Where are America’s Commercial Space Stations in 2025?
The ISS is aging rapidly, and a replacement is desperately needed. As America’s posture in low Earth orbit threatens to slip away, where are its commercial stations in 2025?
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NASA
A Shaky Step Forward for Starship Flight 9
The ninth flight test of SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy rocket took place on May 27, 2025, achieving a marginal improvement over the previous two missions. Although Ship 35 completed a successful ascent, fuel leaks and a loss of control in space prevented the spacecraft from completing most of its intended objectives.
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Butch and Suni Return as Crew-10 Arrives on Station
NASA and SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission, a long duration mission to the International Space Station, lifted off successfully at 7:03 pm on March 15, putting on a spectacular show for members of the press and those along the East Coast.
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Athena and IM-2 Lost After Landing
Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission came to an abrupt end after an unsuccessful landing attempt on March 6. Although the spacecraft reached the surface intact, Athena toppled over after touchdown, leaving its solar panels in shadow and unable to recharge its batteries.
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Blue Ghost Makes “Picture Perfect” Moon Landing
Firefly Aerospace scored their first successful Moon landing early Sunday morning. As their Blue Ghost lander touched down on the
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Intuitive Machines Aims High for Second Moon Landing
Intuitive Machines has embarked on its second Moon landing attempt for NASA’s CLPS initiative with the launch of IM-2.
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On Chasing Shadows: A New Exploration of Uranus
At the December 2024 annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU24), NASA provided updates on the status of NASA’s upcoming Uranus Flagship mission and the precursor projects that will enable it.
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Blue Ghost and HAKUTO-R Take Flight
Two robotic moon landers shared a ride into space in the early morning of Wednesday, January 15th. Hours earlier, Blue Ghost, built by Firefly Aerospace in the United States, and HAKUTO-R, built by ispace of Japan, were comanifested in the fairing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, stacked one on top of the other.
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Starship Faces Complications after Flight 7 Anomaly
On January 16th, 2025 SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy launched on its seventh flight test, in what aimed to be a test of block upgrades of the Starship upper stage. While IFT-7 looked fairly similar to previous test flights during the first few minutes of ascent, problems quickly developed, ultimately resulting in the dramatic loss of the Starship vehicle over the Caribbean Sea.
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New Glenn Earns Its Wings
At 2:04 AM local time on January 16th, 2025, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket rose from Launch Complex 36 at Space Canaveral Space Force Station for the first time. The launch of the 320-foot rocket represented the culmination of a decade and a half’s worth of development, and over a full year of assembly and testing.
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NASA Chooses Nuclear Fission Power for Humans on Mars
NASA has made its first key architecture decision on the branching road to Mars: nuclear fission will power the first human missions on the Martian surface.
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NASA Set to Update Moon to Mars Architecture with ACR24
NASA is developing the latest version of its overarching vision for space exploration: the Moon to Mars Architecture. Amid an environment of questions about the Artemis Program, the agency’s year-long Strategic Analysis Cycle is drawing to a close this November with the 2024 Architecture Concept Review, called ACR24.
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Starship Completes Flight 6, Aborts Tower Catch
SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle completed a sixth flight test on Tuesday, November 19th, capping off an eventful year for this unique development program.
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UAE taps Japan’s MHI for Asteroid Mission
Asteroid exploration is not for the faint of heart, and the latest mission announced in a long line of asteroid explorers does not shy away from a challenge. The UAE has become the latest nation to set their sights on asteroids close to home, with an ambitious mission lined up to explore not one, but 7 Near Earth Asteroids.
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Europa Clipper Set to Revolutionize Jovian Science
NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, a 5 billion dollar Jovian orbiter, will aim to answer questions about one of the most tantalizing candidates for life in the solar system: the gas giant’s icy moon of Europa.
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Hera Beats the Weather – Sets Sights on Dual Asteroid
The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft has lifted off on a unique mission to the binary asteroid pair Didymos and Dimorphos. The probe will seek new insights into planetary defense techniques that could protect the Earth from asteroid impacts in the future, following up on NASA’s DART mission which intentionally struck Dimorphos in September of 2022.
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Crew-9 Launches Two Astronauts to ISS
SpaceX’s ninth crew rotation to the International Space Station is underway, carrying two crew members uphill to the orbiting laboratory. Crew-9 evaded stormy weather to lift off on September 28th, 2024 at 1:17 PM EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
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Artemis Makes Strides Forward in Lunar Communications
On September 17th, 2024, NASA awarded Intuitive Machines a Near Space Network Services contract to design, build, and operate a system of communications relay and navigation satellites in lunar orbit to support Artemis missions.
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Crew-9 Set to Launch with Two Astronauts
In periods of uncertainty, one thing is clear in spaceflight – the show must go on. With this mantra in mind, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are preparing to launch on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station.
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SpaceX Makes Adjustments For Crew Dragon’s Future
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has been a resounding success, both for SpaceX itself and for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. After ending a 9-year gap in the United States’ crewed launch capability, the spacecraft has become the de facto leader in the developing commercial orbital economy.
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New Glenn Comes Together, but Plans Change
On Friday, September 6th 2024, NASA announced an official delay of the EscaPADE mission’s launch to March of 2025. The agency specified that the decision came at potential risk to spacecraft health in the event that the twin Mars orbiters had to be unfueled following a launch delay. Regardless, work continues towards the first launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn.
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ISS Crews Face Upcoming Shakeups amid Curtailed Seat Exchanges
In an age marked by aggression and deterioration of relationships, it appears that the end of a long standing practice, seat exchange on partner vehicles, is coming to an end – thrusting the station into a period of uncertainty as it faces the twilight years of its operation.
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Starliner Astronauts to Return Aboard Crew-9
In a press conference starting at 1:13 PM EST, a panel of NASA program managers officially declared that Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will be returning aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon at the conclusion of the Crew-9 mission in February of 2025.
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NASA Identifies Lunar Cargo and Mobility Gaps
The development of NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture is a continuous process, one which is always seeking to strengthen our approach to sending humans to Mars and beyond. In June, NASA released a pair of white papers that give a glimpse into this year’s analysis: Lunar Surface Cargo and Lunar Mobility Drivers and Needs.
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Moon to Mars Part II: Evolving to Mars
Artemis’ stated goal to “prepare for human missions to Mars” is an ambitious undertaking, with visible consequences on its organization. With Artemis entering flight across its various programs, and hardware which will eventually support its primary missions in flow, we have entered a unique era for spaceflight.
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Moon to Mars Part I: Forging the Path
At its core, the Artemis Program represents a new way of thinking in space exploration. NASA’s Moon to Mars objectives incorporate the Artemis Program as part of the roadmap to the Red Planet.
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Poland, Hungary, and India Join Next Axiom Crew
Axiom Space’s fourth mission aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft is set to carry astronauts from Poland, Hungary, and India next year, setting the stage for yet another record breaking international segment.
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CFT Continues Safely: Starliner and the Commercial Crew Return Process
Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission is continuing its stay aboard the International Space Station. On July 25, NASA and Boeing held a press conference to provide an update on the mission including ongoing tests, the current status of the spacecraft, and upcoming events.
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NASA, SpaceX Share Updates on ISS Deorbit Vehicle
In a teleconference on July 17th, NASA and SpaceX provided additional information about the United States Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), the spacecraft which will be tasked with pushing the International Space Station out of orbit at the end of its lifetime.
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A Graceful Exit, Part 2: What Comes After ISS?
The end of the International Space Station will mark a tectonic shift in human spaceflight. The ISS program united the efforts of fifteen nations, including a landmark union between the United States and Russia, and citizens from eight other countries have since visited the orbiting laboratory. Now, approaching retirement, we begin to ask the question of what comes next?
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Artemis II’s Core Stage Heads to Florida
The second SLS core stage, or CS-2, is now aboard NASA’s Pegasus barge following its rollout from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, paving the way for the first flight of crew to the moon in over 50 years.
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A Graceful Exit, Part 1: How to Responsibly Retire ISS
Responsibly disposing of the ISS will be a monumental undertaking all its own. As we prepare to lay to rest one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments, what will it take to give the ISS a graceful exit?
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Asteroid Day 2024: A Plethora of New Insights
For Asteroid Day 2024, we’ll be briefly covering updates to various small body missions, and exploring how these vital ambassadors from Earth teach us so much about our origins.
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ULA Provides Update on Cert-2 Mission
On Wednesday, June 26 2024, in a media roundtable hosted by United Launch Alliance, company President and CEO Tory Bruno laid out the path for Vulcan Centaur’s second flight, Cert-2.
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US and India Advance Cooperation on Space and Technology
In a White House press release on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, the governments of both the United States and India laid out a strategic roadmap for future collaboration in space – a goal that has long captivated the imaginations of scientists and diplomats alike.
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GOES-U Heads for Geostationary Orbit
NASA and SpaceX have launched GOES-U, the final Earth observation satellite in the GOES-R series. The spacecraft was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, dodging inclement weather to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at 5:26 PM EDT on July 25th, 2024.
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Starliner Mission Extended, All Systems Stable
Boeing’s Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT) has once more been extended, but everything remains stable and safe for the station, spacecraft, and crew. A new return date has yet to be determined, but it will be no earlier than early July.
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Final GOES-R Satellite Ready to Fly
NASA and NOAA are preparing to launch GOES-U, the last of the four GOES-R series geostationary weather satellites on June 25th, 2024 at 5:16PM, Eastern Time atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
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Meet The Pressurized Rover
In April of this year, the United States and Japan signed a formal agreement to collaborate on the first of a new kind of spacecraft for the Artemis Program: a pressurized rover. Acting like a camper van for astronauts to live in as they roam across the surface of the Moon, the pressurized rover is a dramatic new capability for the Artemis Program.
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Europe Eyes Future in Commercial Space
Throughout the tremendous rise of the commercial space ecosystem, Europe has been eyeing numerous partners in the private sector to facilitate access for the continent in a new and changing world – one that could rewrite the narrative for future space exploration.
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Starliner Launches first Crew to ISS
On June 5, 2024 at 10:52 AM, America’s newest crew capable spacecraft lifted off from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. 61 years, 21 days, 1 hour, 48 minutes and 1 second since Atlas LV-3B 130-D launched Gordon Cooper into orbit aboard Faith 7, the mighty Atlas V continues the dream.
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Gyro Issues Force Hubble Into Safe Mode
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has suspended science operations for the time being. NASA reported that the space observatory entered safe mode on May 24th.
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NASA and Boeing Ready for CFT’s Second Attempt
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and provider Boeing are targeting Saturday, June 1 2024 for another attempt to launch the Boeing Crew Flight Test mission, the final step in certifying the Starliner spacecraft for regular flights to the International Space Station.
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Dream Chaser Arrives at KSC
Sierra Space’s first Dream Chaser spaceplane, Tenacity, arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on May 20th, 2024, entering the next phase of development as the company proceeds towards flight.
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NASA Seeks Industry Assistance with Mars Infrastructure
NASA has enlisted the help of commercial partners to respond to two fronts in exploration, aiming to remove some of the technical and financial burden on the agency, so that larger and more ambitious goals can be accomplished in the next 15 to 20 years.
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China Targets Far Side for Sample Return
The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, also known as Chang’e, has seen the launch of eight missions and three successful Moon landings since 2007. Chang’e-6 launched on May 3rd at 5:27 p.m. local time, and is China’s most ambitious lunar mission yet.
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Boeing and NASA Prepare for Crewed Flight Test
On May 6th, 2024, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is set to fly for the third time, this time carrying its most important cargo to date: a human crew. Flown by veteran NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, this mission intends to fully certify the vehicle for human flight.
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Op-Ed: Starship’s Road to Commercial Launch – an Unclear Path
With testing already underway ahead of Starship’s fourth Integrated Flight Test (IFT), and several more flight tests planned in 2024, one may ask how quickly the dream will become reality. The answer, however, as many things are regarding spaceflight, is complicated and prone to delays.
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NASA Lays Out LEO Sustainability Vision
To address a rapidly changing space operating environment and ensure its preservation for generations to come, NASA released the first part of its integrated Space Sustainability Strategy on Tuesday, April 9th at Space Symposium.
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A Shake Up For Mars Sample Return
On April 15th 2024, NASA hosted a media teleconference giving updates on the current status of the agency’s Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. MSR is a vital step in providing high fidelity environmental data which could dramatically inform the technology and methodology for a planned human mission to the Red Planet.
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Sierra Space CEO Signals Dream Chaser Delays
It seems that Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane, Tenacity, may be waiting a bit longer to fly, as indicated by Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice.
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NASA Gives the Green Light to Lunar Terrain Vehicle Teams
On Wednesday, April 3rd, NASA announced the three teams of commercial companies that will develop concepts for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle, an unpressurized rover which will provide mobility for astronauts as part of NASA’s Artemis program.
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ESA’s L4 Mission Set to Focus on Icy Moons
After meeting to discuss ideas and assess technologies, the European Space Agency has begun the process of designing their next “Large Class” mission – one that could explore Saturn’s moons of Enceladus and Titan up close.
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Five Years to Apophis; Can a New Mission be Ready?
Apophis is an asteroid that needs little introduction, but it could soon become one of the most well studied small bodies in the history of spaceflight – should plans come to fruition.
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Dragonfly Sets Sights on Titan
The NASA Dragonfly mission, a groundbreaking endeavor aiming to explore Saturn’s moon Titan, is making significant progress towards launch in 2028.
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Starship Completes Third Test Flight
On Thursday, March 14th, SpaceX completed the third Integrated Flight Test (IFT-3) of its Starship launch vehicle. Notably, IFT-3 successfully achieved the first complete ascent of the combined Starship and Super Heavy system.
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Starship Eyes Mid-March for Flight 3
SpaceX has begun the final prep work for a third flight of their Starship heavy lift reusable launch vehicle, with March 14 as the currently projected liftoff date, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
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Endeavour Ascends – Crew-8 Heads for ISS
After several weather related delays and juggling launch pads, NASA and SpaceX have launched the Crew-8 mission to the International Space Station, setting course for a six month scientific endeavor onboard the orbiting laboratory, and setting the stage for the start of Expedition 71.
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NASA and SpaceX Ready for Crew-8
NASA’s next crew to depart for the International Space Station, Crew-8, are nearly ready for launch, set to embark on a voyage of scientific discovery onboard the orbiting laboratory for the benefit of all on Earth.
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Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus Achieves First Landing for CLPS
On Thursday, February 22nd, Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander Odysseus successfully touched down on the Moon, achieving the “ultimate milestone” for the IM-1 mission and marking the first major victory for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
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Op-Ed: Setting Up Camp, an Exploration of Artemis
As we prepare to go back to the moon, industry expert Robbie Gitten takes a deep dive on several elements of what makes a moon base in his first Op-Ed for Space Scout.
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IM-1 Heads for the Moon
On February 15th, at 1:05 AM Eastern Time, Intuitive Machine’s NOVA-C, Odysseus, lifted off in support of the IM-1 mission – with the aim of becoming the first American spacecraft to make it to the lunar surface in over 50 years.
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The Sun Sets on SLIM – What Next?
After a troubled journey to the lunar surface and subsequent recovery, the sun has set on JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) at 1:57 PM, February 1st, Japan Standard Time.
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Uncertain Funding Threatens JPL’s Future Plans
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced Feb. 6 it will lay off 530 employees, about 8% of its staff, citing uncertainty about its budget for 2024.
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NASA’s Newest Ocean Mission Takes Flight
After nearly nine years of planning, preparation, and even once being slated for cancellation entirely, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Earth-observation mission lifted off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on February 8, at 1:33:36 AM.
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As IM-1 Prepares for Launch, Questions Abound for CLPS
Intuitive Machines is targeting February 14th for the launch of IM-1, the first flight of its NOVA-C robotic moon lander as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
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NASA’s PACE Climate Sat Ready to Fly
After nearly nine years of planning, preparation, and even once being slated for cancellation entirely, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Earth-observation mission is set for launch
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Cygnus and Falcon Spread Their Wings
On January 30th, at 12:07:15 PM Eastern Time, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 lofted the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft as part of the NG-20 mission in a historic first for both Commercial Cargo providers.
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NG-20 Prepares to Fly to ISS From Florida
Final preparations are underway for the launch of Northrop Grumman’s 20th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (NG-20), currently set to launch on January 29th 2024.
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Ingenuity’s Mission Comes to an End
On January 25, 2024, NASA’s Ingenuity mission officially concluded. The small, autonomous helicopter performed 72 flights on Mars, the first time an aircraft has flown on another planet.
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Re-Entry Seals Peregrine’s Fate
Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere on January 18th, 2024, ending its mission after a 10 day, tumultuous journey through cislunar space.
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Axiom Mission 3 Takes Flight
On January 18th, 2024 at 4:49 PM, SpaceX and Axiom Space launched their third mission to the International Space Station,
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Uranus Aerocapture: New Solutions for Old Problems
NASA is planning a flagship-class mission to Uranus, the Uranus Orbiter and Probe (UOP), early in the next decade, and an ongoing study may turn atmospheres into a valuable asset for not just UOP, but many missions yet to come.
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All European Axiom Mission 3 Prepares for Launch
SpaceX and Axiom Space are targeting January 18th, 2024 at 4:49 PM for the launch of their third mission to the International Space Station, Ax-3, carrying a historic all-European crew on a 14-day mission.
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What To Expect: NASA’s 2023 Architecture Concept Review
Set for release on January 22nd, these highly-anticipated documents will provide key insights into NASA’s overarching Moon to Mars exploration strategy, including new details in its vision for sending humans to Mars.
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Analysis: Earth to the Moon – The Future of Commercial Human Spaceflight
While the Commercial Crew Program seems fairly straightforward, it has already had huge implications on the immediate future of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond.
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NASA Leadership Lays Out Revised Artemis Schedule
In a media teleconference held on January 9th, NASA leadership announced significant delays to the next two missions in its Artemis program.
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Vulcan Completes Successful Debut, Peregrine Suffers Anomaly
On January 8th, 2024, at 2:18:34 AM, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket flew for the first time, carrying the Astrobotic Peregrine Lunar Lander towards the Moon.
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United Arab Emirates to Build Gateway Airlock
NASA and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced Sunday plans for the space centre to provide an airlock for Gateway, humanity’s first space station outside of Low Earth Orbit.
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Vulcan Rolls to Pad Ahead of Debut Flight
On Friday, January 5, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket rolled to the pad for the first time, ahead of its first flight scheduled for January 8, 2024.
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VP Harris Lays Out Cooperative Policy Roadmap
At the National Space Council meeting on December 20, 2023, Vice President Kamala Harris and her advisors announced that the Artemis Program will land an international astronaut on the moon “before the end of the decade.”
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Tenacity Enters Final Test Campaign
Sierra Space has entered the final test and checkout campaign for their Dream Chaser spaceplane; delivering the first flight article, Tenacity, to NASA’s Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio.
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Vulcan Targets January 8th for Debut Flight
After completion of a successful Wet Dress Rehearsal this week, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket is one step closer to its debut – entering a new chapter of American rocketry for both military and civilian space launch.
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Orion’s Journey to Artemis II and Beyond
One year ago, NASA’s Orion spacecraft concluded its maiden voyage around the Moon, a journey of 1.4 million miles ending with a gentle splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Now, the first crewed Orion is well underway in construction, with more on the way…
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Three Lunar Landers Target Arrival in January
2024 is shaping up to be a year of triumphant lunar return, with several missions planned to welcome in a new age of international exploration of Earth’s nearest neighbor.
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GAO Highlights Shortcomings for Artemis III
On November 30th, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report detailing the various challenges remaining for SpaceX, Axiom, and NASA as they work towards the first Moon landing in more than 50 years as part of the Artemis III mission.
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The Starbase Experience
Space Scout lead photographer David Diebold reflects on his experience travelling to cover SpaceX’s second Integrated Test Flight of Starship
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On Zephyr’s Wings: NASA Restarts Venus Exploration
The Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gasses, Chemistry, and Imaging, or DAVINCI mission, is a groundbreaking new approach to studying Earth’s sister planet, one which truly embodies its namesake’s ideology of revolutionary new ideas.
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ISRO to Perform Lunar Sample Return
In a lecture given on November 17, Shri Nilesh M. Desai, director of India’s Space Application Center, outlined India’s next missions to the Moon – including the ambitious and tantalizing official plan for Chandrayaan-4.
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Anatomy of a Deep Space Transport
The problem of transporting humans to Mars is a daunting one, yet the slate never stays blank for long. However, if we are to succeed in this boldest of adventures, we must first step away from the whiteboard and take a moment to reflect on our motivations and goals.
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A Pause for Mars Sample Return
On November 13 2023, NASA’s Planetary Science Advisory Committee, which advises all of NASA’s planetary science interests, held a meeting to discuss the state of various programs heading into 2024.
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Into the Night: CRS-29 Launches to ISS
After weeks of reshuffling, NASA and SpaceX’s CRS-29 mission lifted off from Historic Launch Complex 39A for the International Space
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ILLUMA-T: Entering a New Age of Space Communications
A next generation optical communications system known as ILLUMA-T is ready for flight onboard the CRS-29 mission to the International Space Station.
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NASA’s VIPER Takes Shape
At NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, work on NASA’s next lunar explorer has begun. The Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) is now in assembly ahead of its projected launch in 2024 onboard a Falcon Heavy.
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One in a Half-Million, Lucy Sees Double
On November 1st 2023, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft flew by its first asteroid, just over ten months after the previously unplanned encounter was declared.
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Blue Origin Showcases Updated Blue Moon
Blue Origin has unveiled their latest, full size mockup of their Blue Moon MK1 Cargo lander at their Huntsville facility, showcasing an updated design of their uncrewed cargo vehicle.
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Op-Ed: Can We Arrest the Fall of CLPS?
As NASA prepares to go back to the moon, the CLPS program stands on a dangerous fulcrum – will program structure help or hurt our lunar return?
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Meet Blue Ring, Blue Origin’s Space Truck
Blue Origin’s spaceflight plans have continued to grow, and the latest addition looks to position itself as a “Space Truck”. This dedicated space tug, known as Blue Ring, will be used for a multitude of tasks in Cislunar space.
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You Are Beautiful: Lucy at Dinkinesh
Nearly two years after launch, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft prepares to encounter its first asteroid – one of many to come.
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Psyche and Starlink Set Records on the Space Coast
On Friday the 13th, 2023 SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy beat the odds and
lifted off carrying NASA’s Psyche spacecraft on a two billion mile trek to the asteroid of its namesake.
Stormy Skies Keep Psyche Earthbound
After a technical delay the previous week, NASA’s Psyche mission remains grounded in the face of weather constraints.
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Powering Artemis: RSRMVs Arrive at KSC
Artemis 2’s Solid Rocket Motors, or RSRMVs, have arrived at the Kennedy Space Center as NASA and their international partners gear up for humanity’s return to the moon.
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Eyes on the Prize: JWST Detects a Unique Exoplanet
In the atmosphere of an exoplanet 120 light years away from Earth, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected carbon-bearing molecules, some of which have scientists questioning the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe.
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Uranus Orbiter and Probe: 35 Years in the Making
The solar system contains 8 planets, each possessing incredible uniqueness. Of these, some stand out as being perhaps the least explored. Every planet has had at least one orbiter take incredible amounts of in situ observations for years on end if not decades, except the Ice Giants…
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Triumph in Utah: OSIRIS-REx Returns Home
After 7 years in space, and 3.8 billion miles traveled, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Capsule (SRC) completed a picture perfect touchdown on the muddy sands of the Utah Test and Training Range in Dugway, Utah
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A Yearlong Odyssey: MS-22/23 Prepares to Return Home
This past year saw an unexpected addition to the list of record-setting flights – Frank Rubio and the crew of MS-22’s stay on the International Space Station lasting 371 days.
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Crew-7 Soars, setting the stage for Science and Discovery
On August 27th, 2023 at 9:16 AM Eastern Standard Time, Crew Dragon Endurance docked to the Zenith port of the Harmony Module of the International Space Station.
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Triumphs and Troubles: This Week at the Moon
India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully completed its seven and a half week journey to the lunar surface. Now, after four years of planning and hard work, Chandrayaan-3 can begin its two week science mission at the lunar south pole.
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Dragon Tamers Rise – Crew-7 Ready for Flight
Launching at 3:27 AM Eastern Time August 26th, Crew-7 will continue to inspire those on Earth, and conduct important research that will take us higher, further and faster than ever before.
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OSIRIS-REX to APEX, a Legend Reborn
On the 24th of September, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will complete its primary mission, delivering nearly 1 kilogram of material from the asteroid Bennu after 7 years in space.
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Psyche to Psyche: Journey to a Metal World
Six years into the future and 177 years after its discovery, the massive asteroid 16 Psyche will receive its first visitor from Earth.
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Road to CFT – From OFT-2 to the First Flight of Crew
Boeing revealed to Business Insider that they were planning to target a March window for their first crewed flight of their Starliner capsule.
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Sunset over Wallops – One Last Ride on Antares 230+
On August 1 2023, at 8:31 pm – Northrop Grumman’s Antares launch vehicle will lift off from Wallops Island, bound for the International Space Station with 8,000 pounds of cargo, experiments and food for the multinational crew onboard the orbital lab. This launch marks the final launch of the Antares’ “classic” configuration – following a 10 year service history.
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Crew 6’s Return: Reflecting on a Record Setting Mission
As SpaceX’s Crew – 7 gears up for launch in August, 2023 – the crew of the sixth rotation mission to the International Space Station are wrapping up a record setting, history-making long duration segment.
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Artemis I set for third launch attempt
NOV. 15, 2022—The countdown clock has started ahead of NASA’s third launch attempt of the Artemis I mission to the Moon, currently set for 1:04 a.m. ET on November 16.
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Crew-5 to Launch NASA’s Next International Crew to the Space Station
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission is set to lift off on Tuesday, October 5 at 12:00 p.m. EDT, carrying a crew of four aboard Crew Dragon Endurance.
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NASA moves to procure a second crewed lunar lander
SEP. 17, 2022—NASA adds another piece to the puzzle of procuring another lunar lander, amidst ever-shifting timelines and funding levels.
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Artemis I, go for launch
11 years after the final flight of Atlantis, NASA’s next great rocket—the Space Launch System—is ready to fly.
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Starliner set to return to flight on OFT-2
Boeing’s Starliner is set to return to flight on its second uncrewed flight test, OFT-2, tomorrow evening.
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SpaceX set to Launch First All-Private Crew to the Space Station
On April 8th, Axiom-1, the first all-private crew will launch to the International Space Station.
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Atypical Scientists Contribute to NASA Data
MAR. 24, 2022—To learn how to live on Mars, citizen scientists at NASA undergo analog expeditions somewhere much closer to home: Antarctica.
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NASA lays out vision for the long-term future of SLS
A new RFI posted by NASA lays out the future of the SLS rocket to 2050 and beyond, including a new contractor structure and provisions for yearly cargo flights.
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NASA’s Lucy spacecraft prepares for launch later this week
Just days away from launch, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is ready to begin a 12-year mission to explore the Trojan asteroids.
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Four Artemis I CubeSats miss their ride
Does that mean they’re not coming on then?
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NASA’s Artemis program prepares for liftoff
SEP. 23, 2021–As Artemis nears its first launch, sweeping organizational changes and new contracts could guarantee its future into the 2030s…
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New major Russian ISS module set to launch tomorrow
JULY 20, 2021–Meet Nauka, the newest ISS module, set to launch tomorrow, July 21.
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Atlas V stacking complete ahead of the second flight test of Boeing’s Starliner
JULY 15, 2021–The Atlas V rocket for Boeing’s second Starliner flight test recently completed stacking, ahead of launch on July 30.
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Solar arrays, animals, science, and more headed to the ISS on SpaceX CRS-22
An overview of the cargo and experiments flying onboard the SpaceX CRS-22 mission, scheduled to liftoff June 3, 1:29 p.m. EDT.
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Crew-2 is set for an early morning liftoff tomorrow – here’s what to expect
Crew-2 is set to liftoff April 23 at 5:49 a.m. ET – here’s everything you need to know, including full detailed timelines of the mission.
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Perseverance successfully lands on Mars and sends first images home
NASA’s Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars today. Here’s what comes next.
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Perseverance and the seven minutes of terror – what to expect for today’s Mars landing
The Perseverance Mars rover will attempt to land today – here’s what to expect for entry, descent, and landing.
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A closer look at Transporter-1 and its record-breaking 143 satellites onboard
JAN. 23, 2021–SpaceX is set to launch a mission carrying over 140 satellites. We tracked 142 out of 143.
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NASA continues making rapid progress towards ever-closer Artemis I launch
JAN. 16, 2020–NASA is currently targeting this fall for the launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed first test flight of the agency’s Space Launch System rocket and the Orion Spacecraft together. With less than a year of time remaining until the launch, NASA has already begun launch preparation operations.
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SpaceX’s CRS-21 Cargo Dragon undocks and heads for splashdown, wrapping up a 36-day mission
JAN. 12, 2020–SpaceX successfully undocked the CRS-21 Dragon resupply vehicle from the ISS this morning, ahead of splashdown in just over a day.
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Sentinel-6 set to return Vandenberg to flight after over 500 days of inactivity
NOV. 20, 2020–Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich is launching from Vandenberg in just 12 hours. If “launching from Vandenberg” isn’t a phrase you’ve heard lately – we don’t blame you.
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Sentinel-6 viewing: What you need to know
NOV. 20, 2020– With just twelve hours to go to the launch of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, here’s everything you need to know to watch the first Vandenberg launch in over a year and a half.
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Crew-1: What to expect for SpaceX’s first operational crew flight
NOV. 14, 2020–With just a day and a half to go before the first operational Commercial Crew mission, we’ve compiled some information as a guide to help you get the best experience out of Crew-1.
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NASA Test Fires Solid Booster for Artemis Missions
Things got hot in Utah yesterday with a test firing of the world’s most powerful solid rocket booster.
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Live: Endeavour comes home with Bob and Doug
Dragon capsule Endeavour and its two-man crew, Bob Behnken, and Doug Hurley, prepare to come home after over two months in space.
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Live coverage: Perseverance is Go For Launch
The Mars 2020 mission, carrying the “Perseverance” rover, is set to launch 7:50 a.m. EDT today, July 30, 2020. Keep up with live mission updates here.
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Artemis I/SLS Booster Components Arrive Ahead of Stacking
JUNE 17, 2020–Northrop Grumman has delivered ten Space Launch System solid rocket segments for the Artemis I mission, along with two inert OmegA segments for booster training to the Kennedy Space Center after making a long train ride from Utah to Florida.
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NASA chooses Astrobotic to land VIPER rover on the Moon
JUNE 13, 2020– On June 11th, 2020, NASA announced that Astrobotic, a Pittsburgh robotics company, had been selected to deliver the VIPER rover to the lunar South Pole as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), part of the Artemis program, which seeks to land humans on the moon by 2024.
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Crew Dragon lifts off carrying astronauts to the Space Station
MAY 30, 2020–At 3:22 p.m. today, Crew Dragon successfully lifted off aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket carrying astronauts Bob Benkhen and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station. Now at T+ 1 hour 30 minutes, the mission is proceeding smoothly.
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Demo Mission 2 – What to Expect
MAY 28, 2020–Demo Mission 2 (DM-2)’s first attempt was ultimately scrubbed, however, it brought the launch directly into the public eye. Millions viewed the launch attempt, so we’ve compiled some information as a viewing guide to help you get the best experience out of DM-2.
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The Final Week: SpaceX Prepares for Their First Crewed Flight
MAY 24, 2020–After ten years, we are now less than a week away from seeing two astronauts, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, fly to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s crew-rated Dragon 2 spacecraft.
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NASA’s chief of human spaceflight resigns days before critical crew launch
MAY 19, 2020–NASA’s head of human spaceflight programs, Doug Loverro, has abruptly resigned within days of Demo Mission 2, the first crewed U.S. space flight within nearly a decade.
Read MoreNASA releases a further breakdown of Artemis HLS vehicle risks and challenges
MAY 14, 2020–In a virtual conference yesterday, NASA HEO released a further breakdown of the Human Lander System, or HLS contracts.
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NASA’s SLS Program prepares for re-start of SLS operations amid COVID-19
MAY 6, 2020- After temporarily pausing on-site work for the agency’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, NASA is now preparing to reopen the Marshall Spaceflight Center (MSFC), Stennis Space Center, and Michoud Assembly Facility alongside other agency centers and locations which are critical to the Artemis Program.
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Op-Ed: Can Starship make its aggressive timeline?
MAY 4, 2020–Lunar Starship was recently chosen for the Artemis Human Lander System contracts. SpaceX claims they can land on the moon uncrewed by 2022. Can they make it work?
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NASA awards Artemis Moon lander contracts to Dynetics, SpaceX, and National Team
APR. 30–Dynetics, SpaceX, and Blue Origin’s National Team win contracts to develop Human Lander Systems for the Artemis moon landings.
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Solar Orbiter launches with impeccable accuracy
FEB. 14, 2020–Five days ago, the cooperative NASA-ESA Solar Orbiter mission took off on an Atlas V 411 from Space Launch Complex-41, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, towards the poles of the sun. Yesterday, United Launch Alliance’s CEO Tory Bruno hinted that it may be the most accurate insertion ever done by ULA.
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International Space Station EVA-62 a Success
JAN. 15, 2020–The second all-female spacewalk by NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir conducted this morning was a great success, with all primary tasks and get-ahead tasks accomplished.
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