New Atlas

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How a huge impact may have given the Moon two faces

Michael Irving May 21, 2019

Observations have shown that the “back” of the Moon has a thicker crust and an extra layer of material compared to the side that faces Earth. Now, simulations have revealed one possible, explosive explanation – an impact with a huge object early on in the Moon’s life.

An illustration of a collision between two huge celestial bodies, similar to that now theorized to ...

Space Feature

Apollo 10: The mission that paved the way for the Moon landing

David Szondy May 18, 2019

Fifty years ago and a quarter of a million miles away, three astronauts carried out the dress rehearsal for one of the greatest events in human history. On May 18, 1969, Apollo 10 lifted off. Its mission: to return to the Moon and pave the way for the Apollo 11 lunar landing two months later.

Apollo 10 was the final rehearsal for the Apollo 11 landing in 1969

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NASA's Lunar orbiter finds crash site of Beresheet lander

David Szondy May 16, 2019

A photographic search by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has discovered the crash site of the Israeli Beresheet moon lander. By making a series of comparison images, the hunt confirmed the area where the privately operated unmanned spacecraft impacted the lunar surface on April 11, 2019.

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NASA's Artemis mission plans to put the first woman on the Moon by 2024

Nick Lavars May 14, 2019

NASA has filled in some of the blanks concerning its return to the Moon, today giving the mission a name and declaring plans to put the first woman on the lunar surface by 2024.

Space

Shrinking Moon may be experiencing powerful quakes to this day

Anthony Wood May 13, 2019

Earth’s closest natural satellite could be producing powerful moonquakes as it cools and shrinks, according to a newly-published study. The scientists behind the research analyzed data from instruments placed by Apollo-era astronauts and more recent data collected by a NASA spacecraft.

Earth and the Moon as shot by Expedition 10 crewmembers aboard the International Space Station in ...

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Jeff Bezos unveils Blue Origin lunar lander and ambitious vision for space colonization

David Szondy May 10, 2019

Blue Origin has unveiled a multi-purpose lunar lander called Blue Moon and declares that it will be able to return astronauts to the Moon by 2024. At an invitation-only media event in Washington DC on Thursday, Blue Origin founder and CEO Jeff Bezos showed off a full-scale mock-up of the lander.

Jeff Bezos unveiled Blue Moon in Washington DC, along with the incredibly ambitious goal of the ...

Space

Colorful thermal images to help reveal the origins of a doomed Martian moon

Anthony Wood May 10, 2019

NASA has released new images of the Martian moon Phobos that could help reveal the origin of the enigmatic satellite. The data is also useful for scientists choosing the safest landing zones for robotic, and potentially even crewed missions to the Martian moon.

Views Mars' largest moon Phobos captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter

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How to land on the Moon

David Szondy May 3, 2019

Today, we take it for granted that the Apollo lunar landing was possible, but at the time, no one had done anything remotely like it – let alone in a craft that had never been fully tested.

Artist's concept of a Lunar Module coming in for landing

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Israel's Beresheet Moon landing mission ends in failure

David Szondy April 11, 2019

Israel's first attempt to land a spacecraft on the Moon has ended in failure. At about 7:23 pm Israel time, interrupted communications and an engine malfunction aboard the unmanned Beresheet lander resulted in the craft crashing into the lunar surface.

Image returned by Beresheet during its landing attempt approach

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First ever private lunar mission enters orbit around the Moon

Nick Lavars April 4, 2019

A historic mission to the Moon is approaching its crescendo, with the Israeli-built Beresheet lander today entering orbit around our largest satellite and preparing to close in on its surface.

Render of the Beresheet lander on the Moon's surface