Lunar

• A partial lunar eclipse is scheduled to take place on August 27-28, marking a significant celestial event for observers. • This event is highlighted as the most prominent lunar eclipse until December 2028, making it a priority for astronomy enthusiasts. • Live coverage is being provided to offer real-time updates, countdowns, and specific viewing tips to help the public witness the phenomenon.

• Former Lunar executives Ken Villum Klausen, Peter Andreasen, and Joachim Strøjer Hansen have raised €8.2 million ($9.6 million) in pre-seed funding to launch Repodo. • Repodo is an AI-native audit startup designed to automate tedious manual processes within the €80 billion global audit market. • The company will initially target the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) market in Denmark to prove its model.

• A partial lunar eclipse will occur on August 27-28, marking the most significant lunar event until December 2028. • Live coverage is currently providing a countdown to the event, offering viewers essential viewing tips and real-time updates. • This event is notable for its rarity and quality, serving as the premier lunar eclipse for the next several years.

Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen broke record for farthest distance traveled from EarthThe crew of the historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission have earned the US’s top space medal, officials have announced.Cmdr Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are set to receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor on 28 August, the US space agency Nasa said. Continue reading...

• A partial lunar eclipse is occurring on August 27-28, marking the deepest partial lunar eclipse expected until December 2028. • Live coverage is providing real-time updates, viewing tips, and expert insights to help observers track the celestial event. • This event is significant for astronomy enthusiasts as it represents a peak in partial eclipse depth for the next several years.

• China is scheduled to launch its Chang'e 7 moon probe this weekend on August 24, targeting the lunar south pole. • The mission is described as the most ambitious and complex robotic lunar effort ever attempted, deploying a lander, a rover, a hopper, and various science experiments. • This mission matters as it represents a significant leap in lunar exploration capabilities and a strategic push to study the south pole's unique environment.

• A 96% partial lunar eclipse will occur overnight on August 27-28, as Earth's curved inner shadow passes across the moon's disk. • This celestial event will significantly darken the moon, with nearly the entire surface obscured by Earth's shadow. • The event is significant for stargazers and astronomers due to the high percentage of coverage, making it a highly visible partial eclipse.

• China plans to launch Africa's first lunar science mission in 2029, utilizing the Chang'e 8 lander to reach the moon's south pole. • The mission will deploy three spherical probes designed to conduct scientific research and exploration on the lunar surface. • This collaboration marks a significant milestone for the African continent, potentially catalyzing further space exploration and technological growth across the region.

• NASA has awarded nearly $600 million to three companies to execute four robotic lunar lander missions aimed at supporting the agency's long-term lunar base ambitions. • As part of the Moon Base update, NASA is studying the deployment of the PROMISE rover, an engineering model based on the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers. • The PROMISE rover is designed for observation, mapping, and in-situ exploration of the lunar surface.

• NASA has announced new lunar landing contracts for the Artemis Moon Base program and proposed a potential new mission called PROMISE. • The PROMISE mission aims to send a spare nuclear-powered Mars rover to the lunar surface to test its capabilities in a different environment. • This initiative demonstrates NASA's willingness to pursue high-risk, "near impossible" goals to maximize the utility of existing advanced hardware.

• Astrobotic has unveiled the Griffin-1 lunar lander, designed to support NASA's Moon Base mission. • The lander is engineered to transport one of the heaviest payloads ever delivered to the lunar surface, including an Astrolab rover. • This mission is critical for advancing lunar exploration and establishing a sustainable human presence on the moon.

• NASA has unveiled plans for a sprawling, city-like lunar outpost that could eventually stretch over hundreds of square miles. • The agency's administrator described the current era as a "Golden Age" of lunar exploration, signaling a shift toward permanent habitation. • This initiative matters as it transitions moon missions from short-term visits to the establishment of a long-term human presence on the lunar surface.

Three lunar landings are planned for this year in preparation for the construction of a $20bn moon baseSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailNasa announced on Tuesday ambitious plans for three uncrewed lunar missions this year to kickstart construction of a $20bn moon base, and said it had chosen Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, ahead of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, to conduct the first.The revelation by Nasa’s administrator, Jared Isaacman, at a press conference in Washington DC marked the first detailed public explanation of how and when the moon base will be built. Continue reading...

• The Artemis II crew completes its historic lunar flyby mission, with crew members returning to Earth on April 10 after traveling farther from Earth than any humans in decades. • During the mission, the crew captured unprecedented photographs of Earth passing behind the Moon and observed portions of the lunar surface never previously seen by human eyes. • The mission marks a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program, re-inspiring public interest in space exploration through iconic imagery showing Earth's perspective from unprecedented distances.

• NASA revealed a $20 billion fast-tracked initiative to establish a permanent moon base, with the rocket for astronaut lunar missions launching Wednesday. • The plan accelerates U.S. space exploration goals amid competition, building on Artemis program advancements for sustainable lunar presence. • This development matters for enabling long-term human spaceflight, resource utilization, and preparation for Mars missions.

• NASA announced revisions to its lunar exploration plans, delaying the first crewed Artemis IV landing to early 2028 while pausing the Gateway lunar station to prioritize a surface base. • The International Space Station's retirement is postponed to the mid-2030s, with plans to add detachable modules for a future standalone station, facing pushback from private space firms. • NASA will launch Space Reactor-1 Freedom, a nuclear engine demonstration to Mars, scheduled for December 2028 to test advanced propulsion.

• NASA announced an accelerated timeline for America's return to the lunar surface, with Artemis 4 lunar landing attempts beginning in 2028. • The National Space Policy implementation includes preparations for establishing a moon base and increased mission cadence under NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's leadership. • This ambitious plan reflects commitment to sustained lunar exploration and positions the United States to never relinquish moon dominance while advancing toward Mars missions.