[astro-ph.EP] The number of rocky extrasolar planets being discovered continues to increase, but so too does the apparent diversity of such worlds.
Moon
Posted inRobotics/Rovers/UAVs
Alta-X Drone Tests Future Astrobiology / Astrogeology Droid Technology
[NASA]. An Alta-X drone flies an advanced guidance and navigation system known as the Safe and Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) experiment.
Posted inMoon
Potential Survivable Niches For Microbial Life On The Lunar South Pole
[astro-ph.EP]. Most lunar surface conditions are incredibly harsh for microbial survival. High ultraviolet radiation, temperatures, and energetic particle radiation limit survival over most unprotected lunar surfaces, particularly in equatorial regions […]
Posted inMissions & Hardware
NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) Cooperative Agreement Notice (NNH26ZDA016C) Final Text And Due Dates
[NASA] The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate (HSMD) have released the final text of the fifth Solar System Exploration Research […]
Posted inPlanetary Protection & Biosafety
Human-Related Microbes May Survive At The Moon’s South Pole
[NASA] Some of Earth’s microbes likely to hitch a ride to space with human explorers could survive in the shaded nooks and crannies of the Moon’s South Pole region, NASA […]
Posted inImaging & Spectroscopy
ESCAPADE Departure Angle View Of Earth And Luna
[NASA]. On July 3, one of NASA’s two Mars-destined ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) spacecraft captured photos of Earth and the Moon in visible and thermal infrared […]
![The lifetime of the system with respect to the innermost orbit P1 is plotted on a logarithmic scale for two Luna-mass moons. Alongside the maximum eccentricity reached by each moon is plotted (color-coded). The black-dashed line marks the βmax calculated earlier in the Eqn. (5). The gray dashed lines and labels indicate the MMR locations predicted using Eqn. (15). -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Tidal-evolution.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Tidal Evolution Of Packed Moon Systems Around An Earth-mass Planet
[astro-ph.EP] While missions have long targeted terrestrial exoplanets within the habitable zone of their host stars, the number of exomoon candidates is expected to grow as next generation space-based observatories […]
Posted inExploration Gear & Tech, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Moon, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return
NASA Testing Advanced Capabilities For Moon And Mars Rovers
A prototype rover built with a new design for tackling rugged terrain is helping teams refine capabilities that could one day be used on future lunar and Red Planet missions.
Posted inAstrogeology, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Moon, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Resonant Lunar Tides Of Earth’s Core And Basal Magma Ocean
Earth’s magnetic field is generated by fluid motion in the liquid-metal core and has been active for billions of year.
Posted inArtemis & Lunar Exploration, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Life Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Moon, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Sample Return
Protecting Earth From Extraterrestrial Contamination: The Case For A Lunar Biocontainment Facility
The advancement of space exploration into an era of sample return missions from Mars, asteroids, and icy moons raises the potential for biological contamination either to or from Earth.