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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Images Beresheet Impact Site
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has successfully imaged the impact site of the Beresheet lander, which made a really good run at performing the first privately funded Moon landing on 11 April, but crashed after the failure of its main engine.
Chang’e-4 may have discovered material from the Moon’s mantle
The first science results from the unprecedented Chang’e-4 lunar far side mission are in. The mission’s Yutu-2 rover, deployed from the lander shortly after the Chang’e-4 landing on 3 January, has, with the help of the Queqiao relay satellite, returned data which suggests it has discovered material derived from the Moon’s mantle.
China’s SmallSat Lunar Mission Longjiang-2 to Deorbit on 31 July
According to amateur spacecraft tracker Daniel Estévez, Longjiang-2 will crash into the Moon on 31 July after more than a year in lunar orbit.
Chandrayaan-2 Launch Delayed until July
India's combination lunar orbiter, lander, and rover spacecraft was previously scheduled to lift off in May.
Chang’e-4 Updates: Yutu-2 Roves into Overtime, Returns More Images
China’s Chang’e-4 lander and Yutu-2 rover are continuing to function well and have completed their fourth lunar day.
Software Command to Fix Faulty Sensor Doomed Beresheet
Six days after SpaceIL's Beresheet spacecraft crash-landed on the Moon, we now have an explanation for what went wrong.
Beresheet Comes Close before Crashing on the Moon
Mission controllers announced Beresheet had a problem with its main engine, and the spacecraft stopped transmitting shortly thereafter.
Beresheet is about to Land on the Moon
A successful landing will make SpaceIL the first private organization, and Israel the fourth country, to soft-land on the Moon.
Beresheet Has Entered Lunar Orbit!
SpaceIL's Beresheet Moon lander successfully entered lunar orbit today after a 6-minute engine burn that began at 14:18 UTC / 10:18 EDT.
Beresheet Gears up for Lunar Rendezvous
The Israeli spacecraft is set to enter lunar orbit on 4 April at 17:57 UTC (13:57 EDT).
Yutu-2 Rocks On into Lunar Day 3 for Chang’e-4 mission
China’s Yutu-2 rover is continuing to make tracks on the lunar far side.
Beresheet Overcomes Early Glitches, Continues Journey to the Moon
The spacecraft performed its second engine burn, raising the highest point of its orbit to more than a third of the way to the Moon.
Beresheet has launched!
SpaceIL's Beresheet spacecraft is on its way to the Moon following a successful launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida.
What to expect when Beresheet launches to (and lands on) the Moon
Launch day is almost here for the small lunar lander built by Israeli non-profit SpaceIL.
Stunning new images show what the Chang'e-4 mission has been up to
Chang’e-4 is sending home brilliant footage from its various spacecraft, while also being snapped by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
What’s next for China in lunar exploration?
China has big plans for the future, including lunar sample return, a robotic research base, and potentially human missions.
Israeli Beresheet Moon lander ships to Florida for mid-February launch
Launch is currently set for 19 February, and Beresheet will spend two months traveling to the Moon ahead of touchdown in April.
Chang'e-4 update: Both vehicles healthy, new imagery from the Moon’s far side
Everything is going well 9 days after China's Chang'e-4 mission made a historic landing on the far side of the Moon, the country's space program said today.
Chang'e 4: Why the Moon's far side looks red in new images
In Apollo images — and to our own eyes, from Earth — the Moon is grey. What's going on?
Chang'e-4 deploys rover on far side of the Moon
The rover is named Yutu-2, China's space agency announced.