Explore

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman Emphasizes Annual Rocket Launches Amidst New Moon Race with China

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman Emphasizes Annual Rocket Launches Amidst New Moon Race with China

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is prioritizing annual launches of the Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket for the Artemis program, aiming for at least one launch per year. This strategy is driven by the ongoing 'new space race' with China. Following the successful Artemis II mission in April 2026, Isaacman expressed confidence in the U.S. space program's trajectory toward lunar landings and establishing a permanent moon base. The upcoming Artemis III mission, scheduled for 2027, will be a crewed flight to low Earth orbit to test docking procedures between the Orion capsule and private lunar landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin. Isaacman stressed the importance of consistently exercising NASA's deep-space human spaceflight capabilities to prepare for future missions like Artemis IV, which targets a crewed lunar landing in 2028.

NASA Awards $10 Billion CLPS 2 Moon Base Contract to Eight Companies, Nuclear Rover First Mission

NASA Awards $10 Billion CLPS 2 Moon Base Contract to Eight Companies, Nuclear Rover First Mission

NASA has announced its $10 billion Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) 2 program, a 10-year, multiple-award, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity master contract. Eight companies, including Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines, iSpace US, Lockheed Martin Space, Northrop Grumman Space Systems, SpaceX, and Voyager Technologies, are now eligible to compete for cargo runs to the lunar surface. The program aims to support NASA's Moon Base initiative by increasing the cadence of commercial deliveries and focusing on larger cargo landers and critical infrastructure. As part of this initiative, NASA is moving forward with PROMISE (Polar Rover for Observation, Mapping, and In-Situ Exploration), a six-wheeled, nuclear-powered rover. Blue Origin has secured a $94 million base contract, with an option for an additional $140 million, to deliver PROMISE to the lunar South Pole using its Mark 1 lander, targeting a late-2028 launch for an 18-month mission.

Impulse Space Secures NASA Contracts for Moon Base Transportation Infrastructure

Impulse Space Secures NASA Contracts for Moon Base Transportation Infrastructure

Impulse Space, an in-space mobility company, has been awarded two task orders by NASA for its Moon Base program. These awards will utilize Impulse Space's fleet of spacecraft, including a highly throttleable lander, the Helios kick-stage, and the Mira performance maneuvering spacecraft, to establish transportation infrastructure for humanity's first permanent lunar outpost. Missions are slated to commence in 2028. The task orders fall under NASA's Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. For the first task order, Impulse Space will act as the prime contractor, collaborating with SpaceX for a Falcon 9 rocket launch to deliver a NASA payload, with an option for Mira vehicles to transport additional payloads to cislunar space. The second task order designates Impulse Space as the prime contractor for a launch on Relativity's Terran R launch vehicle, where Impulse's Helios and lander vehicles will carry NASA payloads to their target cislunar orbits and test cargo de...

Howard County to Host Native American Heritage Month Celebration in Columbia

Howard County to Host Native American Heritage Month Celebration in Columbia

Howard County is set to host a Native American Heritage Month Celebration in Columbia, Maryland. The event will take place from noon to 3 p.m. at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center, located at 8045 Harriet Tubman Lane. This celebration aims to recognize the rich history, significant achievements, and diverse cultural contributions of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Attendees can expect to experience both traditional and contemporary artistic expressions from Native American communities, not only within Maryland but also from broader regions. The program will feature performances by notable artists and groups, including Lance Ma'heonenahkohe Fisher, Huey Xolotl, and Native America's Protectors. This initiative underscores the county's commitment to cultural recognition and education, providing a platform for community members to engage with and appreciate Native American heritage.

NASA Astronauts to Engage Florida Students from International Space Station

NASA Astronauts to Engage Florida Students from International Space Station

NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney will answer STEM questions from Florida students while aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This Earth-to-space call is scheduled for Tuesday, November 10, at 10:40 a.m. EST and will be streamed live on NASA’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel. The event is hosted by Freedom Crossing Academy in St. Johns, Florida, and is open to K-12 students and the wider community. The initiative aims to foster a deeper understanding of space exploration and raise awareness about careers in STEM fields. For over 26 years, the ISS has continuously hosted humans, facilitating scientific advancements and research that are not feasible on Earth. The space station plays a crucial role in helping NASA comprehend and overcome the complexities of human spaceflight, broaden commercial prospects in low Earth orbit, and establish a foundation for extended missions to the Moon under the Artemis program, and eventually to Mars.

NASA Accelerates Artemis Moon Missions, Targets 2027 Test Flight and 2028 Lunar Landing

NASA Accelerates Artemis Moon Missions, Targets 2027 Test Flight and 2028 Lunar Landing

NASA has announced an accelerated strategy for its Artemis program, aiming for an Artemis III test flight in 2027 and a crewed lunar landing with Artemis IV in 2028. This revised timeline, detailed in a November 4 update, emphasizes the critical role of integration among separately built vehicles, flight software, ground teams, and equipment. The Artemis III mission is planned as a 14-day Earth-orbit mission involving four astronauts, serving as an integration test for rendezvous, docking, habitation, and operational procedures before a lunar landing attempt. The agency is pursuing lunar landers from both SpaceX and Blue Origin, with their differing approaches to lunar transport. The commercial aerospace industry is closely watching how this ambitious exploration transitions into a repeatable service, requiring hardware to move from development to dependable production and individual demonstrations to become scheduled operations.

Blue Origin Develops GS3 Third Stage for New Glenn Rocket, Expanding Lunar and Deep Space Capabilities

Blue Origin Develops GS3 Third Stage for New Glenn Rocket, Expanding Lunar and Deep Space Capabilities

Blue Origin has announced the development of the GS3 third stage for its New Glenn heavy-lift launch vehicle. This new stage is designed to enhance the rocket's capabilities, allowing for direct deployment of satellite constellations into geostationary orbit and facilitating heavy scientific and research missions to the Moon and deep space, as reported by Space.com. The GS3 will be powered by a single BE-7 engine, which was originally developed by Blue Origin for its Blue Moon spacecraft. The Blue Moon lander has been selected by NASA as one of two private spacecraft for crewed lunar landings under the Artemis program, with SpaceX's Starship being the other. While Blue Moon missions themselves will not require the GS3, this third stage will support extended operations near the Moon by enabling the delivery of significant cargo mass directly onto a lunar transfer trajectory. This capability is expected to reduce flight time and conserve more propellant for orbital operations. An unnamed government customer ...

Want to fly to the moon? NASA is looking for new astronauts to help grow its Artemis program

Want to fly to the moon? NASA is looking for new astronauts to help grow its Artemis program

Want to fly to the moon and help build a permanent lunar base

NASA Astronaut Jessica Watkins Becomes First Black Woman to Command a Space Mission

NASA Astronaut Jessica Watkins Becomes First Black Woman to Command a Space Mission

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins has made history by becoming the first Black woman to command a crewed mission to space. She is leading SpaceX's Crew-13 mission, which launched on October 1, 2026, to the International Space Station (ISS). This marks Watkins' second spaceflight, having previously flown on SpaceX's Crew-4 mission in 2022, accumulating over 200 days in space. A geologist, astronaut, aquanaut, and former professional rugby player, Watkins brings a diverse skill set to her role as mission commander. While NASA confirmed the pioneering nature of her achievement, the agency did not issue a public statement commemorating the milestone. Commercial astronaut Sian Proctor, the first Black woman to pilot a spacecraft, emphasized the significance of Watkins' leadership for diversity in spaceflight.

NASA Seeks New Astronauts to Bolster Artemis Program for Lunar Base Development

NASA Seeks New Astronauts to Bolster Artemis Program for Lunar Base Development

NASA has opened applications for a new class of astronauts, aiming to expand its active astronaut corps to support the ambitious Artemis program. This initiative seeks individuals who are prepared to fly to the Moon and contribute to the establishment of a permanent lunar base. The announcement was made during a Kennedy Space Center air show, emphasizing the agency's commitment to accelerating humanity's presence beyond low-Earth orbit. With only 32 active astronauts, NASA requires more recruits to meet the demands of its lunar campaign, which was recently kicked off by the Artemis II crew's lunar flyaround. The application window is open until December 3, with final selections expected by late 2027 and training commencing in early 2028.

University of Arizona Hosts Inaugural Space Horizons Forum to Foster Collaboration in Space Sector

University of Arizona Hosts Inaugural Space Horizons Forum to Foster Collaboration in Space Sector

The University of Arizona recently hosted the inaugural Space Horizons Forum in Tucson, bringing together leaders from NASA, the U.S. Space Force, the defense industry, commercial space companies, and academia. The two-day event, held on October 29-30, focused on strengthening partnerships and exploring the blurring boundaries between these sectors in space exploration and security. Speakers included Quantum Space CEO and former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, U.S. Space Force Chief Science Officer Stacie Williams, and Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., alongside over 20 other experts from organizations like NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Air Force Research Laboratory. Discussions covered topics such as robotic missions to reduce risks for crewed flights, the future of space defense focusing on data fusion and nuclear propulsion, and the role of commercial capabilities in freeing up science and technology dollars for transformative work. University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella emphasized ...

Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz to Discuss 'The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker' at Huxley Hiro Bookstore

Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz to Discuss 'The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker' at Huxley Hiro Bookstore

Author Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz will hold an author talk at Huxley & Hiro Bookstore, in collaboration with the Delaware Historical Society, on Sunday, November 8, from 2-4 pm. The event is free but requires registration. Aptowicz will discuss her new book, 'The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker: A True Tale of Love, Murder, Treason, and Ordinary Folks Who Saved America.' The book details the Christiana Resistance, an event on September 11, 1851, where fugitive slave William Parker defended his farmhouse in Christiana, Pennsylvania, against a Maryland enslaver, Edward Gorsuch, and a federal marshal attempting to reclaim four escaped men. The confrontation escalated, leading to Gorsuch's death and injuries to his posse. Subsequently, dozens of local Black and white men were arrested and charged with treason in a trial that captivated the nation. This event was considered by many at the time, and even decades later by The New York Times, as 'the first bloodshed of the civil war,' yet it largely faded from...