NASA's unmanned Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS, achieved a key milestone recently when NASA officials approved critical elements of a moon impact mission scheduled to launch in October 2008. It will search for water and other materials that astronauts could use at a future lunar outpost.

NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., manages the mission, valued at $79 million, excluding launch costs. The mission will help NASA gain a new foothold on the moon and prepare for new journeys to Mars and beyond.

Space.com reports that the JAXA has recomended to cancel the launch of the Lunar-A mission, which would have been the first Japanese Lunar lander mission.

A new resource site about the Moon has been launched! Lunarpedia has been created by the Moon Society, a sister organization of Lunar Explorers Society.

[NASA Press Release] HOUSTON – NASA on Monday unveiled the initial elements of the Global Exploration Strategy and a proposed U.S. lunar architecture, two critical tools for achieving the nation's vision of returning humans to the moon.

NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale, who is guiding the long-term strategy development effort among 14 of the world's space agencies, said, "This strategy will enable interested nations to leverage their capabilities and financial and technical contributions, making optimum use of globally available knowledge and resources to help energize a coordinated effort that will propel us into this new age of discovery and exploration."

The new website for the Lunar Explorers Society is currently under construction.

We are working as hard as we can in order to bring you a top quality site that includes many new features.

This section will contain the latest breaking news from the space industry, agencies and academia.

Keep checking back for more updates!

-Matt and Trond