Civil
Stories about US and international civil space missions, including those led by NASA and ESA.
CLPS Companies Excited For NASA’s ‘Opportunity Bomb’ Lunar Plan
Last week, NASA laid out a vision for a lunar base that’s built and supplied through monthly uncrewed lunar landings, with launches beginning as soon as next year.It’s no surprise that CLPS companies are raring to go.
Q&A With Lunar Base Manager Carlos Garcia-Galan
At the start of last week, Carlos Garcia-Galan was working on NASA’s program for a lunar-orbiting habitat. Last Tuesday, however, he became the person overseeing the space agency’s ambitious plan to build a lunar surface base at record speed. During last week’s Ignition event at NASA HQ, Payload sat down with Garcia-Galan, the program executive…
Jared Isaacman Hits 100 Days In Office With a Bang
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has one message: Get in, we’re going to the Moon.
NASA Priorities Get a Major Makeover
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman had a vision for a robust, commercially driven lunar economy, supported by surface infrastructure. Now, he also has a plan.
Isaacman Plans Monthly Uncrewed Lunar Landings In 2027
“We are going to plus up for Moon base construction in a huge way,” said during an interview with Spaceflight Now that was released late Friday night.
NASA Pushes Crewed Moon Landing to Artemis IV
The US path to the Moon shifted significantly on Friday, in what NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called the “only way forward” for the American lunar program. Hit the gas: Isaacman announced multiple changes to the program, including: Timeline: In light of these structural changes, Isaacman announced a new timeline for the American return to the…
NASA: Agency ‘Failed’ Starliner Astronauts
“The most troubling failure…is not hardware. It is decision-making and leadership that, if left unchecked, could create a culture incompatible with human spaceflight,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said during a livestreamed press conference.
Vast Wins Its First Private Astronaut Mission to ISS
The previous five missions have all gone to competitor Axiom, which (like Vast) is building its own private station vying to replace the ISS.
SpaceX Delays Mars Plans in Favor of the Moon
The update is an about-face from previous comments made by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who called the Moon a “distraction” in January 2025.
NASA to Grow Civil Servant Workforce Under Isaacman
“Getting back to the Moon means getting back to the basics,” he wrote. “NASA must regain its core competencies in technical, engineering, and operational excellence.”
Congress is Considering a NASA Authorization Bill—Again
Recently, it’s become an annual exercise for lawmakers, and a stated priority for committee leaders past and present. However, past bills have stalled and failed to codify the space agency’s missions.
NASA Picks Habitable World-Finders
It’s the biggest question left to answer in planetary science: Is there life elsewhere in the universe? And if so, where?
Top 5 of 2025: Civil Space
Between budget cuts, staff reductions, and leadership changes, it’s been a chaotic and unpredictable year for the space agency.
