<nods> NASA have probably lost the race already.

Aye it's not going well for Nasa with the starliner being delayed again and the Artemis programme being put back and then they have to content with who is in the white house.

And Starliner fails to get off the pad.

Again! And it looks like China's latest lander has made it down inside that huge farside crater.

Japan's Venus probe has finally gone quiet this week.

It was really an amazing achievement. When it first arrived near Venus in 2010 there was an issue with its main engine and it failed to go into orbit around Venus. Instead it ended up drifting around the Sun.

JAXA put it into hibernation and waited *FIVE YEARS* for it to get close to Venus again. They dumped the rest of the main engine fuel to lighten the load and then used the tiny attitude control thrusters to maneuver it just into Venus orbit where they got eight years of science out of it.

Yes I seen that the Chinese had got down just after I posted about Starliner also seen that Nasa has delayed the landing until 2026 now.

I seen that their was plan to put some sort of balloon into the atmosphere of Venus  and have it fly around the planets for a few days, although I don't think they ever got it off the drawing board.  

Starliner finally got the ground and I see the Chinese moon lander is on it way back after planting a flag and writing China in the moon dust, no doubt as to the bases of a future claim to the dark side of the moon.   

Posted by: @pinback

a future claim to the dark side of the moon.

Isn't the south pole region the place where water-ice can be found?

Posted by: @cody

 

Isn't the south pole region the place where water-ice can be found?

I believe so or at least they where they think it is.

Been a busy week as space X has a successful launch and touch down.