Why The US Is Struggling To Return To The Moon

Ancient Civilizations

Why The US Is Struggling To Return To The Moon

Landing on the moon is a complex challenge, and recent attempts by American companies have shown just how difficult it can be. This year, two lunar landing missions failed, highlighting the hurdles that still exist in…

March 10, 2025 • 3 min read • Art Grindstone

Art Grindstone is the hard-nosed storyteller behind Unexplained.co, a veteran investigator whose life’s work sits at the crossroads of the paranormal, fringe science, and the shadows most people try not to look into. With decades spent chasing impossible stories — black-budget psychic programs, vanished Cold War experiments, desert rituals that sparked UFO waves, and the strange phenomena buried in America’s forgotten backroads — Art brings a rare combination of skepticism, awe, and journalistic precision. He’s not here to debunk. He’s not here to blindly believe. He follows the evidence wherever it leads — even when it leads someplace deeply uncomfortable. Known for his immersive, cinematic style and his ability to turn obscure research into gripping narrative, Art has built a devoted following across podcasts, long-form features, documentaries, and serialized investigations. His interviews are direct. His analysis is unflinching. His voice has become a staple in the modern paranormal renaissance — the guy people turn to when a story is too strange, too complex, or too dangerous for anyone else to touch. Off-mic, Art works with a distributed network of researchers, archivists, and field operatives who help surface the stories mainstream media ignores. On-mic, he transforms their findings into meticulous, high-impact reporting that refuses to insult the intelligence of true believers. His philosophy is simple: Take the phenomenon seriously. Treat the audience with respect. Tell the story as if the world depends on it — because sometimes it does. When Art Grindstone digs into a case, he isn’t just chasing a mystery. He’s tracing the fault lines of reality itself.

In This Report(6)

Landing on the moon is a complex challenge, and recent attempts by American companies have shown just how difficult it can be. This year, two lunar landing missions failed, highlighting the hurdles that still exist in returning to the moon.

Key Takeaways

Recent lunar landing attempts by American companies have failed.
NASA is focusing on developing reliable lunar landing technologies.
The cost of sending humans to the moon is currently prohibitive.
New technologies and strategies are being developed to improve lunar landings.

Landing on the moon is not easy. Just this year, the first two American lunar landing attempts since Apollo 17 in 1972 failed. First, Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander couldn’t reach the moon due to a propellant leak. Then, Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander tipped over during its final descent after hitting a rock. Despite this unfortunate collision, IM-2 still managed to return valuable data back to Earth, but losing a $120 million lunar lander was a significant setback.

NASA needs to relearn how to land on the moon and develop the technologies needed to do it reliably. So, why is landing on the moon so difficult, even with decades of technological advancements?

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Firefly’s Blue Ghost mission is the next lunar landing attempt scheduled to launch soon. I visited their Austin, Texas headquarters to learn how they are preparing for success and making lunar landings easier for future missions.

The Challenges of Lunar Landings

In the past, communication was a major issue. During the Apollo missions, astronauts had a command module to relay messages to Earth. Today, there’s no command module, and sending humans on early exploratory missions doesn’t make financial sense.

NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, a $2.6 billion fund, aims to support private companies like Intuitive Machines, Astrobotic, and Firefly. Each mission receives around $100 million in funding. However, it costs about $1 million per kilogram to reach the moon. For example, the two space suits worn by Apollo 11 astronauts weighed 160 kilograms. Launching humans, along with the life support needed to keep them alive, is not feasible within NASA’s current budget.

The Importance of Testing

About 50% of all moon landings across all space-faring nations fail. This is an unacceptable safety margin for human missions. These missions are crucial for developing the expertise needed to land on the moon reliably, even without skilled human pilots. They also help test and develop the technologies needed for future crewed missions, like NASA’s Artemis program.