Tag Lander

The Europa Clipper mission is set to revolutionize our understanding of one of the solar system’s most intriguing celestial bodies. Jupiter’s fourth-largest moon, Europa, has long captured the attention of scientists and space enthusiasts alike, primarily due to its icy crust that encases a potential global ocean beneath. This mission aims to explore whether Europa […]

In a remarkable feat of engineering and ambition, Japan has not only re-established its presence in lunar exploration but has also set a new benchmark with its Moon Sniper mission, known formally as SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon). This endeavor represents a paradigm shift in how nations can approach celestial exploration, focusing on precision […]

Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) lunar lander has successfully landed on the Moon’s surface, achieving a soft touchdown. However, there is currently an issue with the lander’s ability to generate electricity from its solar cells. The spacecraft is relying on internal battery power, and controllers are working to optimize data recording and downloading […]

Japan’s space agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has once again postponed the launch of its “Moon Sniper” lunar mission. That’s the third time the launch has been delayed, this time due to strong winds. The new launch date has not been announced yet. The mission was set to take place from the southern […]

The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H-IIA launch vehicle is gearing up for its 47th flight, which will carry the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) robotic lunar lander and the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) X-ray telescope. This flight marks the second launch of 2023 for the H-IIA, with only three more flights remaining before […]

Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California are putting the legs and footpads of the Sample Retrieval Lander to the test. This lander is being designed to bring rock core samples collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover back to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign. The lander will be the largest […]

In August 2008, NASA’s Mars Phoenix Lander completed its three-month mission studying the Martian arctic. During this time, it gathered images of itself using its Surface Stereo Imager (SSI), creating a mosaic made up of over 100 different SSI pointings. The images were taken through three different filters at each pointing, resulting in a stunning […]

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a significant milestone in space exploration by successfully landing its Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module on the surface of the Moon. This mission marks India’s first soft landing on another celestial body, demonstrating new technologies and pushing the boundaries of space exploration. The Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched from the […]

On Aug. 19, the Russian spacecraft Luna 25 experienced a tragic accident during a planned orbit maneuver. After successfully completing an eight-day flight and two orbit corrections, Luna 25 was positioned in a circumlunar orbit with dimensions of 90 by 113 kilometers. The next step was to transfer to a pre-landing orbit with dimensions of […]

In December 2022, NASA lost contact with its InSight Mars lander after it had been operating on the Martian surface for over four years. Despite this setback, scientists have continued to analyze the data collected by InSight and have made some exciting discoveries. One team of scientists, led by Sebastien Le Maistre of the Royal […]