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South Pole
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Artemis III is NASA's planned mission to return astronauts to the surface of the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission will use the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, with a crewed landing targeted near the lunar south pole. Interest centers on its launch date, crew selection, and the role of SpaceX's Starship as the landing vehicle.
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison is honoring physicist Francis Halzen in connection with the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics. Halzen, a longtime university professor, is known for his leading role in the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. The campus community and local outlets are celebrating the recognition of his decades of work in particle astrophysics.
- 3Nasa's Artemis III: will the crewed Moon mission happen?▼What is Nasa’s Artemis III mission and will it go to the Moon?
Attention is on Nasa's Artemis III mission, which is intended to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. The plan involves a landing near the Moon's south pole, but questions persist over whether delays to key hardware, including the Space Launch System rocket and the Starship lunar lander, will push back the target date. Coverage explains the mission's goals and the hurdles it faces.
- 4NASA's Artemis 3 Plan Calls for Three Rockets and No Landing●NASA Maps Out Artemis 3: Three Heavy Rockets, Two Lander Docking Tests, No Moon Landing
NASA has laid out a revised plan for the Artemis 3 mission that would involve launching three heavy rockets and conducting two docking tests with the lunar lander, while skipping an actual Moon landing. The reported architecture suggests the crewed landing near the lunar south pole may be pushed further out, prompting debate about costs, SpaceX's Starship schedule, and the realistic timeline for returning astronauts to the Moon.
- 5NASA's Artemis III to Test Future Moon Lander Operations▼NASA’s Artemis III Mission to Test Future Moon Lander Operations
NASA says its Artemis III mission will serve as a testbed for operations needed for future Moon landers, as the agency prepares to return astronauts to the lunar surface. The mission, intended to land crew near the lunar south pole, will trial procedures and technologies that later lander missions will rely on.
- 6What is Nasa's Artemis III mission, and what comes next?●What is Nasa's Artemis III mission? And what comes next?
Nasa's Artemis III mission aims to return astronauts to the Moon, including landing humans near the lunar south pole for the first time. The mission is a key step toward a sustained lunar presence and eventual crewed missions to Mars. Outlets are explaining the mission's goals, timeline and what follows in the wider Artemis programme.
- 7Artemis III mission to orbit Moon 1,122 miles out for 14 days▼Artemis III’s Orbit Plan: 1,122 Miles Out, 14 Days [2026]
NASA's Artemis III mission, planned for 2026, is set to place its spacecraft in an orbit roughly 1,122 miles above the lunar surface for a duration of about 14 days. The orbit plan is key to landing astronauts near the Moon's south pole, and the mission timeline continues to draw scrutiny over schedule and technical readiness.
- 8IceCube detects ghost particles carrying enormous energies▼IceCube finds ghost particles with 10 billion times more solar energy
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole has detected neutrinos—often called ghost particles because they barely interact with matter—carrying energies around 10 billion times greater than the particles emitted by the Sun. The finding offers new insight into the most violent cosmic events, such as those near black holes and exploding stars, and pushes the boundaries of what detectors can observe.
- 9From Cherenkov's glow to IceCube: the road to Halzen's Nobel●From Cherenkov’s glow to the IceCube: The road to Halzen’s Nobel
An analysis traces the scientific path from Pavel Cherenkov's discovery of the faint blue light emitted by charged particles to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole, and argues it could lead to a Nobel Prize for IceCube lead scientist Francis Halzen. The piece frames IceCube's detection of cosmic neutrinos as a landmark achievement in particle astrophysics worth Nobel recognition.
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NASA's Artemis III mission plan calls for a roughly 14-day surface stay near the lunar south pole, with two dockings between the Orion spacecraft and the Starship Human Landing System. The mission aims to return astronauts to the Moon for the first time since Apollo, with crewed activities limited by Orion's capabilities.
- 11Hunting the Universe's Origins with Subatomic Particles and Ice▼Ice ice baby: finding the origin of the universe using subatomic particles and ice
Researchers are exploring the origins of the universe by studying subatomic particles detected in ice, an approach tied to experiments such as IceCube at the South Pole, which catches neutrinos to probe cosmic phenomena. The story highlights how frozen detectors buried deep in ice can trace particles from cataclysmic astrophysical events, offering clues about the universe's earliest moments.
- 12NASA's Artemis III mission advances lunar exploration plans●NASA's Artemis III Mission: Pioneering Lunar Exploration Plans
NASA's Artemis III mission is drawing attention as the agency prepares to return astronauts to the Moon for the first time since Apollo. The mission aims to land humans near the lunar south pole, a region thought to hold water ice, marking a key step toward sustained lunar presence and eventual Mars missions.
- 13UW-Madison celebrates physicist Francis Halzen after Nobel Prize win▼UW-Madison celebrating physicist Francis Halzen after Nobel Prize win
Physicist Francis Halzen of the University of Wisconsin-Madison has won a Nobel Prize, and the university is celebrating the achievement. Halzen is known for his leading role in the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole, a major project in particle astrophysics. Campus officials and colleagues are honoring his contribution to physics.
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VIPER is NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, designed to hunt for water ice near the Moon's south pole. The mission was cancelled by NASA in 2024 over cost and schedule concerns, prompting debate among scientists and lawmakers about whether the rover could still be salvaged through a new partner or commercial flight, and what the decision means for future lunar exploration under the Artemis programme.
- 15Black Hills researchers linked to Nobel-winning South Pole physics work●Black Hills researchers have stake in Nobel-winning work at the South Pole
Researchers from South Dakota's Black Hills region played a part in the work just honoured with a Nobel Prize, tied to research conducted at the South Pole. The Dakota Scout reports the local scientists share a stake in the prize-winning discoveries, highlighting the region's connection to world-leading physics. Details of the exact contribution and which laureates are involved remain limited in early coverage.