NASA Missions - Part 2
151 reports
COSI Detector Assembly Moves Toward Gamma-Ray Science
A detector assembly for NASA's COSI gamma-ray telescope was raised from a laboratory table on July 8, 2026, revealing hardware designed to study matter, antimatter and dying stars as the mission prepares for a planned 2027 launch.
NASA's Enterprise Shuttle: How a Test Vehicle and Star Trek Fans Shaped the Shuttle Era
On September 17, 1976, NASA introduced its first space shuttle orbiter, OV-101. Named Enterprise after a wave of public support, the vehicle played a central role in early shuttle flight tests and set the stage for the program's future.
NASA tests new Moon and Mars landing system at Armstrong flight lab
NASA's Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory is testing the SPLICE guidance system on the Alta-X drone to improve hazard detection and precision landings for future Moon and Mars missions.
NASA orbiter spots largest new lunar crater in a century
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has found a 728-foot-wide impact crater on the Moon's eastern limb, created between April and May 2024 by a building-sized asteroid or comet. The discovery gives scientists a rare look at how the lunar surface changes after a major collision.
NASA tracks Earth's shifting center of mass with satellites
NASA scientists have measured how Earth's center of mass moves by millimeters each year as water, ice, and air shift across the globe, using satellite laser ranging and GPS data.
NASA opens competition for states to host new Space Academy
NASA is inviting states to propose locations for the U.S. Space Academy, aiming to start classes in 2028 and build a permanent campus by 2031 to train future scientists and astronauts.
Genesis Sample Capsule Carash Exposed a Critical Spacecraft Design Flaw
NASA's Genesis mission was meant to return solar wind samples from deep space but ended with its capsule shattered in the Utah desert after a parachute system failure. The mission's outcome forced a reexamination of spacecraft safety and sample recovery methods
NASA's 100th Astronaut Flight Tested Space Station Assembly in Orbit
NASA's space shuttle Endeavour launched the STS-69 mission on September 7, 1995, deploying and retrieving two satellites and conducting a spacewalk to test International Space Station assembly techniques
NASA adds new Goldstone antenna to expand deep space communications
NASA has activated a new 34 meter antenna at Goldstone to increase the Deep Space Network's capacity as Artemis and other missions strain existing communication infrastructure
NASA tests Slingshot spacecraft concept for mineral mapping beyond Earth
A NASA-funded study is evaluating whether a small spacecraft using Raman spectroscopy could remotely identify minerals on the Moon, asteroids, and Martian moons, potentially transforming how resources are surveyed before future missions
Falcon Heavy Launches NASA's Roman Telescope Toward Deep Space Science
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket has launched NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, sending the observatory on a million-mile journey to its operational orbit beyond Earth
NASA Selects Blue Origin to Build Dedicated Mars Communications Orbiter
NASA has awarded Blue Origin a $700 million contract to develop the Mars Telecommunications Network, a dedicated relay orbiter intended to support future Mars missions as current infrastructure ages
Pioneer 11's Saturn Flyby Tested the Limits of Deep Space Navigation
NASA's Pioneer 11 spacecraft became the first probe to traverse Saturn's rings in 1979, gathering data on the planet's moons, rings, and magnetic field while clearing the way for later missions to the outer solar system
NASA's Super Guppy Transformed Space Hardware Transport in 1965
NASA's Super Guppy cargo aircraft completed its first test flight in 1965, enabling the agency to move oversized rocket stages and spacecraft components across the United States for missions including Apollo and Artemis
SpaceX Crew-13 Launch to ISS Delayed by Dragon Propulsion Leak
NASA and SpaceX have postponed the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station after detecting an oxidizer leak in the Dragon spacecraft's propulsion system. The new launch date remains unconfirmed as teams investigate the issue
Roman Space Telescope Launch Draws Attention Amid Policy Reversal
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched successfully, marking a milestone for infrared astronomy after years of budget uncertainty and political debate over its funding and future
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Prepares for Launch and Legacy
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, named for the agency's first chief astronomer, is nearing launch. The mission aims to investigate dark matter, dark energy, and exoplanets with advanced infrared instruments
Nancy Grace Roman's Legacy: The Astronomer Who Shaped NASA's Vision
As NASA prepares to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, the story of its namesake-pioneering astronomer and the agency's first chief of astronomy-offers insight into the evolution of space science and the people who shaped it
Gemini 5 Mission Sets New Space Endurance Record for NASA in 1965
NASA's Gemini 5 mission demonstrated that astronauts could survive eight days in orbit, providing crucial evidence for the feasibility of future lunar missions and marking a turning point in human spaceflight duration
NASA's Roman Space Telescope Set for Launch to Map Distant Cosmos
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is scheduled to launch from Florida, aiming to investigate exoplanets, dark matter, and distant galaxies with a wide-field infrared observatory. Its first science images are not expected until 2027
NASA's Roman Space Telescope Nears Launch After Budget Uncertainty
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set for launch after nearly two decades of development, overcoming a threatened cancellation and major funding cuts to become the agency's next flagship observatory for dark energy, exoplanets, and cosmic structure
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
NASA Telescopes Reveal Unusual Extra Arms in Spiral Galaxy NGC 4258
A composite image from NASA's Chandra, Hubble, and James Webb telescopes reveals the spiral galaxy NGC 4258, highlighting two anomalous extra arms shaped by its central supermassive black hole
NASA Funds Next-Phase Quantum Gravity Sensor for Space Testing
NASA has awarded Infleqtion a $20 million contract to advance a quantum gravity gradiometer, supporting hardware integration and microgravity testing for future Earth observation from orbit
ISS Spacewalk Removes Failed Antenna but Leaves Replacement Unfinished
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and NASA astronaut Anil Menon spent over six hours outside the International Space Station on August 18, 2026, removing a malfunctioning antenna during a technically demanding extravehicular activity
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
X-15 Rocket Plane Sets 1963 Altitude Record Above Kármán Line
On August 22, 1963, the X-15 rocket plane piloted by Joe Walker reached an altitude exceeding 108 kilometers, providing rare data on hypersonic flight and spacecraft reusability during a pivotal era for space research
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
Voyager 2's Launch Opened the Outer Solar System to Exploration
NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft began its journey to the outer planets on August 20, 1977, using a rare planetary alignment to visit Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune and extend humanity's reach into interstellar space
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
Hubble Data Reveals Ancient Milky Way Merger with Dwarf Galaxy
Astronomers have identified evidence that the Milky Way merged with a dwarf galaxy called LKH about 12 billion years ago, using globular cluster data from the Hubble Space Telescope and extending the timeline of our galaxy's early evolution
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.
Part 2 of 5