Laurent Palka, Muséum national d’histoire naturelle (MNHN)
Tardigrades are tiny animals known for their extraordinary survival skills, but are they tough enough to survive a space-probe crash and conditions on the Moon?
Some dark craters on the Moon are never exposed to light − ice could be hiding in these permanently shadowed regions, and India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission marked a big step toward finding it.
While a return to the Moon will allow the U.S. to collaborate with other nations interested in space, this endeavor is also complicated by geopolitical tensions.
Scientists are figuring out how to reduce the cost of space travel – to and from the Moon and possibly to Mars. One approach is to mine the Moon for resources necessary for interplanetary travel.