NASA Missions
151 reportsAstrophysics missions and science payloads frame the evidence. The analysis addresses how mission costs are tracked and which missions NASA operates, separating design goals from performance demonstrated in operation.
NASA Seeks a Safe Way to Ground Moonwalking Astronauts
NASA has opened a challenge for systems and procedures that can safely bring astronauts to electrical equilibrium before they touch a lander during Artemis operations near the lunar South Pole.
NASA Glenn Seeks Proposals for New Aerospace Power Laboratory
NASA Glenn has opened a full and open competition for Phase 1 of a proposed Aerospace Power Systems Laboratory in Cleveland, with Phase 1 proposals due October 30, 2026; the procurement record does not yet confirm an award, construction or a facility budget.
Hubble Data Point to a Possible Second-Generation Planet
NASA Hubble observations of the white dwarf HS 0209+0832 reveal a chemical clue consistent with a Jupiter-sized planet formed from material shed after its star became a red giant
Curiosity Maps Mars Yardangs in Unprecedented Detail
NASA's Curiosity rover has produced its clearest panorama yet of Martian yardangs while climbing Mount Sharp toward a rock layer that may preserve evidence of ancient water, evaporated brines and volcanic ash.
Webb Reveals Stellar Jets Carving Through NGC 7129
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has resolved protostars and stellar outflows in NGC 7129, about 3,300 light-years away, showing how hot gas carves cavities while compressed clouds continue producing new stars.
Hubble Data Point to a Possible Planet Born After Its Star Died
Reanalyzed NASA Hubble spectroscopy and archival FUSE ultraviolet data reveal extreme niobium enrichment around the white dwarf HS 0209+0832, while TESS detected a 4.4-day brightness cycle consistent with-but not proving-the presence of a close-orbiting gas-giant candidate.
Curiosity Drills Its 48th Rock Target on Mars
Curiosity has drilled into Basque Lakes in Gale crater and is preparing mineral analysis that could reveal how this Martian rock formed and changed over time
NASA's Lunar Return Depends on Data Gaps Before Hardware
At NASA Langley Research Center, Richard Spolzino tracks the measurements still missing from lunar and Mars planning and helps convert those gaps into priorities for missions and commercial partners.
Crew-12 Heads Home After 235 Days of Science in Orbit
NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 is preparing to leave the International Space Station after a 235-day mission investigating quantum systems, living tissue, microbes, materials and medical supplies, with undocking possible as early as October 5, 2026.
DAVINCI Engineering Model Survives Venus Heat Test
NASA's DAVINCI engineering model completed six thermal cycles at 465 C, reproducing the heating rate expected during a descent through Venus' atmosphere and clearing an important hardware-readiness test.
Curiosity Finds Strange Discs Before Its Next Mars Drill
Curiosity has photographed millimeter-scale disc-shaped features on Martian bedrock and is preparing a drill campaign to determine whether they formed from minerals or fragments of harder rock
NASA Partners Prepare Ground Tests for Crops on the Moon
NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, and the German Aerospace Center are coordinating preparatory work on an Earth-based lunar agriculture demonstrator designed to test crop production and resource recycling for longer missions.
Crew-13 Falcon 9 Stands Ready for Its October Launch
A Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft stand vertical at Space Launch Complex 40 ahead of NASA's Crew-13 mission, which is scheduled to carry four international crew members to the International Space Station.
NASA Reopens ORBIT Challenge for 2027 With Up to $500,000 in Student Prizes
NASA has reopened registration for the 2027 ORBIT Challenge, offering university and college teams up to $500,000 to develop research-based solutions for Earth and future space missions.
NASA Material Turns Lunar Dust Into Tools for Future Habitats
NASA researchers have mixed biodegradable plastic with simulated Moon and Mars dust to create a tunable composite now being tested for future habitat equipment and extreme space conditions.
Perseverance Finds a Strange Rock Texture on Ancient Mars
NASA's Perseverance rover has investigated ancient rocks west of Jezero crater and exposed an unusual light-and-dark texture that may reveal how early Mars evolved
Swift Boost Mission Ends Without Raising Its Orbit
NASA's attempt to lift the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory ended after its commercial servicing spacecraft developed communications and orientation problems, but the mission still produced valuable operational lessons for future in-space servicing.
Artemis II Crew Set for Houston Event After Record Lunar Flyby
The Artemis II astronauts will meet the public at the University of Houston after traveling 406,771 kilometers from Earth during the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.
NASA ORBIT Challenge opens mission work to student teams
The NASA ORBIT Challenge gives university and community college students access to NASA intellectual property and mission problems, with up to $500,000 in prizes, expert mentorship and a pathway from technical concepts to potential commercial applications.
NASA Builds Humanoid Robots for Safer Lunar Work
NASA's 16-member Dexterous Robotics Team is testing humanoid robots, robotic arms, and supervised autonomy for logistics, maintenance, and scientific work supporting a sustained human presence on the Moon and possible future missions to Mars.
NASA Picks Mars Food Systems Built for Long Surface Missions
NASA has awarded five teams a combined $650,000 for proposed food systems designed to support 15 astronauts across 500 Martian sols while reducing dependence on meals shipped from Earth.
Mars Resource Technology Gives Breweries a Carbon Lifeline
A carbon-capture system designed for future Mars resource harvesting is now helping breweries and other industries recover and purify carbon dioxide amid shortages and volatile supply.
NASA Tests SPLICE for Precision Landings on the Moon
NASA's SPLICE system has completed simulated lunar descent and landing maneuvers aboard an Alta-X drone near Armstrong Flight Research Center, testing navigation designed for difficult lunar and planetary terrain.
Shannon Lucid Set a Human Spaceflight Record on Mir
Shannon Lucid spent 188 days aboard Russia's Mir, tending life-science experiments and helping NASA understand the operational, psychological, and cultural demands of long-duration spaceflight.
NASA Aircraft Will Track Farm Pollution Over Colorado
NASA's FarmFlux airborne campaign is planned to begin with low-altitude flights over Colorado farmland in fall 2026, measuring methane, ozone, ammonia, particulates and other pollutants while tracing nitrogen exchange between agricultural systems and the atmosphere.
Hydrazine Freeze-Thaw Cycles Can Put NASA Hardware at Risk
NASA's technical guidance warns that repeated freeze-thaw exposure can rupture hydrazine plumbing, create slush blockages and reduce the service life of propulsion and auxiliary systems.
Curiosity Finds Mars Rocks in Subtle Bands
NASA's Curiosity rover is examining subtly banded terrain in Valle Grande, where new contact science, panoramic imaging, and centimeter-scale rock features are helping map the geological transition across Gale Crater's sulfate-rich slopes.
NASA Reframes PFO Risk for Artemis Astronauts
A NASA working group finds no basis for changing astronaut selection over patent foramen ovale and calls for tighter EVA medication guidance as Artemis missions move toward lunar operations
Chandra Finds 84 Hypersoft X-ray Sources Across Six Nearby Galaxies
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has identified 84 hypersoft X-ray sources in six nearby galaxies. Their concentration of very low-energy X-rays may offer clues to Type Ia supernova progenitors and the ultraviolet radiation environment between galaxies.
NASA Astronaut Anil Menon Will Answer New Hampshire Student Questions
A live NASA stream will carry prerecorded STEM questions from New Hampshire students to astronaut Anil Menon aboard the International Space Station on Thursday, Sept. 24, offering students a direct view of science and space careers in orbit.
NASA Builds State Hubs for the Aerospace Workforce
NASA has launched a nationwide workforce initiative with seven State Hubs across the United States designed to connect students with technical skills, credentials, and hands-on aerospace experience.
Reid Wiseman Brings Artemis II to Baltimore Ravens Fans
Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman returned to his Baltimore roots at M&T Bank Stadium on Sept. 20, 2026, as NASA used the Ravens-Saints game to bring space exploration closer to local fans.
Perseverance Finds Three Water Episodes in Ancient Mars Rocks
Perseverance has analyzed igneous rocks in Mars' Jezero Crater that record at least three separate interactions with water, including a later episode involving heated underground fluids.
XRISM Tracks Stellar Wind Falling Onto a Pulsar
XRISM has traced iron-rich plasma moving toward the pulsar GX 301-2 at about 540,000 kph, providing spectroscopic evidence that a neutron star captures its giant companion's stellar wind and powers recurring X-ray flares.
NASA Adds Three SpaceX Crew Flights Through 2030
NASA has added $946 million for SpaceX's Crew-15, Crew-16, and Crew-17 missions, raising the company's total Commercial Crew missions to 17 and the contract value to $5.92 billion. The decision secures transportation and lifeboat services through 2030 while NASA evaluates schedule pressure, Dragon inspections, and the future role of Boeing's Starliner.
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