Andrew Jones
Andrew is a freelance space journalist with a focus on reporting on China's rapidly growing space sector. He began writing for Space.com in 2019 and writes for SpaceNews, IEEE Spectrum, National Geographic, Sky & Telescope, New Scientist and others. Andrew first caught the space bug when, as a youngster, he saw Voyager images of other worlds in our solar system for the first time. Away from space, Andrew enjoys trail running in the forests of Finland. You can follow him on Twitter @AJ_FI.
Latest articles by Andrew Jones
![a small helicopter sits in red rocky dirt](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7EpH2dXMrnsxcYwqQy6xvP-320-80.jpg)
India plans to include a helicopter on its next Mars mission
By Andrew Jones published
India's next Mars mission may include a helicopter that follows in the footsteps of NASA's pioneering Ingenuity drone.
![an rectangular spacecraft covered in gold foil and solar panels on the grey dusty surface of the moon](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B2SLu4avvUp2CVgaDcLL2c-320-80.jpg)
Here's what just landed on the moon aboard Intuitive Machines' Odysseus lander
By Andrew Jones last updated
Intuitive Machines' lander, named Odysseus, will try today (Feb. 22) to become the first private spacecraft ever to touch down softly on the moon. But what is the lander carrying?
![a ginormous mass of swirling gasses and stars smear wisps of pink and deep red hued with blues along the edge within the black of space. at the center, like an eye, a bright mass burns.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vAXaB7dg69fkdrCezwtwGS-320-80.jpg)
NASA's new UVEX mission will explore the ultraviolet universe
By Andrew Jones published
NASA's UltraViolet EXplorer (UVEX) spacecraft will launch in 2030 to conduct an all-sky survey in ultraviolet light to bring new understanding of how stars and galaxies evolve.
![four men in dark suits stand in front of a table with microphones and small flags on it.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VmfysVTj59TcASj83STUrC-320-80.jpg)
Uruguay signs Artemis Accords for responsible space exploration
By Andrew Jones published
Uruguay has joined the Artemis Accords, the United States' effort to establish widespread principles to guide space exploration.
![a cube-shaped spacecraft covered in gold foil sits on the surface of the moon atop four legs](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CJDWF5yDxzBohnGFP3YLYN-320-80.jpg)
China eyes May 2024 launch for 1st-ever lunar sample-return mission to moon's far side
By Andrew Jones published
Chang'e-6 is expected to launch in May 2024 and touch down on the moon's far side to collect samples of lunar material to be returned to Earth for study.
![chang'e 3 lunar lander](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QTm2ptnuU7eCNKZEPE9iGG-320-80.jpg)
China wants to send plants, microbes and lunar resource experiments to the moon in 2028
By Andrew Jones published
China's Chang'e 8 moon mission, which is targeted to launch no earlier than 2028, will carry a small ecosystem and other payloads to test using lunar resources.
![a large triangular sail made of silver foil is unfurled in a hangar as scientists look on](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h4qYh4yvdDXry3WAtGQUmG-320-80.jpg)
Watch NASA unfurl basketball-court-sized solar sail for deep space propulsion (video)
By Andrew Jones published
NASA and Redwire Space successfully deployed a massive solar sail in a test, potentially paving the way for this revolutionary propulsion technology to be used for deep space transportation.
![China's Smart Dragon-3 solid rocket launches nine satellites from a ship at sea on Feb. 2, 2024.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ejsXTxyRa68CBAbvESEv6e-320-80.jpg)
Watch China launch Smart Dragon-3 rocket from the sea (video)
By Andrew Jones published
China just aced its 10th sea launch, using a specially converted floating barge and a solid rocket called Smart Dragon-3.
![three smiling men in suits stand behind a man who's sitting at a small wooden table signing a document.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qo3EjY2YgoU37KJRMgnDPA-320-80.jpg)
Greece signs Artemis Accords for responsible moon exploration
By Andrew Jones published
Greece just became the 35th country to sign the Artemis Accords, a U.S.-led framework for peaceful and responsible moon exploration.
![a small camera lens with wires protruding from it is mounted to a white shaft](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/m4HPHHVtjw4A6fy9hfYMKN-320-80.jpg)
Intuitive Machines moon lander to carry tiny NASA cameras to study lunar surface (video)
By Andrew Jones published
Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lunar lander is set to launch next week carrying a special set of 'eyes' to track how the spacecraft's engine plume interacts with the lunar surface.
![illustration of a small, faraway moon base on the hilly, crater-marked surface of the moon.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GfYGHwC2dVmSvBfURAXkqK-320-80.jpg)
Nuclear power on the moon: NASA wraps up 1st phase of ambitious reactor project
By Andrew Jones published
NASA is wrapping up the design phase of a project to develop concepts for a small, electricity-generating nuclear fission reactor for use on the moon.
![close-up view of a white rocket hovering just above the ground, with blue flame blasting from its base](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5KgcbpFFkwEakHWXwEGQTR-320-80.jpg)
Chinese company's reusable rocket prototype aces launch-and-landing test (photos)
By Andrew Jones published
The Chinese company Expace pulled off a brief launch and landing test with a rocket prototype last month, as it aims to build a reusable launch vehicle.
![black and white photos of the rocky grey surface of the moon](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jj7oJNSe78Nn2rHWHJbEbA-320-80.jpg)
Japan's SLIM moon lander snaps final photos before going dormant during lunar night
By Andrew Jones published
Japan's historic SLIM moon lander has powered down ahead of a likely mission-ending cold lunar nighttime — but not before grabbing some final images and loads of science data.
![an illustration of a Chinese moon base](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wieXfhDBcrB3zZvua9LZpJ-320-80.jpg)
China puts models of its future crewed moon landing spacecraft on display (video)
By Andrew Jones published
China is displaying models of the rockets and spacecraft it is developing to send its astronauts to the moon six years or so from now.
![a three-module space station seen up close, with earth in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YNv2x4Whi42jvPo7QPQf9N-320-80.jpeg)
1,000 days in space! Core module of China's Tiangong space station hits milestone
By Andrew Jones published
The core module of China's Tiangong space station — named Tianhe, or "Harmony of the Heavens" — has now been orbiting Earth for more than 1,000 days.
![Chinese astronauts work out on the nation's Tiangong space station.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3YNai7QFBnjcG3vvdvTfc7-320-80.jpg)
China sends human bone cells to Tiangong space station (video)
By Andrew Jones published
A Chinese space freighter has delivered human bone cells to the Tiangong space station for on-orbit research that could help people here on Earth.
![Jupiter's moon Europa is the next destination for the Juno spacecraft.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wEkX9JhAKJxyA62aVRGZGj-320-80.jpg)
NASA Juno spacecraft picks up hints of activity on Jupiter's icy moon Europa
By Andrew Jones published
NASA's Juno probe made a close approach of Jupiter's moon Europa, finding possible proof of present day surface activity.
![CAS Space's third Kinetica-1 rocket lifts off from Jiuquan spaceport on Jan. 22, 2024.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NDQhADvoKUFFGmR3ebTepW-320-80.jpg)
Chinese company launches 5 remote-sensing satellites to orbit (video)
By Andrew Jones published
China's commercial space activities continue to grow, with a solid rocket putting five privately built satellites into orbit on Jan. 22.
![a large T-shaped space station is seen from above with Earth below it](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Wjr6XH6LRoffJxG5s9M485-320-80.jpg)
On China's space station, scientists will study some of Earth's earliest organisms
By Andrew Jones published
A Chinese spacecraft has delivered an experiment to the nation's space station that will test whether life can survive a cosmic environment.
![artist's illustration of a six-wheeled rover on the surface of Mars, with a rock-studded reddish landscape in the background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3hgec7iPZccY9eiZWTUCdd-320-80.jpg)
Happy 20th, Spirit and Opportunity! How the Mars rovers expanded our horizons
By Andrew Jones published
Spirit and Opportunity landed on Mars 20 years ago this month, kicking off a surface mission that reshaped our understanding of the Red Planet.
![an astronaut in a blue flight suit examines cargo in a white bag aboard a white-walled space station](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Kusmh6TrnxZkRx33Dnq4Eo-320-80.jpg)
Chinese astronauts check out newly delivered space station supplies (video)
By Andrew Jones published
Astronauts aboard China's Tiangong space station have entered the newly arrived Tianzhou 7 cargo spacecraft to begin sorting and checking out the goods.
![a spacecraft departs a space station with the curve of earth and the blackness of space in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/95t7AHkVqxz6rfrbJsFrde-320-80.jpg)
China's Tianzhou 6 cargo spacecraft burns up in Earth's atmosphere
By Andrew Jones published
China deorbited its robotic Tianzhou 6 cargo spacecraft today (Jan. 19) after it completed its mission serving the country's space station.
![artist's illustration of a white rocket launching, in a top-down view from just above the payload fairing.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/r3pUzKrH9jjq69MjESW6xh-320-80.jpg)
Chinese company targets 2025 for 1st launch of powerful new rocket
By Andrew Jones published
The Chinese launch company CAS Space has set August 2025 as the target for the first launch of its Kinetic-2 liquid propellant rocket.
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