Lunar Spacecraft
Lunar landers and rovers
Earth-Moon: A Watery “Double-Planet”
New work on lunar samples reveal a shared source for water in the deep interior of both Earth and Moon.
May 14, 2013 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Thin Crust Moon
New data from NASA's GRAIL mission suggest that the crust of the Moon is thinner than we had thought. Is this idea consistent with the geological evidence?
April 24, 2013 |
By Paul D. Spudis
The Mystery of Shackleton Crater
New information about the interior of the crater Shackleton at the south pole of the Moon sheds some light -- and even more heat -- on the vexing questions remaining about water on the Moon.
April 08, 2013 |
By Paul D. Spudis
That Sounds Familiar
New data from Mars suggest that it may have been hospitable to life in the past. Haven't we heard this before?
March 13, 2013 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Geological sampling and planetary exploration
Samples from other worlds provide some key information on planetary evolution and history but are they the only way to obtain such knowledge?
February 13, 2013 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Geological mapping of another world
Thanks to geologic mapping, we understood the story of the Moon well before we actually went there.
January 25, 2013 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Hugh L. Dryden and the American Space Program
Congress has proposed that the name of NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center be re-named to honor Neil Armstrong. Should it?
January 06, 2013 |
By Paul D. Spudis
The Luna 1 Hoax Hoax
How the world's first lunar mission got mired in cold war conspiracy theories.
January 02, 2013 |
By Tony Reichhardt
How Are Places On The Moon Named?
The rules for naming features on the Moon are simple, but not always logical.
December 31, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
The Lunar Surface – What Lies Beneath
Gravity data from NASA's GRAIL mission show that deeply buried bodies of igneous rock in the crust can be detected from orbit.
December 10, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Reflecting on the Ice of Mercury and the Moon
Recent data from the planet Mercury indicates that water ice is found near its poles. What does this mean for the Moon?
December 02, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Technical Readiness
Using the material and energy resources of space could be a major game-changer for spaceflight. So why haven't we ever done it?
November 17, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Ocean of Storms, Oceans of Argument
A new paper claims mineral evidence for the largest basin on the Moon -- is it true?
November 01, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Water from the Sun
What is the ultimate source of the water found at the poles of the Moon? A new study of some lunar soil samples suggests a surprising answer.
October 17, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Once in a Blue Moon
What color is the Moon? The answer is not as straightforward as you might think.
October 10, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Neil Armstrong, In His Own Words
The first moonwalker's storied aviation career
August 27, 2012 |
By Tony Reichhardt
Passing of an Era
Neil Armstrong will always be remembered for his "one small step" but his contributions to spaceflight are numerous.
August 26, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
A Cheap Date
Determining rock ages remotely would create new possibilities for planetary science.
August 24, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Scooping the Soviets
The radio telescope at England's Jodrell Bank Observatory got the news scoop of the century in the early days of the space race.
August 08, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Newt Space
Does the history of two early pioneers of aviation offer an analogy for spaceflight?
July 31, 2012 |
By Paul D. Spudis
