Tag: Moon
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China lands Chang’e-4 mission on the far side of the Moon
Following a December 7, 2018 launch on a Long March-3B/G3Z rocket, China has now landed its fourth and most ambitious lunar exploration mission on Thursday, January 3, 2019. This is the first mission to land on the far side of the Moon. The Chang’e-4 mission is part of the second phase of China’s lunar program,…
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How engineers (and astronauts) made Apollo 8’s ‘Earthrise’ trip to the moon possible 50 years ago
Apollo 8’s astronauts were the first to witness Earthrise from lunar orbit, on Christmas Eve in 1968. (NASA Photo / Bill Anders) It’s been 50 years to the day since Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders’ “Earthrise” photo changed our world forever, but that mission to the moon and back wouldn’t have happened the way it…
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After questioning moon landings, NBA star Stephen Curry gets an invite from NASA
NBA star Stephen Curry speaks at TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2016. (GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper) One way to get an tour of Johnson Space Center’s high-security Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility is to question whether people landed on the moon at all. At least that strategy works if you’re an NBA basketball star like Golden State…
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After questioning moon landings, NBA star Stephen Curry gets an invite from NASA
NBA star Stephen Curry speaks at TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2016. (GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper) One way to get an tour of Johnson Space Center’s high-security Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility is to question whether people landed on the moon at all. At least that strategy works if you’re an NBA basketball star like Golden State…
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China launches Chang’e-4 probe, destined for landing and roving on moon’s far side
A Chinese Long March 3B rocket lifts off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, sending the Chang’e-4 probe into space. (CASC via Weibo) China’s space effort launched its most ambitious robotic lunar mission to date, taking aim at a crater near the south pole on the moon’s far side. The Chang’e-4 combination lander and rover were…
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NASA picks nine commercial teams for moon deliveries – including dark horses
Lockheed Martin is offering its McCandless lunar lander, shown here with an onboard rover in an artist’s conception, for future NASA missions to the moon. (Lockheed Martin Illustration) NASA says it’s partnering on lunar delivery services with nine commercial teams, headed by companies that run the gamut from the space industry’s heavyweights to startups. The…
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Moon Direct: Mars maverick lays out his low-cost plan to set up lunar bases
Mars Society President Robert Zubrin provides a guided tour of future space missions during a talk at the University of Washington. (GeekWire Photo / Alan Boyle) For decades, rocket scientist Robert Zubrin has been a voice crying in the Martian wilderness. But now the president of the Mars Society is pleading the case for a…
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Crowdfunding campaign lets you snag simulated moon dirt — but handle with care
Off Planet Research makes simulated moon dirt by the bagful. (Off Planet Research Photo) Wanna buy some fake moon dirt? Off Planet Research, which manufactures loads of the stuff, is making it available for public consumption — but make sure you don’t eat it or breathe it in. The research facility in Lacey, Wash., specializes in…
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The moon and meteors light up the night
An Orionid meteor flashes in a 2015 image captured by Marshall Space Flight Center’s all-sky camera in Alabama. (NASA / MSFC Photo) Saturday night’s all right … for skywatching: Tonight’s mostly clear skies over Western Washington should provide a good opportunity to see the peak of the Orionid meteor shower, and a great opportunity to…
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12-pound lunar meteorite known as ‘The Moon Puzzle’ sells at auction for over $600K
A lunar meteorite comprised of six fragments that fit together, puzzle-like, to form a mass weighing slightly over 12 pounds. (RR Auction Photo) A lunar meteorite discovered in a Northwest African desert in 2017 has sold at auction for $612,500, Boston-based RR Auction announced on Friday. The rare rock, classified as NWA 11789 and unofficially…