December 23, 2024

This Week @NASA: The First Artemis Robotic Launch to the Moon, Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Close Up

Credit: Astrobotic TechnologyThe very first Artemis robotic launch to the Moon … An Artemis lunar robotic rover is halfway constructed … And an up-close look at a volcanic moon … A few of the stories to tell you about– This Week at NASA!The First Commercial Robotic Launch to the Lunar SurfaceUnited Launch Alliance and Astrobotic are presently targeting no earlier than January 8 for the launch of Astrobotics Peregrine lunar lander to the Moon. NASA payloads aboard the lander goal to help the agency establish capabilities required to explore the Moon under Artemis.This is the very first commercial robotic launch to the Moons surface area as part of our CLPS effort and Artemis program.An artists idea of the finished style of NASAs Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER. The mobile robotic will land at the South Pole of the Moon in late 2024 to browse for ice and other prospective resources.The important info it offers will teach us about the origin and distribution of water on the Moon and assist identify how we can gather the Moons resources for future human space exploration.This image exposing the north polar area of the Jovian moon Io was taken on October 15 by NASAs Juno.