First Lunar Radio Telescope on the Moon’s Far Side Will Revolutionize Space Science

The Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment (LuSEE-Night) is set to become the first radio telescope on the Moon’s far side, aiming to detect low-frequency signals free from Earth’s radio interference. A collaboration between NASA, the Department of Energy’s Brookhaven Lab, and other institutions, the mission will target the elusive 21-cm hydrogen line to study the Cosmic Dark Ages—an early period before stars and galaxies formed. Equipped with rotating antennas and advanced spectrometers, LuSEE-Night will operate during the Moon’s frigid 14-day nights, powered by a 50‑kg battery designed to keep it functional in extreme conditions, the Daily Galaxy has reported. This pioneering effort marks a major step toward space‑based radio astronomy.