NASA Missions - Part 3
110 reports
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's SARP Students Launch Ozone Sensors in Gulf Coast Field Campaign
Undergraduates in NASA's Student Airborne Research Program deployed ozonesonde balloons and flew on science aircraft to collect atmospheric data over the Texas Gulf Coast, gaining hands-on experience with field instruments and satellite validation
Satellite Images Reveal Penguin Diet Shifts on Antarctica's Danger Islands
NASA's Landsat 8 satellite and drone surveys have enabled researchers to monitor Adélie penguin colonies on the Danger Islands by analyzing the color of their guano, offering new insight into how changing sea ice may affect Antarctic food webs
Webb Telescope Maps Dusty Structures in Active Galaxy Centaurus A
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured a detailed mid-infrared image of Centaurus A, revealing complex dust lanes and energetic activity in this nearby galaxy using its MIRI instrument
NASA Prepares Roman Space Telescope for Early Launch to L2 Orbit
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set for launch on August 30, aiming to deliver wide-field infrared surveys and exoplanet imaging from a stable orbit beyond the Moon
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
NASA's Swift Boost Mission Faces Setback After Spacecraft Malfunction
NASA's Swift Boost mission, launched to extend the life of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, has encountered a critical control issue with its LINK spacecraft, raising uncertainty about the planned orbital rescue operation
Webb Telescope Study Links Little Red Dots to Black Hole Activity
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have traced the origins of mysterious 'little red dots' in deep space, suggesting these compact sources are linked to phases of intense supermassive black hole activity
NASA Prepares Roman Space Telescope for 2026 Launch to L2 Orbit
NASA has fueled the Roman Space Telescope, a next-generation infrared observatory scheduled for launch in August 2026, aiming to collect hundreds of terabytes of cosmic data annually and expand studies of dark matter, dark energy, and exoplanets
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams Completes First ISS Mission After Eight Months
NASA astronaut Chris Williams has returned to Earth after spending eight months aboard the International Space Station, supporting scientific research and technology upgrades during Expedition 74
NASA Prepares High-Altitude Observations for August 2026 Solar Eclipse
NASA-funded teams will use a high-altitude jet and scientific balloons to study the Sun's corona and atmospheric changes during the total solar eclipse crossing Greenland, Iceland, and Spain on August 12, 2026
NASA Moon Tree Planted in Manhattan Grew from Lunar-Orbiting Seed
A young American sweet gum tree in Madison Square Park was grown from a seed that orbited the Moon aboard NASA's Artemis I mission, highlighting the intersection of space exploration and urban ecology
Viking 1's First Mars Surface Image Revisited on 50th Anniversary
NASA has released the original images captured by Viking 1 after its 1976 Mars landing, offering a detailed look at the Red Planet's surface and the mission's scientific legacy
Soyuz MS-28 to Return NASA and Roscosmos Crew from ISS July 26
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev are scheduled to depart the International Space Station aboard Soyuz MS-28, with landing expected in Kazakhstan on July 26
NASA's ESCAPADE Spacecraft Captures Earth and Moon in Dual Light
NASA's ESCAPADE mission has imaged Earth and the Moon in both visible and thermal infrared light, providing a rare calibration opportunity for its cameras as the spacecraft prepares for its journey to Mars
Expedition 74 Crew Begins Science Operations on International Space Station
Expedition 74 astronauts Anna Kikina, Pyotr Dubrov, and Anil Menon have joined the International Space Station, starting an eight-and-a-half-month mission focused on microgravity research and operational adaptation
NASA Assigns SunRISE Mission to SpaceX Falcon Heavy After Vulcan Issues
NASA's SunRISE mission, designed to study solar radio bursts, will now launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy after technical concerns paused United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur flights
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams Ends ISS Mission After Eight Months
Chris Williams is set to return from his first mission aboard the International Space Station, where he supported experiments on cancer therapies, semiconductor materials, and robotic systems during an eight-month stay
MAVEN Data Reveals Earth-Like Aurora Mechanism on Mars
NASA's MAVEN orbiter has provided evidence that localized auroras on Mars are powered by a process similar to Earth's Dungey cycle, offering new insight into Martian atmospheric loss and magnetic field interactions
NASA Moves Artemis IV Hydrogen Tank for Core Stage Testing
A 130-foot liquid hydrogen tank for Artemis IV was transported at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility, marking a key step toward core stage testing for the Space Launch System rocket
Artemis IV Landing Debate: South Pole or Lunar Equator for Crew Safety
NASA's Artemis IV mission faces a critical decision: whether to target the moon's challenging south pole or opt for a safer equatorial landing, as astronaut Victor Glover urges a reassessment of mission priorities and safety constraints
New Horizons Resumes Science at Solar System's Edge After Hibernation
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has exited a 321-day hibernation and is now transmitting data from the outer solar system, preparing to study the boundary between the Sun's influence and interstellar space with advanced instruments
Juno Mission Probes Subsurface Heat on Jupiter's Volcanic Moon Io
NASA's Juno spacecraft has measured temperatures beneath Io's surface, revealing intense internal heating and unexpectedly smooth, low-density terrain. The findings, published in a peer-reviewed journal, offer new insight into tidal heating on active moons
NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Uses Mars Flyby to Refine Asteroid Trajectory
NASA's Psyche probe has completed a close flyby of Mars, capturing a time-lapse sequence and using the planet's gravity to adjust its course toward the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, its target for arrival in 2029
NISAR Satellite Data Reveals Antarctic Ice Fractures in Unprecedented Detail
NASA and ISRO have begun releasing data from the NISAR satellite's dual radar systems, offering researchers new insights into the movement and structure of Antarctic ice and other dynamic Earth surfaces
NASA to Equip Artemis III Orion with Starlink Laser Terminals
NASA will install SpaceX Starlink laser communication terminals on the Artemis III Orion spacecraft, aiming to boost high-definition video and data transmission capabilities during the mission scheduled for 2027
Artemis II Crew's Moon Orbit Mission Highlights Human Connection
NASA's Artemis II mission sent four astronauts around the moon, sharing daily updates and personal moments that resonated globally during a period of international tension and uncertainty
Artemis III to Test NASA's Most Complex Multi-Spacecraft Mission Yet
NASA's Artemis III mission will attempt a coordinated two-week operation involving four astronauts and three independently launched spacecraft, aiming to validate critical lunar landing technologies in low Earth orbit
NASA Eyes Mars Skies 50 Years After Viking 1's Landmark Landing
NASA's Viking 1 lander touched down on Mars in 1976, launching a new era of planetary exploration. Now, five decades later, the agency is preparing to extend its reach above the Martian surface with aerial missions.
NASA Prepares Six New Airborne Missions to Study Earth's Extremes
NASA is launching a new series of suborbital missions using aircraft, drones, and remote sensors to investigate wildfires, air quality, glacier retreat, and landslides, aiming to improve scientific understanding of rapid environmental change
Viking 1's First Mars Surface Image Changed Planetary Exploration
NASA's Viking 1 lander transmitted the first direct image from the Martian surface in July 1976, revealing the planet's rocky terrain and marking a milestone in robotic planetary science
How NASA Langley Engineered the First Mars Landings
Fifty years after Viking 1 and 2 touched down on Mars, the engineering and mission design led by NASA's Langley Research Center remain central to how planetary landings are planned and executed across the solar system
Curiosity Rover Reveals Ancient Sandstorm Evidence on Mars
NASA's Curiosity rover has imaged Martian rocks shaped by a powerful ancient sandstorm, offering new insight into the Red Planet's dynamic past and the processes that once shaped its surface
Viking 1's Mars Life Experiments: What the Evidence Still Can't Prove
Fifty years after NASA's Viking 1 lander touched down on Mars, scientists remain divided over whether its life-detection experiments found evidence of Martian biology or were confounded by non-biological chemistry and instrument limitations
NASA Tests Laser Link for Live 4K Video Transmission From the Moon
NASA's Artemis II mission used an experimental laser communications system to transmit live high-definition video from lunar orbit to Earth, testing a lower-cost, higher-bandwidth alternative to traditional radio links under real mission conditions
Part 3 of 4