Can We Live on the Moon?
We know that humans can survive on the Moon, thanks to the success of the Apollo missions and the 12 brave people who have explored the lunar surface. But can we create permanent settlements where we don’t just survive, but thrive? The short answer is, yes! We have lots of practice living off-world, thanks to over 20 years of the International Space Station being continuously inhabited. There are similar challenges we’ll face on the Moon, including no air to breathe and being confined to small spaces. Some things will be more challenging, such as increased radiation exposure and a farther distance to send help. But some things will be easier. There is some gravity on the Moon, which is better for our muscular-skeletal system compared to being weightless in orbit. There’s also water ice near the surface at the poles, for use in drinking and fuel, and soil that’s similar enough to Earth’s that we can grow crops in it. Read More
Latest News About Earth's Moon
What's inside the moon? Gravity measurements suggest a layer of molten rock
October 10, 2024
Scientists think the moon may have an interior that's kind of similar to Earth's — but questions remain. Read more
Can you see Earth's new 'mini-moon' with the naked eye?
October 3, 2024
On Sunday, Sept. 29, Earth captured a new "mini-moon" called 2024 PT5. Read more
Earth will get another moon this month — but not for long!
September 17, 2024
Rhis "new mini-moon" will stick around for just two months before it heads back to its home. Read more
A new 'mini-moon' comes to Earth this fall
September 21, 2024
The object, which is around 33 feet long, was first spotted by researchers in South Africa Read more
Volcanoes were erupting on the Moon while dinosaurs roamed Earth, Chang’e 5 samples suggest
September 5, 2024
They've have found glass beads of volcanic origin — and surprisingly young age Read more
Newborn moon may have had many mini-siblings in Earth orbit long ago
August 8, 2024
The findings suggest that similar moonlets could orbit distant exoplanets and their moons Read more
Chang'e-5 mission discovers significant water-rich mineral in Moon soil
August 7, 2024
A mineral was recently found to contain so much water, it makes up 41% of its weight Read more
'Wonder material' found in lunar samples hints at moon's origins
August 6, 2024
This finding may reinvent the understanding of geography episodes and the history of the moon Read more
The Moon's thin atmosphere is made by constant meteorite bombardment
August 2, 2024
While lacking breathable air, the Moon does have a thin and wispy atmosphere Read more
China’s fresh samples from the lunar far side could explain Earth’s two-faced Moon
July 19, 2024
It was a substantial piece: nearly two kilograms of rock and dust Read more
New evidence adds to findings hinting at network of caves on Moon
July 18, 2024
The full extent of the cave is unknown, but it could stretch for miles Read more
Earth's new 'quasi-moon' will stick around for thousands of years
June 27, 2024
The asteroid tags along with our planet during its annual journey around the sun Read more
Chang’e-6 delivers first lunar far side samples to Earth after 53-day mission
June 25, 2024
They may provide insight into why the near and far sides are so different Read more
Private Odysseus moon lander reveals which Earth 'technosignatures' aliens might see
June 12, 2024
This could be the "dawn of radio astronomy from the moon" Read more
New contest lets you name Earth's 1st 'quasi-moon' for free
June 7, 2024
Here's everything you need to know about how to enter the competition Read more
Earth's weird 'quasi-moon' Kamo'oalewa is a fragment blasted out of big moon crater
April 23, 2024
Kamo'oalewa, Hawaiian for "oscillating celestial object", is spinning extremely fast Read more
Earth’s Moon literally turned itself inside out
April 10, 2024
Data and theoretical models combine to paint a picture of ‘inside out’ moon. Learn how experts know what happened Read more
Someday, Earth will have a final total solar eclipse
April 9, 2024
But predicting when this will happen poses numerous challenges Read more
Is the Moon shrinking?
March 25, 2024
This contraction affects the entire Moon, causing its surface area to decrease and its solid crust to wrinkle Read more
Earth has extra moons, and they may hold the secrets of our solar system's past
February 25, 2024
Earth's 'minimoons' or 'quasi-moons' could hold the secrets to our history Read more
How ‘Our Moon’ shaped life on Earth and human history
February 8, 2024
The tides pulled our ocean-confined ancestors out of the water Read more
Scientists propose an updated time scale scheme of the Earth's moon
January 26, 2024
The newly proposed lunar time scale scheme consists of three Eons and six Periods units Read more
Shrinking Moon causing moonquakes and faults near lunar south pole
January 25, 2024
Thrust faults should be considered when planning the location of permanent outposts Read more
Earth and the Moon are proportional partners, and that might be rare
January 8, 2024
Earth is right at the edge of the prime spot for a planet’s ability to form a large moon Read more
Total solar eclipses will some day be impossible. Here’s why
January 5, 2024
The phenomenon may some day become folklore — well, in 600 million years Read more
Lunar anthropocene: Are we in new epoch of Moon’s history?
December 11, 2023
The new epoch may have dawned in 1959, thanks to the Soviet unmanned spacecraft Luna 2 Read more
Building telescopes on the Moon could transform astronomy
December 8, 2023
And it’s becoming an achievable goal Read more
Scientists find hydrogen in Apollo moon rocks
November 22, 2023
Future astronauts could harvest water to use as rocket propellant and for life support Read more
Moon rocks blasted off the lunar surface could become near-Earth asteroids
October 24, 2023
We've discovered how space rock Kamo'oalewa was ejected from the moon Read more
The moon may be 40 million years older than we thought
October 23, 2023
Lunar rocks brought to Earth in 1972 contain the oldest pieces of the moon we've ever seen Read more
Fascinating Facts About Earth's Moon
- If the sun were as tall as a typical front door, Earth would be the size of a nickel and the moon would the size of a green pea.
- The moon is Earth's only natural satellite and orbits the Earth at a distance of about 384 thousand kilometers (239 thousand miles) or 0.00257 AU.
- The moon makes a complete orbit around Earth in 27 Earth days and rotates or spins at that same rate, or in that same amount of time. This causes the moon to keep the same side towards Earth throughout the course of its orbit.
- The moon is the fifth largest moon in the solar system.
- The full moon appears 400,000 times less bright than the Sun does.
- The moon is the only celestial body beyond Earth that has been visited by human beings.
- The moon has a very thin and tenuous (weak) atmosphere called an exosphere.
Missions
LADEE (2013)
Mission to collect information about structure and composition of the lunar atmosphere
GRAIL mission (2011)
Mission to create high-resolution map of the Moon’s gravitational field
LCROSS (2009)
Mission to confirm the presence or absence of water ice in a shadowed crater near a lunar pole
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (2009)
Mission to collect detailed information about the lunar environment
Chandrayaan-1 (2008)
ISRO mission to study geological, mineralogical and topographical characteristics of the Moon
Chang’e (2007-2018)
CNSA (China) lunar orbiter, lander and rover
KAGUYA (SELENE) (2007)
JAXA mission to understand origin of the Moon
Artemis Project (2007)
Repurposed THEMIS mission to study the Moon’s interactions with the Sun
Smart-1 (2003)
ESA mission to perform scientific observations of the Moon
Lunar Prospector (1998)
Mission to map moon’s surface composition
Clementine (1994)
Mission to make scientific observations of the Moon
HITEN (1990)
ISAS (JAXA) mission studying satellite orbit, data transmission and aerobraking
Apollo missions (1967-1972)
Mission to land humans on the moon and return them safely to Earth
Explorer Program (1967-1973)
Multiple missions carrying out a wide variety of scientific investigations
Surveyor probes (1966-1968)
Mission to determine if lunar terrain was safe for landing
Lunar orbiter program (1964-1967)
Missions to locate good landing sites for Apollo mission
Soviet Lunar Missions (1959-1976)
Mission to determine feasibility of manned lunar landings