread hydrogen sequestration within the lunar south pole cold trap. planet. Science. J 5, 217; doi: 10.3847/PSJ/ad5b55

This article has been adapted from the original release by NASA.

Source: www.sci.news

New research proposes that the young Earth may have taken in the moon from space

Posted on October 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

According to some researchers, the moon may have been captured during a close encounter between young Earth and the Earth binary (a system consisting of the moon and other rocks). new paper Published in Planetary Science Journal.

Darren Williams and Michael Zugger explored the concept of collisionless binary exchange for capturing large satellites (comparable to or larger than the Moon) around Earth-mass objects inside and outside the solar system.

During six missions to the Moon from 1969 to 1972, Apollo astronauts collected more than 360 kg (800 pounds) of lunar rocks and soil.

Chemical and isotopic analysis of the material showed it to be similar to rocks and soils on Earth. It was found to be calcium-rich, basaltic, and dated to about 60 million years after the formation of the solar system.

Using that data, planetary scientists gathered at the Kona conference in Hawaii in 1984 reached a consensus that the moon formed from debris after it collided with a young Earth.

“The Kona conference set the story for 40 years,” said Darren Williams, a professor at Penn State University.

“But questions still remained. For example, a moon formed by a collision of planets, with the debris clumped together in a ring, should orbit above the planet's equator. Earth's moon should orbit above the planet's equator. It's circling around.

“The moon is more in line with the sun than the Earth's equator.”

“In an alternative binary exchange capture theory. Earth's gravity separated the binary star and latched onto one of the objects, the moon, which became a satellite orbiting its current plane.”

“There is evidence that this is happening elsewhere in the solar system.”

“The leading hypothesis in this field is that Triton, the largest of Neptune's moons, was drawn into orbit from the Kuiper belt, where one in 10 is thought to be a binary star. There is.”

“Triton orbits Neptune in a retrograde orbit, moving in the opposite direction of the planet's rotation.”

“Its orbit is also highly tilted, making an angle of 67 degrees from Neptune's equator.”

Professor Williams and Professor Michael Zager of Pennsylvania State University argue that Earth could have captured an even larger satellite than the moon, an object the size of Mercury or Mars, but the resulting orbit would not be stable. It was determined that there was a possibility that the

The problem is that the Moon's “capture” orbit started out as an elongated ellipse, not a circle.

Over time, the shape of the orbit changed under the influence of extreme tides.

“Today Earth's tides are more advanced than the Moon's,” Professor Williams said.

“The high tide accelerates the orbit. It gives it a pulsation and gives it a little bit of a boost. Over time, the moon moves away a little bit.”

When the Moon approaches the Earth, the effect is reversed, as it was immediately after capture.

By calculating tidal changes and the size and shape of the orbit, the researchers determined that the moon's initial elliptical orbit had shrunk over a timescale of several thousand years.

The orbit also became more circular, until the moon's rotation became fixed in its orbit around the Earth, as it is now.

“At that point, the tides likely reversed and the moon began to gradually move away,” Professor Williams said.

“Each year, the Moon moves 3 centimeters away from Earth. At its current distance from Earth – 385,000 km (239,000 miles) – the Moon feels a significant pull from the Sun's gravity.”

“The moon is so far away right now that both the sun and Earth are competing for your attention. They're both being pulled by it.”

Mathematically, the researchers calculated, a satellite captured in a binary exchange could behave similarly to Earth's moon. However, it is not certain whether this is the origin of the moon.

“No one knows how the moon formed,” Professor Williams says.

“For the past 40 years, we've had one possibility as to how it got there.”

“Now we have two. This opens up a treasure trove of new questions and opportunities for further research.”

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Darren M. Williams and Michael E. Zagar. 2024. Formation of large-scale terrestrial satellites through binary exchange acquisition. Planetary Science Journal 5(9):208;doi: 10.3847/PSJ/ad5a9a

Source: www.sci.news

Research: Volcanic Activity on the Moon 123 Million Years Ago

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

There is plenty of geological evidence that the Moon had ancient volcanic activity, but it is unclear how long that activity lasted. Magma eruptions create volcanic glass, which has been found in lunar samples before. Dr. Li Qiuli of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and colleagues analyzed about 3,000 glass beads taken from lunar soil samples collected by China's Chang'e-5 mission. They identified three glass beads as being of volcanic origin based on their texture, chemical composition, and sulfur isotopes. Uranium-lead dating of these volcanic beads determined that they formed about 123 million years ago.

Volcanic eruptions that produced glass beads on the Moon. Image courtesy of T. Zhang & Y. Wang.

Samples collected by the Apollo, Luna and Chang'e-5 missions have so far shown that the Moon experienced widespread basaltic volcanic activity between about 4.4 billion and 2 billion years ago.

The findings suggest that, at least on small, localized scales, volcanic activity continued for much longer than previously thought.

“Dating of lunar volcanic basalt samples returned to Earth by the Apollo and Luna missions or delivered to Earth as lunar meteorites reveals that lunar basaltic volcanism continued at least 2.9 to 2.8 billion years ago,” the researchers said.

“However, analysis of lunar samples returned by the Chang'e-5 mission demonstrates that basaltic volcanism persisted at least 2 billion years ago.”

“Remote sensing observations suggest that there may have been more recent volcanic activity on the Moon during the Late Copernican epoch (less than 800 million years ago).”

“However, none of these remote sensing observations provide precise dates for possible volcanic activity.”

“Furthermore, the proposed Late Copernican Ocean basalt outbursts cover only a limited area, and no samples are available.”

“Eruptions of gas-rich magma can produce magma fountains that produce sub-millimeter glass beads.”

“These beads could be deposited over a wide area and then transported farther across the lunar surface by impacts.”

“Volcanic glass may be a trace component in existing samples.”

In their study, Dr Li and his co-authors sorted 3,000 tiny glass beads retrieved from lunar samples collected by Chang'e-5, examining the beads' chemical composition, physical texture, and sulfur isotopes to distinguish between volcanic glass and glass produced by meteorite impacts.

They identified three of the beads as being of volcanic origin and used radiometric dating to determine that the beads were formed 123 million years ago.

Volcanic beads are rich in potassium, phosphorus, and rare earth elements, known as KREEP elements, which can produce radioactive heat.

Localized heating by KREEP elements could melt rocks in the Moon's mantle, causing small amounts of magma to erupt to the surface.

“The volcanic glass beads contained large amounts of rare earth elements and thorium, which may indicate that recent volcanic activity is associated with local enrichment of heat-producing elements in the mantle source of magma,” the researchers said.

Their paper Published in a journal Science.

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Wang Biwen others2024. Samples brought back indicate volcanic activity on the moon 120 million years ago. Science 385 (6713); doi: 1077-1080; doi: 10.1126/science.adk6635

Source: www.sci.news

Research uncovers evidence of active volcanoes on the moon during the dinosaur era

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

New research suggests that volcanoes on the Moon were active during the time of the dinosaurs on Earth, but much more recently than previously believed.

Three small glass beads gathered from the lunar surface by a Chinese probe in 2020 indicate volcanic activity on the Moon 120 million years ago, according to the study. The findings were published Thursday in the journal Science.

Initial analysis of samples collected by the Chang’e-5 lunar mission suggested that volcanic activity ceased approximately 2 billion years ago, updating an earlier evaluation that the Moon had been devoid of active volcanoes for about 4 billion years.

Researchers examined around 3,000 lunar glass beads that may have been produced by volcanic eruptions or meteorite impacts, identifying three of them as of volcanic origin based on their texture and chemical makeup.

The research team expressed being “surprised and excited” by their “unexpected” discoveries.

The presence of relatively recent lunar volcanism “implies that a small celestial body like the Moon may have retained enough internal heat to support activity until very late,” co-authors Professor Li Qili and Associate Professor He Yuyang from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, shared in an email.

However, it remains “unclear” why the Moon has remained volcanically active for such a long period, as per the study.

Planetary volcanologist Qian Yuqi from the University of Hong Kong commented that identifying such a young volcano has “major” implications for the Moon’s development.

“Where did they originate from?” Qian, who was not part of the research, inquired in an email. “This could lead to future missions to search for them.”

The Chang’e-5 lunar mission marked the first return of lunar samples since the U.S. Apollo program in the 1970s and the Soviet Union’s Luna 24 mission. In June, China achieved a historic feat by retrieving rocks from the far side of the Moon through its Chang’e-6 mission.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Here’s why scientists are planning to construct a massive “bioreservoir” on the moon

Posted on August 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Life on Earth has faced various threats over millions of years, from asteroids to pandemics to climate change. According to the IPCC, nearly one in five terrestrial species is at risk of extinction by 2100 due to rising global temperatures.

Marine life is also in peril, with coral reefs disappearing rapidly. Dr. Mary Hagedorn, a coral reef expert, has been working on cryopreserving coral to ensure its survival and potential reintroduction into ecosystems.

Her innovative idea involves creating a lunar biorepository to store frozen cell samples of key species for ecosystem reconstruction. The moon’s cold temperatures and protection from radiation make it an ideal location for such a vault.

The focus is on preserving fibroblasts, which can be reprogrammed into different cell types, including stem cells for cloning. This initiative aims to safeguard Earth’s ecosystems and potentially support future human space exploration, such as Mars missions.

While the concept may seem futuristic, the team has already begun freezing cell samples from species like the starry goby for testing. The ultimate goal is to send diverse genetic samples to the lunar vault to ensure the preservation of essential species.

Creating a biorepository on the moon presents logistical challenges but could be achievable with NASA’s support and funding. Future generations might benefit from this innovative approach to conservation and space exploration.

Dr. Mary Hagedorn and Professor Ian Crawford are leading experts in this field, with a focus on conservation, lunar science, and astrobiology. Their research and work contribute to the understanding of ecosystems and the future of space exploration.

Learn more about the UK mission to the Moon
Discover how to build a moon base

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Monday will see a rare blue moon and supermoon dominating the sky

Posted on August 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Skywatchers on a budget will be excited for a night of celestial luck on Monday, as they have the chance to witness a supermoon and a seasonal blue moon together.

NASA explains that a blue moon, by its technical definition (the third full moon in a season of four), occurs approximately once every 10 years.

A supermoon happens when the moon is full at its closest point to Earth in its orbit. These occurrences vary, with the most intense supermoons appearing around 14 percent larger than when the full moon is farthest from Earth. While this supermoon may not be among the most intense, it still qualifies as a supermoon according to NASA.

The moon’s colors will appear off-white and grey, with hints of brown and yellow.

As per NASA, a “super blue moon” can happen every 20 years. NASA’s FAQ confirms: It’s set to be a bright Monday night.

People watch as a super blue moon rises behind Nacka in Stockholm on Monday.
Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP-Getty Images

With the new blue moon definition (the second full moon in a month with two full moons) and the traditional seasonal blue moon definition, a super blue moon can be expected once every five years.

The next occurrence of a moon similar to Monday’s, as a supermoon coinciding with a seasonal blue moon, is scheduled for August 21, 2032, according to NASA. The next supermoon aligned with a monthly blue moon will take place in January 2037.

Monday’s super blue moon also acts as an indicator for the remaining 30 days of summer, which ends on September 21st.

“Seasonal blue moons consistently occur roughly a month before the vernal equinox or summer solstice,” NASA highlights in an FAQ.

Many Americans anticipating this unique celestial event may face disappointment as the National Weather Service forecasts thunderstorms overnight from the northern Mid-Atlantic to New England, with a chance in the High Plains regions.

For those in the San Francisco Bay area, where the moon is expected to be visible, skies are predicted to be mostly clear, ensuring that “the supermoon will be visible tonight,” as stated by the National Weather Service.

During the Giants-Chicago White Sox game, scheduled to commence an hour before sunset, Denver’s Blue Moon Brewing is organizing a post-game drone spectacle for fans at Oracle Park.

“Once the Giants-White Sox game concludes, the stadium lights will dim, and the sky above Oracle Park will illuminate with a drone show titled ‘Once in a Blue Moon,’ as confirmed by the brewery in a statement.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

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