China launched an experimental spacecraft to orbit the Moon and return to Earth Thursday (10/23/14) in preparation for its first lunar landing return mission in history. The ‘Long March 3C’ rocket blasted off early in the morning from Xichang satellite launch center,...
Above: Artist rendering of the Luna 2 spacecraft shortly before impacting the Moon’s surface. Credit: Nick Stevens. September 13 marks a historic day in space travel when the Soviet ‘Luna 2’ spacecraft became the first man-made object to reach the...
Photo taken of China’s Chang’e-3 Moon lander which made a historic lunar touchdown in December of 2013. Credit: CAS China has announced that it will attempt another historic feat in 2017, this time with the Chang’e-5’s mission to return lunar...
The Soviet “Luna 24” three-stage spacecraft displayed in a museum. Credit: Roscosmos. Thirty-eight years ago, the Soviet “Luna 24” spacecraft successfully completed its mission to bring back samples of the lunar surface to Earth, returning 170 grams of...
The first picture of the moon taken by a U.S. spacecraft in 1964. Credit: NASA. Roughly five years before the first manned moon-mission, NASA set out to get a better look at our lunar neighbor. A series of spacecraft called “Rangers” attempted the 240,000 mile...
