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NASA chooses Falcon Heavy for first segments of lunar gateway
Matt HaskellFebruary 13th In a contract award as part of NASA’s Artemis program, NASA announced on Tuesday, February 9, that they have awarded the launch contract for initial elements of the Gateway Lunar Outpost to SpaceX and their Falcon Heavy rocket.
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Vulcan rocket progresses towards first launch with pathfinder arrival
Matt HaskellFebruary 13th Progress continues to advance for United Launch Alliance’s newest rocket, as the pathfinder for the Vulcan rocket arrived by the company’s cargo ship and was unloaded at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Saturday, February 15.
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SpaceX VP Hans Koenigsmann set to retire
Cullen DesforgesFebruary 11th SpaceX's fourth technical employee said he would be retiring from full-time work, as reported first by CNBC. Hans Koenigsmann served as vice president of mission assurance for the company since 2011.
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Artemis 1 SLS booster stacking nearing completion
Theresa CrossFebruary 11th The stacking of the twin solid rocket boosters for NASA’s Space Launch System is nearly complete with only one set of segments remaining.
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Progress MS-15 cargo ship departs International Space Station
Derek RichardsonFebruary 9th Russia’s Progress MS-15 cargo freighter has departed the International Space Station and performed a destructive reentry following 201 days at the ISS.
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Various icy compounds make up Pluto’s atmospheric haze
Laurel KornfeldFebruary 8th Pluto's famous blue atmospheric haze likely formed differently from the hazes surrounding Saturn's moon Titan and Neptune's moon Triton, study finds.
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SpaceX teams up with St Jude & Shift4 to offer free trip to space
Matt HaskellFebruary 7th In a surprise announcement on Monday, February 1, and scheduled to be brought to the masses through a Super Bowl ad, SpaceX has announced the first all civilian mission of their Dragon spacecraft, helmed by billionaire Jared Isaacman, in financial support of St. Jude.
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Firefly awarded NASA contract for CLPS Lunar Lander
Matt HaskellFebruary 6th As part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, Firefly Aerospace has been awarded a $93.3 million contract to land a set of 10 research payloads on the moon in 2023 as part of CLPS Task Order 19D.
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Amount of water on the Moon varies by location and time of day
Laurel KornfeldFebruary 6th Two Earth-based studies confirm water molecules are present on the Moon, but amounts vary depending on location and time of day, Casey Honniball of NASA.
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SpaceX launches Starlink satellites on record-setting rocket
Matt HaskellFebruary 4th Under perfectly clear skies, a SpaceX Falcon 9 took to the skies over Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40, taking another batch of 60 Starlink satellites to orbit.
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Starship SN9 lands hard following high-altitude test
Nicholas D'AlessandroFebruary 2nd SpaceX was finally able to launch its Starship SN9 prototype in a much-anticipated sophomore outing for the high-altitude test flight program. However, an engine issue appeared to cause the vehicle to land explosively.
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Following FAA approval, SpaceX set to fly Starship SN9 today
Derek RichardsonFebruary 2nd Late on Feb. 1, the Federal Aviation Administration granted approval for SpaceX to test its Starship SN9 prototype as early as Feb. 2.
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Following FAA approval, SpaceX set to fly Starship SN9 today
Derek RichardsonFebruary 2nd Late on Feb. 1, the Federal Aviation Administration granted approval for SpaceX to test its Starship SN9 prototype as early as Feb. 2.
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NASA, Boeing to conduct second SLS rocket core hot fire
Cullen DesforgesFebruary 2nd Nearly two weeks after the first attempt, NASA and prime contractor Boeing announced their decision to proceed with a second hot fire test of the Space Launch System core stage.
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NASA astronauts finish ISS battery upgrades, replace cameras
Derek RichardsonFebruary 1st In the second spacewalk in less than a week, two NASA astronauts ventured outside the International Space Station to wrap up a battery upgrade project started four years ago, and completed various other small tasks.
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Amid FAA delays, twin Starships stand tall in Boca Chica
Nicholas D'AlessandroJanuary 29th While SpaceX and Starship SN9 continue to face regulatory holds from the Federal Aviation Administration for flight certification, Starship SN10 has been rolled out to the launch pad.
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Regulators withhold Starship SN9 flight approval, test delayed
Derek RichardsonJanuary 28th When SpaceX employees in South Texas woke up this morning, they likely expected they'd be flying their Starship SN9 prototype on a high-altitude test, hopefully ending with a successful landing. However, the regulatory process appeared to keep the test article firmly planted on the ground.
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Cable issues prevent spacewalkers from finishing Bartolomeo installation
Derek RichardsonJanuary 27th Two NASA astronauts performed the first spacewalk of 2021 at the International Space Station to connect cables to a new European science platform as well as prepare the outpost for future power upgrades.
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SpaceX set for ambitious Starship SN9 high-altitude test
Nicholas D'AlessandroJanuary 26th SpaceX's Starship SN9 continues the company's theme of ultra-rapid development, with the next high-altitude flight test coming as early as this week.
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SpaceX Transporter-1 mission breaks record for most satellites in single launch
Cullen DesforgesJanuary 25th #ICYMI: Over the weekend, SpaceX launched Transporter-1, a dedicated Falcon 9 rideshare mission.
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SpaceX launches next batch of Starlink satellites
Cullen DesforgesJanuary 20th KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — SpaceX has successfully launched its 17th batch of Starlink satellites this morning aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.
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Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne system achieves orbit
Cullen DesforgesJanuary 18th After several hours filled with hopeful anticipation, California-based Virgin Orbit successfully air-launched its LauncherOne rocket Jan. 17 over the Mojave Desert.
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Hot fire test of NASA’s SLS Rocket ends prematurely, placing 2021 launch date into question
Derek RichardsonJanuary 17th For the first time, NASA fired up the core stage for its Space Launch System rocket, which is designed to send humans into deep space. However, an anomaly prompted the engines to shut down much earlier than planned.
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Orion is on the move, across the grounds of Kennedy Space Center
Sean CostelloJanuary 16th Under blue Florida skies, NASA put in motion the next phase of preparations for the first Space Launch System (SLS) mission, Artemis I, with the moving of the Orion capsule from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to the Multi-Payload Processing Facility.
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CRS-21 cargo Dragon splashes down off the Florida coast
Derek RichardsonJanuary 13th SpaceX’s CRS-21 cargo Dragon spacecraft has returned to Earth, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico just off the coast of Tampa, Florida.
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SpaceX launches latest satellite for SiriusXM Radio
Cullen DesforgesDecember 13th On Dec. 13, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, carrying the SXM-7 satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit.
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NASA announces “Artemis Team” of 18 astronauts
Cullen DesforgesDecember 11th In a somewhat unannounced and surprising fashion, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced the 18 astronauts that will be focused on advancing the Artemis program, including those who will be first to fly aboard the Orion capsule as early as 2023.
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Following extensive delays, ULA successfully launches NRO satellite
Matt HaskellDecember 11th Following a series of scrubs, delays and aborts, United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy rocket finally took to the skies at 8:09 p.m. EST, Dec. 10, lofting the NROL-44 payload into a geostationary transfer orbit.
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OSIRIS-REx capsule closed following successful Bennu sample collection
November 1st
NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft collected enough soil samples of the asteroid Bennu on its first attempt that mission controllers commanded the spacecraft to close its Sample Return Capsule (SRC). -
White mountain peaks on Pluto not caused by snow
October 24th
Images captured by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft during its July 2015 Pluto flyby reveal the small planet to be the only place in the solar system other than Earth to have white-capped mountains. -
Boeing wins contract award for next generation SATCOM satellites
October 24th
In a press release earlier this month, Boeing announced the award of a developmental contract for the next generation communications satellite on behalf of the United States Space Force. -
Remnants of ancient subsurface ocean observed on Ceres
October 5th
The bright spots in Ceres’s Occator Crater, which mystified scientists when first observed by the Dawn spacecraft in 2015, indicate the dwarf planet may harbor remnants of what was once a global subsurface ocean. -
NASA town hall shares updates on science missions
October 2nd
At a community town hall which was broadcast live on September 10, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate provided updates on the agency’s many ongoing and upcoming science missions. -
First segment of Orion capsule delivered for assembly ahead of Artemis III mission
September 10th
Lockheed Martin takes delivery and begins production of the Artemis III Orion capsule, as the first parts of the pressure vessel are delivered to the Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana. -
Morning update: delayed Starlink mission set to fly in less than an hour
September 3rd
SpaceX is poised to launch their next batch of Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 today, currently scheduled to liftoff at 8:46 a.m. EDT. -
Following schedule adjustment, Starlink now set to launch September 3
September 1st
SpaceX has officially shifted Tuesday’s planned launch of 60 Starlink internet satellites from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Representatives from SpaceX wrote on Twitter, “Now targeting Thursday, September 3 at 8:46 a.m. EDT for launch of Starlink from Launch Complex 39A, pending Range acceptance — team is using additional time for […] -
SpaceX confirms back-to-back Sunday launch plans.
August 28th
SpaceX has confirmed their intent to proceed with back-to-back Falcon 9 launches on Sunday, August 30, from each of their two launch facilities on Florida’s Space Coast. -
NROL-44 slips to Saturday, weather remains 80% go
August 27th
The launch of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy NROL-44 mission is now set for Sat., Aug. 29. -
Pluto’s glaciers change with its seasons
August 26th
Using data returned by NASA’s New Horizons mission’s July 2015 Pluto flyby, a group of researchers discovered evidence that the dwarf planet’s glaciers expand and grow in response to seasonal changes. -
Commercial spaceflight advocate outlines revolution in the field
July 7th
Bruce Pittman of NASA’s Space Portal Office, a 35-year advocate for commercial spaceflight, outlined his vision of the endeavor over the next 42 months in a June webinar run by NASA’s Night Sky Network. -
Pluto’s subsurface ocean may date back to planet’s formation
June 29th
Scientists who recently studied the detailed images of Pluto’s surface returned by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in July 2015 have found evidence that the dwarf planet’s subsurface ocean may have been around since Pluto’s formation over four billion years ago. -
New Horizons parallax experiment observes an alien sky
June 14th
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, now over 4.3 billion miles (6.9 billion km) from Earth, successfully imaged two nearby stars displaced from the locations in the sky where they are seen from Earth in its April stellar parallax experiment. -
President Trump delivers remarks after Demo-2 launch
June 6th
President Donald J. Trump gave a speech inside of NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building after the successful launch of astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
