Could evidence of ancient alien technology be hiding in Moon dust? Researchers are proposing a new way to search for technosignatures: examine lunar regolith for microscopic pieces of engineered material […]
Moon
Posted inImpact events
JWST Studies Of Planet-shattering Collisions
[ESA]. In the early history of our Solar System, a Mars-sized object called Theia smashed into the infant Earth, vapourising massive amounts of rock and blasting it into space. Some […]
Posted inMoon
South Pole-Aitken Basin Sample Return And eXploration (SPARX) Science Definition Team Report
[astro-ph.IM] Sample return from South Pole-Aitken Basin (SPA) on the Moon has been recognized as the highest priority lunar science mission for well over two decades, appearing as a recommended […]
Posted inReports, Roadmaps, & Plans
NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI ) CAN Frequently Asked Questions
[NASA]. Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN)-5 solicits multi-institutional team-based proposals for research as participating members of the Institute.
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
What The Solar System Can Teach Us About Rocky Exoplanets
[astro-ph.EP] The number of rocky extrasolar planets being discovered continues to increase, but so too does the apparent diversity of such worlds.
Posted inVenus
Venus (Probably) Ate Its Moon
[UC Riverside] Scientists have long speculated why Venus, with a similar size, mass, and structure to Earth, doesn’t have a moon. New UC Riverside research shows it’s because our hungry […]
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 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 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.