Landing on the moon is one of the most challenging things humanity has ever attempted. Maybe that’s what drives us to keep trying. Years before astronauts return to the lunar surface, robotic explorers are advancing the ambitions of private companies seeking a landing on the moon .
For Intuitive Machines, 2025 presents a second chance at perfection after its Odysseus spacecraft landed on the Moon in February 2024, but ended up falling .
No matter the outcome of the company’s next mission and a host of other lunar activities, 2025 promises to be a promising year for the final leg of the new lunar race.
Lunar update
Two different moon missions blasted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket this week, each with their own journey and purpose as they head toward the silvery orb.
Texas-based Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost mission features the company’s first lunar module, and is on its way to an ancient volcanic structure with a Lunar PlanetVac to collect soil samples.
Meanwhile, Tokyo-based Ispace sent the Resilience an improved version of the Hakuto-R spacecraft that crashed on the moon in 2023. A mini rover is on board, as well as a small red piece of art called “Moonhouse” among other items.
The Blue Ghost is expected to attempt to land in March 2 while Resilience will conserve energy and take four to five months to reach its target.
Defying gravity
After some starts and stops, Jeff Bezos’ company Blue Origin successfully launched its rocket NewGlenn to space for the first time on Thursday (16).
The rocket, which could be a competitor to rival SpaceX, carried a technology demonstration of the Blue Ring, a spacecraft designed to tow satellites deeper into space.
On the same day, SpaceX’s Starship launched a test flight considered the most ambitious yet. The company managed to catch the rocket’s propellant when it returned to Earth. But the Starship spacecraft itself exploded, and the debris diverted flights over the Caribbean.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded Starship while it investigates reports of property damage in Turks and Caicos.
Additionally, India became the fourth country to launch an unmanned docking between two small ships, called Target and Chaser in space. Such an achievement is critical if the country wants to build its own space station and put an Indian astronaut on the Moon.
What is on the far side of the Moon? Scientists try to find out
This content was originally published in Missions take technology to the Moon in 2025; understand the lunar race on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Charles Grill is a tech-savvy writer with over 3 years of experience in the field. He writes on a variety of technology-related topics and has a strong focus on the latest advancements in the industry. He is connected with several online news websites and is currently contributing to a technology-focused platform.
