Website & Blog of Jatan Mehta, a globally published & cited space writer. Read deep dives on global lunar and space exploration.

Poem: Selene, smashed not shattered

Tucked in a tiny timed capsule against its wonky, worldly windows mesmerized the momentary Moonfarers at sweeping sights of Selene Creased by craters and crowning peaks melts and mountains molded in weeks amid barrages of ballistically laid beads lingered the landscape of Luna What the world could view is impact

Artemis II astronauts gazed at our Moon with joy, curiosity, and reverence. Through finer robotic orbital views, so can you.

Thanks to our robotic explorers, and the great leveler that is the Internet, you too can “Copy, Moon joy.” | Moon Monday #270

Why haven’t humans gone back to the Moon no longer a valid question thanks to NASA Artemis II lunar flyby

Plus: A poetic ode to our exploration of Luna | Moon Monday #269

Poem: Antariksh ki pyaas / The thirst for space

Original in Hindustani, followed by its English translation (though not as lyrical): Antariksh ki pyaas Woh bachpan ki kitaabe jisne dikhaye sitaare aaj bhi yaad se nihaare Durbin ki drishti me jagmag falak aur yaano ki gati se graho ki jalak Kalpana se Chaand par chalna aur brahmand ke brahman

India’s rockets will not meet its civil space and strategic launch manifest even at peak performance

Part 3 of India’s space launch crisis | Indian Space Progress #37

Ignition, not yet liftoff, of NASA’s ambitious Artemis Moonbase plans | Moon Monday #268

Plus: NASA in final prep to launch Artemis II astronauts around Luna.

China surfaces details of spacecraft to land humans on Luna by 2030 | Moon Monday #267

From landing system development to trajectory design and landing site selection to abort scenarios.

Moon Monday #266: Current mission updates and future governance questions

* On February 25, NASA rolled back the SLS rocket and its attached Orion spacecraft from the vehicle’s launchpad at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to its assembly building about seven kilometers away. Technicians then replaced a dislodged seal in a fueling interface of the rocket’s

NASA falters in communications yet again with Lunar Trailblazer failure | Moon Monday #265

Plus: Parallel developments show how open access NASA is when the agency is at its best.

Everything you should know and track about NASA’s Apollo-style Artemis rejig in its chase of China to the Moon

NASA is also borrowing the “manned” from Apollo while at it. | Moon Monday #264

Moon Monday #263: Artemis II, a Canadian capcom, Chandrayaan, and Long March 10

Also, fun new guestbook for those who read till the end. 🌝

China conducts a multi-element test unlike any other nation in firm march to Luna | Moon Monday #262

Plus NASA Artemis updates.