Protecting astronauts beyond the ISS

Astronauts venturing beyond the safety of the International Space Station (ISS) will face increased exposure to cosmic radiation.

Water-mining lunar robot revealed

Carnegie Mellon University spinoff Astrobotic Technology has now completed a full-size prototype of a solar-powered robot designed to search for water ice at the moon's poles.

Exploring the moon in 3D


Could alien soils make spacecraft heat shields?

NASA scientists will next week test whether a heat shield made from the soil of the moon, Mars or an asteroid could stand up to a plunge through Earth's atmosphere.

Blue moon will light up the sky tonight

A phenomenon will occur tonight that only happens once in a blue moon - literally.

Space elevator planned for the moon

The latest Kickstarter project, looking for crowd funding, is a little different to most - a space elevator to be built on the moon.

The man who walked the moon passes away  

Neil Armstrong - the first man to walk on the moon - has passed away at the age of 82 following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

Helium found in moon's atmosphere

Observations from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) have revealed the presence of helium in the thin atmosphere surrounding the moon.

Perseid meteor shower will hit peak on Saturday

If you want a good look at a meteor shower, you'd better head outside this Saturday.

US flags still standing strong on the moon

Harsh conditions and extreme temperatures are nothing in the face of symbols of American pride.

Just how poisonous is the moon?

The moon could be a highly toxic place, say scientists, warning of cancer and breathing problems even when astronauts remain in their space suits.

Hubble spots fifth Pluto moon

NASA has confirmed the discovery of a fifth moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet Pluto.  

Extensive water ice found in lunar crater

Almost a quarter of a crater near the moon's south pole is covered with ice, scientists using NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft have found.

Glass bubble find may explain weird lunar soil


NASA completes main Grail mission ahead of time

NASA's Grail mission to study the moon from crust to core has completed its main task ahead of schedule, gathering information about the internal structure and evolution of the moon in unprecedented detail.

From lunar rovers to wet wipes: protecting artifacts on the moon

NASA's a bit concerned that the rush to the moon created by Google's Lunar X Prize could damage historic sites there.

NASA uses moon as mirror to watch Venus transit sun

Just like human eyes, the Hubble Space Telescope can't observe the sun directly - so NASA scientists plan to study Venus's solar transit in June by using the moon as a mirror.

NASA says the moon's crust is being stretched

  New images snapped by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) indicate the moon's crust is actually being stretched - forming minute valleys in a few small areas on the lunar surface.   

Moon 'wasn't created by giant collision'

A new chemical analysis of lunar material collected by Apollo astronauts in the 1970s appears to disprove theories that the moon was created through a massive collision between Earth and a Mars-sized object 4.5 billion years ago.

Cosmic rays alter chemistry of lunar ice

A bombardment of cosmic rays on the moon's surface could be creating  complex carbon chains similar to those that form the foundations of biological life.