The moon has been a source of fascination for centuries, but it’s only recently that technology has allowed us to explore it. Now, thanks to advances in space exploration technology, more and more missions are being sent to the moon. In 2023 alone, we already know of at least one lunar landing attempt—and there could be as many as five more before the year is out!
Ispace’s M1 Mission
The first mission is Ispace’s M1 mission, which launched in December on a SpaceX rocket. It’s taking a slow, fuel-efficient route to the moon and is set to arrive in April. Once it lands, Ispace plans to deploy its own rover (built by the United Arab Emirates) and a robot (built by Japan’s space agency JAXA). It will also carry other payloads.
NASA Missions
In addition to Ispace’s mission, NASA has hired two private companies (Intuitive Machines of Houston and Astrobotic Technology of Pittsburgh) to carry payloads to the lunar surface. Both companies have faced delays in 2022 but may make their trips this year. They could be joined by three government space programs’ lunar missions – India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission; China’s Chang’e 5 spacecraft; and Russia’s Luna 25 lander. Each mission will bring its own unique goals and objectives which will help us learn more about our nearest celestial neighbor.
Other Private Missions
Finally, several private missions are planning their own trips to the moon in 2023 as well. These include Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander; startup company OrbitBeyond’s Z-01 rover; Israel’s Beresheet 2 mission; and Moon Express’ robotic craft MX-1E lander mission. All these missions have ambitious goals that range from collecting samples from the moon’s surface or even establishing permanent human habitats on it!
2023 promises to be an exciting year for lunar exploration with no less than nine separate attempts planned so far! These missions will allow us not only gain a better understanding of our nearest celestial neighbor but also take humanity another step closer towards establishing permanent human settlements beyond Earth – something that was once thought impossible just a few decades ago! We can’t wait to see what discoveries await us on our journey into space!
