Topic: mission timeline
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Private Firm Unveils Bold Plan to Capture an Asteroid
TransAstra's "New Moon" mission proposes capturing a small asteroid and towing it into a stable orbit near Earth, with a feasibility study underway for a target roughly the size of a house. The long-term vision is to use captured asteroids as robotic stations for in-situ resource utilization, har...
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NASA's Artemis Rocket Shuffle: What's Next for Lunar Landers?
NASA's Artemis program is accelerating its lunar exploration timeline by increasing SLS rocket launch frequency and prioritizing surface operations, though the readiness of essential human landing systems remains a critical uncertainty. The agency is relying on SpaceX and Blue Origin to develop l...
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NASA orders emergency medical evacuation from space station
NASA has ordered an early return of four astronauts from the International Space Station due to an undisclosed medical event involving one crew member, who is in stable condition. The entire Crew-11 mission is returning ahead of schedule as a precaution, using their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, wh...
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NASA Weighs Backup Plan for Lunar Rover Mission
NASA is evaluating final proposals for a single-provider Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) contract but is concerned this creates a high-risk single point of failure for astronaut mobility. The agency's experience with programs like Commercial Crew shows that relying on one contractor can lead to delay...
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Boeing's Starliner Cleared for Cargo-Only Mission
NASA and Boeing have confirmed that the Starliner spacecraft will launch an uncrewed cargo mission to the ISS no earlier than April 2026, pending successful tests and certifications. The original 2014 contract has been modified to make Starliner-1 a cargo-only flight, with up to three additional ...
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Google's AI Data Centers Are Heading to Space
Google is developing Project Suncatcher to launch solar-powered data centers into space, aiming to overcome Earth's energy limitations for AI systems with constant clean energy. The initiative faces challenges including establishing high-speed satellite communications and protecting hardware from...
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NASA Science Mission Spared in Budget Cuts, Others Remain at Risk
NASA's OSIRIS-APEX asteroid mission has been reinstated after facing budget cuts, securing its future to study asteroid Apophis during its close Earth flyby in 2029. The mission repurposes the healthy OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to observe Apophis, a sizable near-Earth object that poses no immediate th...
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NASA's Moon Rocket Arrives at Final Stop Before Launch
The Orion spacecraft has arrived at Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building for final stacking onto its rocket, targeting a February launch for the Artemis II mission. This mission will carry four astronauts on a historic ten-day lunar voyage, the first crewed trip to the Moon's vicinity...
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Artemis II Crew Reveals First Chaotic Hours in Space
The Artemis II launch sequence involves immense power, with main engines and solid rocket boosters propelling the five-million-pound vehicle to clear the tower in six and a half seconds, followed by booster separation at 3,100 mph and 30 miles altitude. Immediately after reaching orbit, the crew ...
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