Latest news with #lunarexploration
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Korea wants to build a moon base by 2045
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. South Korea's space ambitions keep growing. The nation wants to build a moon base by 2025, The Korea Times reported on Thursday (July 17), citing a long-term exploration road map that the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) laid out that same day during a hearing at the National Research Foundation of Korea in Daejeon. That road map "outlines five core missions, including low Earth orbit and microgravity exploration, lunar exploration, and solar and space science missions," The Korea Times wrote. KASA, which was established just last year, aims to develop homegrown lunar landing and roving technology, as well as the ability to extract and exploit moon resources such as water ice. Some of this work is already underway. For example, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources recently deployed prototype lunar rovers in an abandoned coal mine, testing tech that could be used for space mining down the road. And South Korea already has some experience at and around the moon. In August 2022, the nation launched its first moon probe — called the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter or Danuri — atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Danuri reached lunar orbit four months later and is still going strong, studying the moon with its suite of instruments. South Korea had already been aiming for the lunar surface; officials have said they want to put a robotic lander on the moon by 2032. But the newly revealed road map ups the ante. The nation plans to develop a new, presumably more capable moon lander by 2040, "with the goal of building a lunar economic base by 2045," The Korea Times wrote. Related Stories: — South Korea creates new KASA space agency, sets sights on the moon and Mars — South Korea's moon mission snaps stunning Earth pics after successful lunar arrival — South Korea is converting an abandoned coal mine into a moon exploration testing ground South Korea isn't the only nation with moon-base ambitions. The United States also plans to build one or more lunar outposts in the next decade or so, via NASA's Artemis program. China is working toward the goal as well, in partnership with Russia and other nations. And India has said it wants to build a moon base by 2047. The moon isn't KASA's only distant destination, by the way; the agency also wants to pull off South Korea's first-ever Mars landing by 2045.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Korea wants to build a moon base by 2045
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. South Korea's space ambitions keep growing. The nation wants to build a moon base by 2025, The Korea Times reported on Thursday (July 17), citing a long-term exploration road map that the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) laid out that same day during a hearing at the National Research Foundation of Korea in Daejeon. That road map "outlines five core missions, including low Earth orbit and microgravity exploration, lunar exploration, and solar and space science missions," The Korea Times wrote. KASA, which was established just last year, aims to develop homegrown lunar landing and roving technology, as well as the ability to extract and exploit moon resources such as water ice. Some of this work is already underway. For example, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources recently deployed prototype lunar rovers in an abandoned coal mine, testing tech that could be used for space mining down the road. And South Korea already has some experience at and around the moon. In August 2022, the nation launched its first moon probe — called the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter or Danuri — atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Danuri reached lunar orbit four months later and is still going strong, studying the moon with its suite of instruments. South Korea had already been aiming for the lunar surface; officials have said they want to put a robotic lander on the moon by 2032. But the newly revealed road map ups the ante. The nation plans to develop a new, presumably more capable moon lander by 2040, "with the goal of building a lunar economic base by 2045," The Korea Times wrote. Related Stories: — South Korea creates new KASA space agency, sets sights on the moon and Mars — South Korea's moon mission snaps stunning Earth pics after successful lunar arrival — South Korea is converting an abandoned coal mine into a moon exploration testing ground South Korea isn't the only nation with moon-base ambitions. The United States also plans to build one or more lunar outposts in the next decade or so, via NASA's Artemis program. China is working toward the goal as well, in partnership with Russia and other nations. And India has said it wants to build a moon base by 2047. The moon isn't KASA's only distant destination, by the way; the agency also wants to pull off South Korea's first-ever Mars landing by 2045.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
CU students build virtual-reality moon-exploring robot
DENVER (KDVR) — Students at the University of Colorado Boulder are preparing to explore the moon from the comfort of an earthbound room, after designing a robot that can take them to the moon's surface via virtual reality. The student-built robot could help shape the future of lunar exploration — even though it currently lives in a quiet, carpeted office, the university said in a press release. What to expect for severe storms rolling through Colorado on Wednesday In its current state, the robot nicknamed 'Armstrong' is a three-wheeled robot that uses a mechanical arm to pick up and move plastic rocks. An exercise that could potentially develop into a system where robots are controlled on the moon by the use of a 'digital twin,' which is a hyper-realistic virtual reality environment. 'That's what is really exciting about this—you're able to simulate everything in the environment, from the shadows to the texture of the dirt, and then train operators on conditions that are as close to real as possible,' said Xavier O'Keefe, a master's student in aerospace engineering sciences. 'That way, once you get to the moon, you have a higher chance of success.' O'Keefe has been working on the project since he was studying as an undergraduate student at the university. The robot study was funded by NASA and a Colorado-based company called Lunar Outpost. The project is led by CU astrophysics professor emeritus and the Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy's Jack Burns. Burns is part of a team that received a grant from NASA to design FarView, which is a proposed moon observatory, covering 77 square miles and requiring robots to install thousands of antennas, according to the university. As part of the new study, students replicated their lab environment in a video game engine and gauged the performance of people controlling robots who had been trained in VR versus those who hadn't. The study concluded that students who had trained with the digital twin were able to complete tasks 30% faster and were less stressed while doing so. To take one more step towards complete function, the team will begin research on how dust may affect the robots by creating a simulation of the moon's surface. O'Keefe said it is a small step, but one that's bringing humanity closer to walking and rolling on the moon again. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Arab News
19-06-2025
- Science
- Arab News
China's rapid progress in race to the moon
China is making rapid progress with the building of a new space network called the Queqiao constellation. This system is designed to connect Earth and the moon through reliable communications, navigation and observation tools. The goal is to support future lunar missions by placing satellites and spacecraft in key positions around the moon and in space between the Earth and the moon, including areas known as Lagrange points, where gravity allows objects to stay in place more easily. This infrastructure is essential for China's plans to explore, work and even build settlements on the moon in the coming decades. China last month moved a small spacecraft named Tiandu-1 into an orbit that means it loops around Earth once for every three times the moon circles our planet. This special orbit gives it a predictable position relative to the moon over time, which helps in studying the complex pull of the gravity of both Earth and the moon. Another key satellite, Queqiao-2, was launched last year and it is already helping China prepare for future moon landings. And the satellite DRO-B has entered a different kind of orbit and is now traveling through Lagrange points. These stable zones are where space stations or satellite hubs may one day be located. In the US, the Artemis program is NASA's ambitious plan to return astronauts to the moon, establish a sustainable human presence there and use the lunar missions as a steppingstone for future Mars exploration. But Artemis has faced delays and budget uncertainties. The first uncrewed Artemis 1 mission successfully flew around the moon in 2022, but upcoming crewed missions have been pushed back. It has lately been shaped by political uncertainty and doubts over its focus. The moon objective might have regained importance in the US following the falling-out of Trump and Musk Khaled Abou Zahr The moon objective might have regained importance in the past month following the falling-out of US President Donald Trump and SpaceX's Elon Musk. Musk has been a long-time supporter of going straight to Mars and has publicly stated that moon missions are a waste of resources and time. His closeness to Trump had hence cast doubts on the moon projects. Musk's preferred nominee for NASA chief, Jared Isaacman, had also been seen as shifting national space policy in favor of Mars. It is worth noting that Isaacman had great support from the space business community. However, Trump withdrew his nomination and Musk's subsequent exit from the White House has, according to media reports, given the moon mission backers the opportunity to shift NASA's focus firmly back to lunar exploration. In the race for the moon, the outcome is not yet clear. The White House has proposed a cut to NASA's budget for fiscal year 2026, aiming to slash nearly 25 percent of the agency's funding — from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion. This would be the largest single-year budget reduction in NASA's history. The most severe cuts would hit NASA's science programs, which are set to lose 47 percent of their funding, shrinking to just $3.9 billion. Such cuts threaten to cancel about a third of NASA's science projects, including high-profile missions like the Mars Sample Return, the New Horizons mission to the outer solar system and the Juno probe orbiting Jupiter. Long-running Mars orbiters such as Mars Odyssey and MAVEN, as well as NASA's contribution to the European Rosalind Franklin rover, would also face cancellation. Beyond funding, the proposal also calls for cutting NASA's workforce by about 32 percent, reducing staff from 17,391 to 11,853 employees. The proposed budget also targets the cancellation of key Artemis program components. However, the budget request is just a proposal and will require approval from Congress to take effect. Moreover, following Musk's exit, the renewed momentum for the moon also comes as the Senate Commerce Committee unveiled a $10 billion reconciliation bill to fund NASA in response to the proposed budget cuts, with much of that planned for the Artemis program. The new Senate proposal recenters toward lunar goals. China plans to build a permanent lunar base by 2035, focusing on using the moon's ice to support human missions Khaled Abou Zahr It is also worth noting that there is a business angle to this, with many of the industry's actors using it as a way to counter SpaceX's dominance of the launch and space markets and carve out a wider distribution of contracts. In 2024, SpaceX accounted for 95 percent of all US orbital launches. Moreover, once its Starship rocket becomes operational, it will be another leap for the US. This would even allow for an acceleration of space launches. Many wonder why so much focus is on the moon. But it holds importance beyond scientific research. To start with, launching rockets from the moon is generally much cheaper and more efficient in terms of fuel compared to launching from Earth. This is primarily because the moon's gravity is about one-sixth that of Earth's, so rockets need less energy to escape the surface. Moreover, on Earth, the atmospheric drag requires large amounts of fuel to reach orbit. In comparison, the Moon has no atmosphere, eliminating air resistance. Some estimates suggest that launching from the Moon could reduce fuel requirements by up to 90 percent compared to Earth launches for the same payload. Another advantage is the moon's unique environment. It offers valuable resources, such as water in the form of ice, which can be used for life support and fuel production, potentially enabling sustainable space missions. Other more adventurous objectives have been stated, such as mining rare materials and developing new industries like lunar tourism and manufacturing. Water on the moon is mostly found as ice in permanently shadowed regions near the poles, especially within craters that never receive sunlight. This is why China will focus on the moon's south pole. It plans to build a permanent lunar base there by 2035, focusing on using the moon's ice to support human missions and fuel production. Upcoming Chang'e missions will seek resources and test technologies for habitat construction. China has a focused and state-driven approach to establishing a permanent lunar presence. It seems much clearer than the US space program, especially as public debates roar in America. Yet, despite its budget challenges and political debates, the US is unleashing a vibrant private space sector, which is showing rapid innovation. Despite the technical difficulties and setbacks faced by both nations, the race for the moon is now clearly on. The first to arrive will likely benefit just as much as when the New World was discovered.
CNN
05-06-2025
- Business
- CNN
Japan-based company is poised for its moon-landing attempt
Update: Date: Title: Here's what to expect during today's moon-landing attempt Content: Resilience, a spacecraft built by Tokyo-based Ispace that could redeem the company after a failed moon-landing attempt in 2023, is ready to make its final descent to the lunar surface. Ispace has broken down its mission in to series of 10 goals or anticipated 'successes.' Resilience has already notched through the first eight of those steps. All that's left is the landing sequence and the harrowing moment of touchdown. Here are the key moments to watch out for: • During the touchdown attempt, Ispace will confirm it has started the 'lunar landing sequence' — the final steps the Resilience lander will need to tick through in the moments before the vehicle leaves it circular orbit around the moon and begins its touchdown attempt. • There a several critical phases within the sequence. The vehicle will begin to change its orientation and start the braking process, aiming to slow down Resilience's speed. • Resilience's targeted touchdown time is 3:17 p.m. ET. The lander is aiming for a spot within Mare Frigoris — or the 'Sea of Cold' — which lies in the moon's far northern reaches. • If all goes according to plan, Ispace should confirm the vehicle is safely on the surface within a minute or so after touchdown, the company's CEO, Takeshi Hakamada, told CNN. • Ground controllers will then conduct a series of health checks to make sure the lander, its science instruments and all other components are functioning as intended. • The first image from the lander is expected within the first 12 hours after the spacecraft reaches the surface, perhaps sooner. (Take note: Every lunar landing mission has to deal with limited bandwidth to beam data back to Earth. Sometimes, visuals are not the highest priority.)
