
SpaceX
Rocket
Falcon Heavy
Location
Launch Complex 39A
Launch Time
Thursday, December 31, 2026 at 12:00 AM GMT+0
Orbit
Lunar Orbit
Countdown to Launch
Demonstration flight of the Astrobotic Griffin lander and its engines, initially contracted for the cancelled NASA VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) mission. The vacated payload spot will now host the FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform) lunar rover from Astrolab.
Launch Viewing Score
9.3/10
Excellent
Temp
72°F
Clouds
2%
Wind
13 mph
Visibility
91 km

APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 20 – An… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. An Anticrepuscular […]

Human activities have become intertwined with how water is distributed across the continents. A new study brings their effects into sharper focus.
Written by Alex Innanen, Atmospheric Scientist at York University Earth planning date: Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 Happy New Mars Year! We mark the start of a new year on Mars at the beginning of the northern hemisphere spring, or the vernal equinox. We then keep track of the seasons by counting degrees of solar longitude […]
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