Stories about US and international civil space missions, including those led by NASA and ESA.
Last week, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the Space Force, and the Air Force Research Laboratory released their fourth annual joint report on the state of the space industrial base. The verdict: The US has a lot of work to do if it wants to compete with China over the long run. Penned by four […]
We’ll be waiting a few more days for NASA’s return to the moon. This morning, SLS’ debut flight was scrubbed at T-40 minutes after a handful of weather- and engine-related delays. Artemis I: The first mission in NASA’s Moon-to-Mars program will be an uncrewed test flight, sending the Orion crew capsule on a 42-day trip […]
A new space station has moved one step closer to reality. Yesterday, Blue Origin and Sierra Space announced that their Orbital Reef project has passed its system definition review for NASA. The orbital outpost is now ready to enter the design phase. Orbital Reef 101 The ISS is destined for a watery grave in 2030—or […]
The commercial space industry is moving fast, and the US government is making moves to keep up with the times. In response to this rapid growth and development of the orbital environment, VP Kamala Harris said Friday that the government aims to develop a new rules framework for space activities. “We must write new rules […]
Yesterday, NASA released an updated list of requirements for private astronaut missions to the ISS, and it seems that future tours will need extra supervision. Future private missions to the ISS will need to be accompanied by a former NASA astronaut. ICYMI: In April, Axiom launched Ax-1, the first-ever private astronaut mission to the ISS. […]
Congress has spent the last few weeks hammering out next year’s authorizations and funding decisions. On the policy side, CHIPS and Science passed in both the House and Senate last week. On the funding side, policymakers have been reviewing and amending next year’s NDAA, which will provide funding for military space programs. CHIPS and Science […]
The White House has decided it’s time to do something about space junk. On Friday, the National Science and Technology Council released a 44-point national orbital debris implementation plan that aims to nip the littering problem in the bud before it threatens the safe operation of satellites in orbit. Multiple US agencies are currently involved […]
The in-space collaboration between the US and Russia may be coming to an end. Yesterday, newly installed Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov announced Moscow’s intention to walk away from the ISS partnership in 2024 and commence construction on its own space station. In recent memory… Russia’s hostile invasion of Ukraine almost immediately sent the already-strained ISS […]
The wait is almost over. Yesterday NASA finally announced a target launch date for the debut flight of SLS, aka Artemis I. The agency’s giant moon rocket is set to roll out to the pad on Aug. 18 and could launch on either Aug. 29, Sep. 2, or Sep. 5. The story so far: It’s […]
The United Arab Emirates is getting serious about space. On Sunday, the Emirati space agency announced the creation of an AED 3 billion (~$817M) national fund to further nurture and develop the UAE’s budding space industry. The UAE also announced the first project with backing from its new fund: a constellation of SAR (synthetic aperture […]
A new age of astronomy has officially dawned. After a long, nail-biting wait, NASA has finally released the first full-color images from JWST, the next-generation space telescope allowing scientists to peer deeper into space than ever before. Astronomers across the world have pinned their hopes on the shiny new scope, aiming to glean precious understanding […]
Following a successful launch on Rocket Lab’s Electron and deployment from its Lunar Photon, NASA’s moon-bound CAPSTONE satellite is not phoning home. Timeline: On July 4, the satellite broke Earth’s orbit. On Tuesday, the US space agency said the spacecraft has experienced “communications issues” while in contact with the Deep Space Network, a series of […]
