Exploration of the moon is top of mind for many countries, which are looking to the moon with a view to resource extraction (i.e., water, ice and minerals), establishing lunar settlements in the future and as a step toward deep space exploration.

On Aug. 23, 2023, the Indian Space Research Organisation landed a rover near the moon’s south pole. India’s success came on the heels of a failed attempt by Russia’s Luna-25 lander, which crashed into the surface of the moon on Aug. 19.