Artemis Program
47 reportsThe key evidence surrounding Artemis Program comes from surface science; navigation and communications; and returned images and measurements. The security of claims about surface science is judged through engineering milestones and released scientific results; interpretation remains cautious because proposed schedules and capabilities may change during development.
NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim Departs Agency to Resume Naval Aviation Career
NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, a Harvard-trained physician and Navy SEAL, is leaving the agency after nine years and one mission to the International Space Station to return to active duty in naval aviation training
SpaceX Plans $100 Billion Starbase Louisiana for Starship Launches
SpaceX and Louisiana officials have announced a $100 billion investment to build Starbase Louisiana, a major new launch and manufacturing site designed to support thousands of Starship launches annually from the Gulf Coast.
SpaceX to Retire Falcon 9 as Starship Nears Operational Status
SpaceX has announced plans to phase out its Falcon 9 rocket once the Starship launch system achieves reliable, frequent operations. The transition could reshape commercial launch access and mission planning for years ahead
NASA Backs 18 Advanced Concepts for Future Space Missions
NASA has awarded funding to 18 early-stage technology proposals, supporting research into new mission concepts including lunar cave exploration, exoplanet imaging, and distributed probes for Saturn's rings
China Delays Chang'e 7 Moon South Pole Launch Amid Severe Weather
China's Chang'e 7 lunar mission, designed to search for water ice near the Moon's south pole, has been postponed due to a tropical depression threatening the Hainan launch site. The new launch window remains uncertain
NASA Prepares Astronaut Training for Commercial Space Station Era
NASA's Johnson Space Center is adapting its astronaut training and mission operations to support a transition from the International Space Station to a new generation of commercial space stations, with government and private industry working side by side
NASA Artemis II Astronauts to Receive Congressional Space Medal of Honor
NASA's Artemis II crew, who completed a lunar flyby in April, will be awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor at Johnson Space Center, recognizing their role in advancing human spaceflight beyond low Earth orbit
Study Finds Some Terrestrial Microbes Could Survive on the Moon
A new analysis suggests certain bacteria and fungi from Earth may persist in cryptobiotic states on the lunar surface, especially in shadowed polar regions, raising questions for future crewed missions and planetary protection
NASA Study Finds Human Microbes Could Survive in Moon's South Pole Shadows
A NASA-led study simulates lunar south polar conditions and finds that some common Earth microbes, including bacteria and fungi, could persist in shadowed lunar regions, raising new questions for planetary protection as human exploration expands
How NASA Mechanics Maintain Spacecraft and Support Exploration
NASA relies on highly trained mechanics to keep spacecraft, launch vehicles, and support equipment operational. Their work spans aircraft, rockets, and heavy transporters, requiring specialized skills and rigorous certification.
NASA Johnson Photographers Document Human Spaceflight Milestones
NASA's Johnson Space Center photography team has recorded decades of astronaut training, mission operations, and engineering tests, providing a visual record of human spaceflight and the people behind major missions using a range of imaging techniques
SpaceX Starship Upper Stage Recovered Intact After Indian Ocean Splashdown
SpaceX's Starship Ship 40, which completed a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean after its July test flight, has been successfully towed to calmer waters near Christmas Island for engineering analysis
Artemis II Astronauts Reflect on Orion's Moon Mission and Next Steps
NASA's Artemis II crew discussed their 10-day lunar flyby, Orion spacecraft performance, and upcoming mission challenges at a public event in Colorado, highlighting both technical lessons and international collaboration
NASA's M2-F1 Lifting Body Demonstrates Controlled Glide Landing in 1963
NASA's M2-F1 prototype, a wingless lifting body aircraft, completed its first unpowered glide flight on August 16, 1963, providing early evidence that spacecraft could return to Earth with controlled landings rather than ballistic descent
China Unveils Detailed Lunar Map and New Geologic Timeline
Chinese researchers have released a new 1:5 million scale map of the Moon, updating lunar geologic eras and far side data using recent sample-return missions and reprocessed spectral analysis
Cards Against Humanity Plans Monument Near SpaceX Starbase After Dispute
A legal dispute over land use near SpaceX's Starbase in Texas has led Cards Against Humanity to propose a public monument targeting Elon Musk, highlighting ongoing tensions between commercial space operations and local landowners
NASA AI Model Predicts Sunspot Emergence Hours Before Surface Appearance
A NASA-led team has developed an AI model that analyzes acoustic and magnetic data from the Sun to forecast the emergence of active regions up to 12 hours in advance, offering new potential for space weather prediction
NASA Invites India to Join Moon South Pole Base Collaboration
NASA has formally invited India to participate in developing a permanent lunar base near the Moon's south pole, marking a significant step in US-India deep-space cooperation and expanding the Artemis program's international partnerships
SpaceX Rocket Impact on Moon Raises Safety Questions for Lunar Missions
A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage collided with the lunar surface near Einstein Crater, prompting new scrutiny of debris risks as lunar exploration and infrastructure expand
NASA Facility in West Virginia Expands Role in Lunar Mission Safety
NASA's Katherine Johnson IV&V Facility in West Virginia is strengthening its technical workforce to support mission assurance and AI safety for upcoming lunar exploration, with new civil servants joining the agency's core engineering teams
Radiation Vest Tested on Artemis I May Aid Deep Space Astronaut Safety
A hydrogen-rich plastic vest tested aboard NASA's Artemis I mission has demonstrated significant shielding against solar radiation, offering a potential solution for astronaut protection on future lunar and Mars expeditions
NASA Artemis Launch Team Welcomes New Test Project Engineer
NASA's Artemis program has added Lindsey Waitt as a test project engineer, supporting launch operations for upcoming Moon missions. Her appointment highlights the technical demands and collaborative environment of Artemis launch preparations.
NASA Prepares LEMS Seismic Station for Artemis Lunar Surface Deployment
NASA engineers have completed the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station (LEMS), a compact seismic instrument suite designed for long-term deployment by Artemis astronauts near the Moon's south pole, aiming to monitor moonquakes and meteorite impacts.
Space Station Research Advances Artemis Moon and Mars Missions
NASA's International Space Station experiments in 2026 are testing technologies and studying astronaut health to support future Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars, with new results informing spacecraft design and deep space exploration
NASA Expands Student Access to Space Missions and STEM Careers
NASA is opening new opportunities for students to participate in authentic mission experiences, technical career exploration, and citizen science, as the agency prepares for major launches and ongoing lunar and space station operations
NASA Astronauts Complete Spacewalk to Prepare ISS for Solar Array Upgrade
NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon spent 6.5 hours outside the International Space Station installing the final mounting hardware for new roll-out solar arrays, a step toward boosting the station's power supply later this year
NASA Joins Artemis III Orion Crew and Service Modules for Lunar Mission
Technicians at Kennedy Space Center have integrated the Orion crew and service modules for Artemis III, a key milestone ahead of the mission to test lunar landing system rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit
NASA Faces Challenge of Toxic Dust for Future Mars Astronauts
NASA's Martian Dust Limit Working Group has reviewed the health risks posed by Mars dust, which contains carcinogenic silica and heavy metals, and is developing exposure standards and mitigation strategies for future crewed missions
How a Falcon 9 Upper Stage Ended Up Bound for the Moon
A Falcon 9 upper stage abandoned in a high Earth orbit is expected to hit the Moon on August 5, 2026, after gravity and solar activity gradually altered its trajectory
NASA's NavCube3-mini Heads to a Commercial Lunar Relay
NASA has handed a compact GNSS navigation payload to Intuitive Machines for installation on Altus-1, testing whether Earth-based positioning signals can support spacecraft operating near the Moon
Apollo 15's Moon Liftoff Became Television's First From Another World
On Aug. 2, 1971, Apollo 15 transmitted the first live television view of a spacecraft leaving the moon, using a rover-mounted camera that revealed both the mission's ingenuity and its limits
Starship Captured on Video by a Starlink V3 Satellite
A camera-equipped Starlink V3 satellite recorded SpaceX's Starship upper stage after Flight 13, offering an unusual view of the vehicle's engines, thrusters and separation in space
NASA's Roman Telescope Will Carry 1.35 Million Names to L2
A memory card carrying 1,350,144 names has been mounted on NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope ahead of its planned launch to an orbit about one million miles from Earth
Apollo 15's Lunar Rover Turned Moonwalking Into Exploration
Apollo 15's Lunar Roving Vehicle gave astronauts their first way to travel extensively across the moon's surface, extending scientific exploration beyond the immediate landing site in July 1971
NASA Funds 18 Early-Stage Space Technology Concepts for 2026
NASA has selected 18 new Phase I projects under its Innovative Advanced Concepts program, providing $3.2 million to support early-stage studies of technologies for future space exploration and astrophysics missions
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