Spacecraft and Rovers
63 reportsInterpretation of spacecraft bus is tested with power system and thermal control. The discussion therefore addresses which instruments collect data and how commands reach spacecraft, separating design goals from performance demonstrated in operation.
US Space Command simulates orbital maneuvers in live satellite exercise
US Space Command has conducted its first live orbital maneuver exercise, using satellites to simulate close-approach operations and test military tactics for potential conflict in Earth orbit
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
SMART-1's Controlled Lunar Crash Changed How Spacecraft Reach the Moon
Europe's SMART-1 probe ended its mission with a deliberate impact on the Moon, testing solar electric propulsion and gathering data on lunar geology. The mission's engineered crash provided new insight into impact processes and spacecraft design limits
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
BepiColombo Prepares for Critical Mercury Arrival Maneuver
ESA and JAXA's BepiColombo spacecraft will soon separate its orbiters for Mercury capture, marking a pivotal phase in the mission's multi-year journey to study the planet's surface and magnetic environment
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
Fermi Explorer Mission Targets 2029 Launch Toward Alpha Centauri
A nonprofit group aims to send a low-cost probe to Alpha Centauri by 2029, marking the first directed interstellar mission. The journey would last 80,000 years, raising new questions about the feasibility and purpose of such long-term exploration.
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
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
SpaceX Recovers Starship Upper Stage After Indian Ocean Splashdown
SpaceX has retrieved the Starship upper stage from the Indian Ocean following its Flight 13 test, enabling engineers to examine the vehicle's heat shield and structural integrity after a rare intact splashdown
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
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
Japan Prepares MMX Spacecraft for Mars Moon Sample Return Launch
Japan has revealed its MMX spacecraft, scheduled to launch on October 19, aiming to collect and return samples from Mars' moon Phobos. The mission will test new sample-return technology and address key questions about the origins of Mars' moons.
China Prepares Chang'e 7 for Complex Lunar South Pole Mission
China's Chang'e 7 spacecraft, launching in August 2026, will deploy an orbiter, lander, rover, and hopper to investigate the Moon's south pole, targeting water ice and testing new navigation and international science payloads
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
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
ISS Spacewalk Removes Failed Antenna but Replacement Delayed
NASA astronaut Anil Menon and ESA's Sophie Adenot removed a nonfunctional antenna from the International Space Station during a six-hour spacewalk, but time constraints postponed installation of the replacement hardware
Curiosity Marks 14 Years on Mars with New Rock Layer Analysis
NASA's Curiosity rover has reached its 14th anniversary on Mars, continuing its ascent of Mount Sharp with detailed rock and environmental measurements using its suite of scientific instruments
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
Astranis Unveils Perceptor Satellites to Track Activity in Geostationary Orbit
Astranis has announced the development of Perceptor satellites designed to monitor and analyze spacecraft movements in geostationary orbit, a region increasingly important for communications and national security
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's SkyFall Mars Helicopters to Map Subsurface Ice with Flexible Radar
NASA's upcoming SkyFall mission will deploy three mini helicopters to Mars, each equipped with lightweight, flexible radar antennas designed to detect shallow subsurface ice deposits inaccessible to orbiting spacecraft
NASA Extends Voyager 2 Science With Power-Saving Maneuver
NASA engineers have implemented a new power management strategy on Voyager 2, allowing the spacecraft to continue collecting scientific data for at least another year as its nuclear power source declines
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
Perseverance Rover Captures Earth Passing Behind Mars' Moon Phobos
NASA's Perseverance rover has recorded a rare occultation event, imaging Earth as it briefly disappeared behind Mars' innermost moon Phobos using its Mastcam-Z camera system
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's Juno Mission Transformed Jupiter Science After 2011 Launch
NASA's Juno spacecraft, launched in 2011 on an Atlas V rocket, reached Jupiter in 2016 and has since delivered unprecedented data and images, reshaping our understanding of the giant planet's atmosphere, magnetic field, and moons
Curiosity Rover Detects Extensive Polygon Patterns in Martian Valley
NASA's Curiosity rover has imaged a vast field of honeycomb-like polygonal fractures in Mars' Valle Grande, raising new questions about the planet's surface processes and past water activity
SpaceX Launches Three BlueBird Satellites for Direct-to-Cell Network
A Falcon 9 rocket is set to deploy three AST SpaceMobile BlueBird satellites from Cape Canaveral, expanding a low Earth orbit constellation designed to deliver broadband directly to standard smartphones.
Spirit Rover Data Reveals Widespread Ancient Water Activity on Mars
A new analysis of NASA's Spirit rover data has identified crystalline hematite and altered magnetite in Martian soil, supporting the view that liquid water once shaped large regions of Mars
Why Real Space Salvage Cannot Work Like Hardspace: Shipbreaker
Hardspace: Shipbreaker turns derelict spacecraft into profitable scrap, but ESA's ClearSpace-1 shows why real debris removal must avoid fragmentation, stabilize tumbling targets, and control reentry
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
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