Lunar
Stories about commercial, civil, and international missions on and around the Moon.
Payload Field Guide: Lunar Rovers
As NASA and its partners push harder toward a sustained human presence on the Moon, mobility is mission-critical. Moon buggies with lawn chairs might’ve been good enough for the Apollo-era, but long-term surface operations depend on lunar rovers that can pull their weight (quite literally). For decades, lunar rovers were the domain of national space…
Astrobotic Hotfires Engine That Could Power Moon Missions
The continuous burn of 300 seconds (five minutes) with one of their two Chakram engine prototypes was one of several tests the company conducted at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL.
NASA’s 2028 Moon Landing Has A Spacesuit Problem, New Report Says
NASA’s 2028 Moon-landing date for astronauts is threatened by delays in spacesuit development, according to an Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report released Monday.
Axiom Space’s Suit Set to Fly in 2027
“From a production standpoint, we’re putting together the first qualification suit,” Michael López-Alegría, the company’s chief astronaut, told Payload. “That continues regardless of what they say.”
ICON Prime Launches, Led By Former TX Rep
Robotic construction company ICON today announced the establishment of ICON Prime, a new business unit that will work with the Pentagon and NASA.
Moog’s “Tip to Tail” Contributions to the Artemis II Flight
“Moog supplies more than 100 different pieces of hardware that go from tip to tail of the rocket, [and] into the Orion system.”
Artemis II Gives Airbus Hope For European Spaceflight
At the heart of Artemis II’s Orion spacecraft is the European Service Module (ESM), built by Airbus Defence and Space in Bremen, Germany, on behalf of ESA.
Czech Radiation Chips on Artemis II Bring ISS Experience
With the sun at solar maximum, HERA serves as an instant warning system if a solar flare emerges.
How Earthlings Got Views of the Lunar Fly By
Redwire has built 11 cameras that are installed around the inside and outside of the Orion capsule, Kaylee Geidel, a senior systems engineer at Redwire, told Payload.
Orion’s Windows to the World
For astronauts who put in decades of work and training, getting to see space with their own eyes is a big part of the payoff.
CLPS Companies Excited For NASA’s ‘Opportunity Bomb’ Lunar Plan
Last week, NASA laid out a vision for a lunar base that’s built and supplied through monthly uncrewed lunar landings, with launches beginning as soon as next year.It’s no surprise that CLPS companies are raring to go.
Artemis II Is On The Way To The Moon
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover, plus Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, are on board—with Koch and Glover poised to make history as the first woman and person of color to head to the Moon, and Hansen as the first non-American.
Top Space Lawmaker on Moon Base, Artemis Plans
“What I have heard from colleagues is they’re really rallying behind the idea of going to the Moon,” he told Payload. “Once we establish a base there…that might be the best place to launch to Mars.”
