We haven't been back to the Moon primarily due to the immense cost, shifting political priorities after the Cold War race with the Soviets ended, and a focus on other space endeavors like the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS); however, NASA's Artemis program is actively working to return humans to the Moon, with missions planned for the coming years to establish a sustainable lunar presence and pave the way for Mars exploration.
Apollo 17 became the last crewed mission to the Moon for an indefinite amount of time. The main reason for this was money. The cost of getting to the Moon was, ironically, astronomical.
Artemis III is expected to launch in mid-2027 as the first crewed landing on the Moon since Apollo 17. In February 2024, NASA completed full qualification testing of the docking systems on Starship HLS.
There are six flags up there, planted between 1969 and 1972. Five are still standing. But time has taken its toll.
While it seems counterintuitive, there are several reasons why NASA hasn't returned humans to the moon since the Apollo missions. These include political shifts, budget constraints, and technological challenges, as well as the inherent risks and dangers of space travel.
If you're planning to drink the moon water, just be sure the water is potable, meaning safe and clean. 2. Find a spot where the moon shines brightest. Put your jar of water somewhere it can absorb the light of the moon with the least obstruction.
In 1969, Apollo astronauts left footprints on the Moon that still remain today. This is because the Moon lacks an atmosphere, so there's no wind to erase them. It also has no liquid water or erosion like Earth, and its minimal seismic activity means the surface stays undisturbed.
This is the first time China has independently displayed its national flag on the moon's far side. However, it's impossible for people on Earth to observe it through a regular telescope, as the far side is permanently facing away from our planet.
Astronaut-geologist Harrison Schmitt's key lunar discoveries during Apollo 17 included the vibrant orange soil (volcanic glass beads from a lava fountain), which hinted at unexpected volatiles and a dynamic early Moon, and a significant rock sample, Troctolite 76535, which provided strong evidence for an ancient lunar magnetic field, challenging formation theories. He also collected numerous other rocks and soils, totaling over 240 pounds, furthering understanding of lunar geology and composition.
The founder of astrogeology, Gene Shoemaker, is the only person to date whose ashes have been buried on the moon.
1 hour on Earth can equal 7 years in space (or vice versa) due to time dilation, a concept from Einstein's relativity where strong gravity or extreme speeds slow down time relative to an outside observer, famously depicted in the movie Interstellar on a planet near a black hole where an hour for the crew meant years passing on Earth. It's not about speed alone in orbit (ISS astronauts age slightly slower), but about proximity to immense mass, like a black hole, bending spacetime so drastically that time crawls for those nearby compared to time far away.
"Only if the sun and moon disappear will Israel cease to be a nation before Me." (Jeremiah 31:35–36) In Psalm 89:36-37, we see that the moon is « the faithful witness » in heaven.
NASA astronauts' salaries are based on the U.S. government's General Schedule (GS) pay scale, typically starting around the GS-12 to GS-13 level, with 2024 rates putting salaries between roughly $100,000 to over $150,000 annually, depending on experience and grade, with no extra pay for danger or overtime, only small daily incidentals while in space.
These changes would happen over the course of thousands to millions of years, which may sound like a long time, but the changes would be dramatic. Without the Moon, the stability of Earth's axis would be lost again, and with it, our predictable temperatures.
Return to the Moon
Artemis II, scheduled for launch between February and April sees the return of the first people to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Three American and one Canadian astronaut will orbit the Moon on a 10 day journey that lays the foundation for lunar landings in the coming years.
It's the first confirmed debris of a type of meteorite known as Ivuna-type carbonaceous chondrite – or CI chondrite – ever to be found on the Moon, demonstrating that fragile, water-bearing asteroids can leave microscopic traces embedded in the lunar regolith.
31. The astronaut trio was sent to replace the Shenzhou-20 crew — Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui and Chen Dong — who were originally scheduled to return home on Nov. 5, after completing a six-month stay in space.
The Four Evils are Tao Tie饕餮, Hun Dun混沌, Qiong Qi穷奇 and Tao Wu梼杌. Each holds evil characteristics such as encouraging greed, distorting truth, and making wars. The evil beasts' names are still often referred to as metaphors out of superstition.
The unmanned Surveyor 3 spacecraft is in the foreground. Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin were the first of 12 human beings to walk on the Moon. Four of America's moonwalkers are still alive: Aldrin (Apollo 11), David Scott (Apollo 15), Charles Duke (Apollo 16), and Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17).
The astronauts did leave items on the Moon, including a plaque and a flag, but Neil Armstrong himself did not leave any personal items on the Moon. Neil Armstrong leaving a bracelet on the Moon to memorialize his deceased daughter Karen was dramatic license on the part of the filmmakers of First Man (2018).
We haven't returned to the Moon primarily due to the immense cost, shift in political priorities away from the space race, and increased safety standards, making modern missions far more complex and expensive than the original Apollo goals, despite advanced technology. Current efforts, like NASA's Artemis program, aim for sustainable lunar presence, not just flag-planting, requiring new infrastructure and a much longer timeline.
It begins 9 hours before the lunar eclipse, for this eclipse, it starts at 12:59 PM on September 7, 2025. During this time, people avoid auspicious activities, temple visits, cooking, and worship, as the cosmic energies are believed to be disturbed. Avoid touching sacred plants like Tulsi, Peepal, and Banyan.
On a full moon, it's often advised to avoid starting new ventures, making major impulsive decisions, or engaging in conflict, as this time is seen as peak energy for culmination, release, and heightened emotions, making it better for reflection, closure, and self-care rather than new beginnings or rash actions. Instead of new projects, focus on releasing what no longer serves you and celebrating achievements, while being mindful of heightened feelings and potential overreactions.
While making small volumes of pure water in a lab is possible, it's not practical to “make” large volumes of water by mixing hydrogen and oxygen together. The reaction is expensive, releases lots of energy, and can cause really massive explosions.