Skip to main content

Prepare for liftoff! Here are all the moon missions happening in the next decade

This article is part of Apollo: A Lunar Legacy, a multipart series that explores the technological advances behind Apollo 11, their influence on the modern day, and what’s next for the moon.

The moon is hot right now — and this isn’t some meteorological warning, either. Earth’s natural lunar satellite is the same approximate temperature it has always been, varying between minus-280 degrees Fahrenheit and 260 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on how much sun it’s getting. In terms of buzzworthy hotness, however, the moon is currently enjoying press like it hasn’t seen since the early 1970s.

Recommended Videos

Fifty years after Apollo 11 first put astronauts on the moon, we’re going back, as the next 10 years are poised to be the most significant in lunar history in, well, decades. What have we got to look forward to? Check out our handy guide.

Artemis

The Artemis 1 Orion Crew Module.
The Artemis 1 Orion Crew Module. NASA

The biggest moon-related news on everyone’s mind right now is the announcement, made by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence earlier this year, that President Donald Trump has directed NASA to commit to sending American astronauts to the moon by 2024. This would be the first time that people have walked on the moon since Eugene “Gene” Cernan and Harrison “Jack” Schmitt, the crew of Apollo 17, in December 1972. It will also be the first time a female astronaut has landed on the moon, if all goes according to plan.

While questions have been raised about how feasible the deadline is, the Artemis mission has nonetheless generated plenty of excitement. Two of the major developments that will get us to the point of launch include the completion of NASA’s much-delayed rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), and the development of a small space station, Gateway, which doesn’t yet exist.

There’s a whole lot more work that needs to be done, though the pieces are slowly but surely moving in the right direction.

Blue Origin

Jeff Bezos Blue Origin Lunar Lander concept shown by Jeff Bezos
Blue Origin

It’s not exactly next-day delivery, but Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos wants to help place humans back on the moon by 2024. His aerospace company Blue Origin, which has been working toward a lunar landing for the past three years, unveiled a mock-up of his proposed Blue Moon lander in May. “It’s time to go back to the Moon, this time to stay,” Bezos said at the time.

In June, the company carried out a test firing of Blue Moon’s BE-7 engine, the propulsion system designed to make it all possible. It’s unclear whether Blue Moon will be its own independent mission or if it will be rolled into NASA’s launch. Bezos has said he would be happy to assist NASA with its 2024 moonshot.

If that plan goes south, though, we wouldn’t put it past Bezos to stage his own launch. Hey, future lunar settlers are going to need Amazon Prime, too.

dearMoon project

#dearMoon project - Special ver with MZ announcement

The name might make it sound faintly like an angst-ridden, young-adult novel, but the #dearMoon project has the potential to make serious waves when it takes place. A lunar tourism mission financed by a Japanese billionaire, the mission aims to send a small crew on board a SpaceX spacecraft on a multiday, circumlunar trajectory.

Financer Yusaku Maezawa plans to make the trip with several artists in tow. First Man and La La Land director Damien Chazelle is the first (and currently only) official invitee. The flight will occur no earlier than 2023.

China’s robotic research station

Robotics lunar base concept by the China Academy of Space Technology
China Academy of Space Technology

A Chinese robotic research station located on the moon’s south pole within the next decade? Hey, it could happen. The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program has been working toward this goal for some time, and has even planned a set of launches to make it a reality.

Upcoming missions Chang’e 6, 7, and 8 are planned to launch between 2023 and 2027. The first, Chang’e 6, will carry out an investigation of the topography, composition, and surface conditions of the proposed site. Chang’e 7, set to launch shortly after, will explore the south pole for possible resources. Chang’e 8 will then attempt to 3D print a structure using these on-site resources. At least two of these missions will also include lunar rovers.

India gets in on the action

India GSLV Mark III-M1 rocket Chandrayaan-2 moon orbiter
India Space Research Organisation

With the U.S., China, and assorted private companies competing to lay claim to the moon, lots of people have forgotten about India’s space ambitions. As the world’s second-largest country by population — it lags only behind China — India has imminent designs on lunar missions. This month, its unmanned Chandrayaan-2 mission will launch, with the goal of exploring the uncharted south pole for possible signs of water.

A second mission, Chandrayaan-3, is planned for sometime around 2024. This mission, a collaboration between Japan’s JAXA space agency and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), would deploy both a lunar rover and lander to aid further exploration.

Roscosmos’ Federation

Roscosmos’ Federation concept
ROSCOSMOS

Russia may not be the space technology leader it was in the Sputnik era, but it’s determined not to be left out of the current moon-mania. According to Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia’s state space corporation, the country is working to develop a “Super Heavy” booster capable of delivering 27 metric tons to lunar polar orbit.

It’s also got an eye on a possible rover mission called Luna 28 that’s set to launch sometime around 2025. Comprised of a stationary lander and lunar rover, the idea would be to collect samples for return to Earth. It’s possible that NASA will be a partner for this mission. Meanwhile, an orbital module will remain in lunar orbit for several years.

There’s even talk of crewed flights to lunar orbit in 2029, complete with an inflatable base module. That’s still a few years out, but it’s yet another reminder that no country wants to be left out of the current lunar enthusiasm. And speaking of which …

Another Israel lander?

Beresheet payload
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In April, Israel’s attempt to land on the moon ended in failure. The Beresheet spacecraft, launched as part of a $100 million mission, crashed to the lunar surface as it was attempting to touch down. Organized by Israeli nonprofit SpaceIL, the privately funded mission almost certainly won’t be the last we hear of Israel’s lunar plans, however.

With Peter Diamandis, founder of the Google Lunar X Prize — a contest for privately funded teams to land on the moon, which ran through 2018 — saying that SpaceIL will be awarded $1 million to continue its work, development toward Israel’s first moonshot will continue. “If at first you don’t succeed, you try again,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. No date has been announced for a second attmpt, but it’s certainly possible that it happens within the next decade.

Luke Dormehl
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more