Tag - moon

 
 

MOON

Intuitive Machines' Odysseus spacecraft passes over the near side of the moon following lunar orbit insertion on Wednesday.
WORLD / Science & Health / FOCUS
Feb 23, 2024
Why it took the U.S. 51 years to get back on the moon
Intuitive Machines has landed a robotic spacecraft on the moon, becoming the first private firm to place a vehicle intact on the lunar surface.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from launchpad SLC-40 at the Kennedy Space Center on NASA's PACE mission in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Feb. 8.
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Feb 13, 2024
Apollo to Artemis: Why America is betting big on private space
While it has seen some successes, the move could put the U.S. at risk of falling behind its principal space rival, China, in achieving major milestones.
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is seen on the surface of the moon in an image released Jan. 25.
PODCAST / deep dive
Feb 2, 2024
Japan’s historic moon landing was right on target
Japan made history last month when it became the fifth nation to soft land on the moon.
The last scene of the moon taken by the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon with its navigation camera before dusk. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency released the image on Thursday.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Feb 1, 2024
Lunar night puts Japanese lander back to sleep
SLIM, dubbed the "Moon Sniper" for its precision landing technology, touched down within its target landing zone on Jan. 20.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 29, 2024
Japan’s lunar probe regains power more than a week after landing
JAXA said Monday that the agency was able to reestablish communications with the SLIM probe on Sunday evening.
The precision landing made by the SLIM project is essential to establishing a manned base on the moon, which will depend on targeted supply missions.
EDITORIALS
Jan 26, 2024
Successful moon landing prepares Japan for the future
Japan is now the fifth country to successfully land a probe on the moon, following the U.S., Russia, China and India.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 25, 2024
Japan’s space agency confirms breakthrough high-precision moon landing
JAXA's "Moon Sniper" successfully landed within 100 meters of its target, much more precise than the several kilometers of typical moon missions.
JAPAN / Science & Health / ANALYSIS
Jan 22, 2024
Japan’s moonshot may mark breakthrough for future lunar missions
The successful use of a new system that allows moon missions to land within 100 meters of a target area would help efforts to build an international lunar base camp.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 20, 2024
Japan makes history as spacecraft lands on the moon
The successful landing makes Japan just the fifth country to land a spacecraft on the moon, but questions remain over whether the mission can achieve all its goals.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 18, 2024
Anticipation soars as Japan’s SLIM readies for moon landing
The mission puts the agency's pinpoint landing technology to the test and could accelerate international space exploration.
People take photographs during the launch of Boeing-Lockheed joint venture United Launch Alliance's next-generation Vulcan rocket on its debut flight from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Monday.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 11, 2024
Vulcan rocket's debut brings long-awaited challenge to SpaceX dominance
Dependence on SpaceX has been a concern for the Pentagon, which wants multiple vendors of rides to orbit.
NASA astronaut Joseph M. Acaba speaks at an event during which the crew of the Artemis II space mission to the moon is announced in Houston last April.
WORLD / Science & Health
Jan 10, 2024
Bad day in space: Moon mission fails and NASA program delayed
The twin developments represent blows to U.S. ambitions to stimulate a commercial space economy.
Members of the media take pictures of the ULA's new rocket Vulcan Centaur, which is set to make its maiden flight Monday with a payload that includes a private lunar lander, as well as the cremated remains of several people associated with the original "Star Trek" series, including creator Gene Rodenberry and cast member Nichelle Nichols, who portrayed the character Uhura.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 8, 2024
Private industry leads America's first moon landing since Apollo
A soft landing on the moon has only been accomplished by few national space agencies
JAPAN / Science & Health
Dec 26, 2023
Japan's SLIM precision moon lander enters lunar orbit, JAXA says
If successful, the touchdown would make Japan only the fifth country to have landed a probe on the moon, after the United States, Russia, China and India.
JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) spacecraft is expected to land on the lunar surface in early 2024.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 21, 2023
One small step for a JAXA spacecraft, one giant leap for exploration
In 2024, we can look forward to the arrival on the moon of JAXA's SLIM spacecraft. Its groundbreaking accuracy could further propel space exploration.
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 17, 2023
Ispace to launch second moon mission following crash
The mission will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as early as the northern hemisphere winter of 2024.
Artemis II moon mission crew members Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Jeremy Hansen and Christina Koch pose for photographs after taking part in a news conference with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on May 18.
WORLD / Science & Health / ANALYSIS
Oct 8, 2023
Geopolitics in space: Why great powers are scrambling for the moon
A new space race — pitting the U.S. and its partners against China and Russia — is expected to have significant implications.
Take a moment to look up at the sky tonight, see if you can spot some lunar rabbits.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 29, 2023
An autumnal custom teaches Japan to appreciate the season
While not as popular as its springtime cherry blossom cousin, moon-viewing season still has its own specific customs.
School children try on a space suit during an exhibition on space technology organized by the Indian Space Research Organisation and a college in Mumbai.
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Sep 29, 2023
Inside the changes at India's space agency
The moon landing was a win for the country's low-cost space engineering, as well as a quiet initiative to rebrand its space agency as approachable.
JAPAN / Science & Health / ANALYSIS
Sep 7, 2023
In new space race, Japan ups ante with launch of two key missions
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon and X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission were both launched Thursday following several postponements.

Longform

The byzantine process for converting a foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one entails mountains of paperwork and significant stamina — unless you're a lucky license holder from a country or region where these requirements are waived.
Driving in Japan isn’t hard. Getting the license is.