News Archive / Missions

• JPL’s Lucky Nuts work! InSight lander safely touches down on Mars

  Laurel KornfeldNovember 26th, 2018

  After traveling some 33.9 million miles (54.6 million kilometers), NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) robotic lander safely touched down on the surface of Mars at the Elysium Planitia region at 2:52 p.m. EST (11:52 a.m. PST / 19:53 GMT) today, Monday, Nov. 26.

• How two NASA missions will rewrite what we know about our solar system

  Laurel KornfeldNovember 24th, 2018

  An asteroid in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter and a Kuiper Belt Object four billion miles away will both have their mysteries unveiled when NASA missions explore them in December and January.

• Virgin Orbit successfully completes carry test of LauncherOne

  Lloyd CampbellNovember 23rd, 2018

  On Nov. 18 2018, Virgin Orbit completed its first successful carry test of the LauncherOne system. LauncherOne is an air launched two-stage rocket that is designed to be able to carry small satellites into low-Earth orbit.

• Has a drug-resistant disease been discovered on the International Space Station?

  Jason RhianNovember 23rd, 2018

  On orbit for 20 years, the ISS has become a beacon for ventures beyond the safety of our home world and an example of how humanity can work as one. This icon appears to be generating something else - drug resistant diseases.

• Launch date for SpaceX’s Demo-1 flight announced

  Jason RhianNovember 21st, 2018

  A launch date for the first test flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft has been announced and the company's BFR rocket has gained a new name.

• NASA chooses Jezero Crater as landing site for Mars 2020 rover

  Jim SharkeyNovember 21st, 2018

  Selecting a landing site is a crucial step in Mars mission planning as the scientific value of an area must be weighed against any potential hazards.

• 1st International Space Station module turns 20

  Derek RichardsonNovember 20th, 2018

  For two decades, the International Space Station has been a shining example of what can be accomplished when humanity works together.

• NG-10 Cygnus brings experiments, supplies to ISS crew

  Derek RichardsonNovember 19th, 2018

  Less than 24 hours after Progress MS-10 docked with the International Space Station, the NG-10 Cygnus spacecraft rendezvoused with the orbiting outpost.

• Progress MS-10 arrives at International Space Station

  Derek RichardsonNovember 18th, 2018

  Taking two days to reach the International Space Station, Russia’s Progress MS-10 rendezvous and docked with the orbiting outpost’s Zvezda service module.

• Laser communications modem being developed for NASA’s Orion spacecraft

  Tomasz NowakowskiNovember 12th, 2018

  An optical modem capable of sending HD video at significantly-greater rates than standard radio frequency systems is being developed for NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

• Orion spacecraft hardware & safety procedures readied for Exploration Mission 1

  Jason RhianNovember 8th, 2018

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Europe's contribution to NASA's Orion spacecraft has arrived in Florida. But that's not the only event relating to Orion that has taken place recently.

• Astronauts release Kounotori 7 from space station

  Derek RichardsonNovember 7th, 2018

  After a six-week stay at the ISS, the Kounotori 7 cargo ship was unberthed and commanded to depart the vicinity of the orbiting outpost.

• A spaceflight era closes with end of Dawn and Kepler missions

  Laurel KornfeldNovember 3rd, 2018

  The Kepler and Dawn spacecraft both ran out of fuel, marking the end of an era that transformed our understanding of both our solar system and others.

• Mars Express observes curious cloud near Red Planet volcano

  Jim SharkeyNovember 2nd, 2018

  A strange cloud formation has been discovered on Mars by ESA's Mars Express spacecraft. Where did it come from?

• Dawn’s voyage of discovery comes to a close

  Jason RhianNovember 1st, 2018

  After 11 years and 4.3 billion miles, NASA's Dawn mission has come to an end. How has the spacecraft revolutionized our understanding of the solar system and space hardware?

• Kepler Space Telescope concludes mission that discovered thousands of far-flung worlds

  Jason RhianOctober 30th, 2018

  The Kepler Space Telescope has been on duty for more than nine years. Its mission(s) came to an end when the spacecraft expended the last of its fuel. It leaves behind a wealth of data about exoplanets that has revolutionized humanity's understanding of our galaxy.

• Parker Solar Probe becomes closest spacecraft to Sun

  Derek RichardsonOctober 30th, 2018

  Just 11 weeks after launch, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has already beaten the record for the closest spacecraft to the Sun—and it’s only going to get closer.

• A single mission could orbit Pluto and explore the Kuiper Belt

  Laurel KornfeldOctober 30th, 2018

  While the New Horizons' mission is still exploring the Kuiper Belt a new mission could accomplish what the spacecraft has - and much more.

• Hubble: You can’t keep a good telescope down – for long

  Jason RhianOctober 27th, 2018

  The Hubble Space Telescope is back in action.

• New Horizons team previews Ultima Thule flyby

  Laurel KornfeldOctober 27th, 2018

  With the Ultima Thule flyby just 10 weeks away, the New Horizons team detailed plans for the spacecraft's trajectory and science gathering mission.