📅 Discovered:
June 30, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwAFBVV95cUxOTi1JWTA2MUt0bm01R005ejVMNlI3TGhSTWdJUmIyZVJIWk10cVpaVDNKVW5wX2xNZ1JmbU84XzB0VnV1dTlGNVQ5aTdVRGxjU2Mtajl1RW8wSXNqam1kRGNmaUtka2otaGRfa29RZUQxdGotdUhnOUpYRF9qTmJzUm1CRW1ta3lId0trTnY2SUdaVW0yS3pEVHJZVEIwNFAzMGtKXzhfSHFwa3FMZ2VSNVR1Ql9Id3I1RU...
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Joseph Zakrzewski
Abby Graf
Linda E. Grimm
NASA Communications
April 7, 2026 11:37AM
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Artemis II Flight Day 7: Crew Makes Long‑Distance Call, Begins Return
(April 6, 2026) – Earthset captured through the Orion spacecraft window at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026, during the Artemis II crew’s flyby of the Moon. A muted blue Earth with bright white clouds sets behind the cratered lunar surface. The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime. On Earth’s day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region. In the foreground, Ohm crater has terraced edges and a flat floor interrupted by central peaks. Central peaks form in complex craters when the lunar surface, liquefied on impact, splashes upwards during the crater’s formation.
NASA
After their historic lunar flyby on April 6, the Artemis II crew is awake and preparing for the journey back to Earth. The crew started the day 36,286 miles from the Moon and 236,022 miles from Earth, waking to the sounds of “Tokyo Drifting,” by Glass Animals and Denzel Curry.
At 1:23 p.m. EDT, the Orion spacecraft and its crew — NASA astronauts
Reid Wiseman
Victor Glover
, and
Christina Koch
, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut
Jeremy Hansen
— will exit the lunar sphere of influence, marking their shift out of the Moon’s gravity.
First images from flyby
Earlier Tuesday,
The White House
and NASA shared the first images from the lunar flyby featuring Earthset (above) and the solar eclipse (below):
(April 6, 2026) – Captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, this image shows the Moon fully eclipsing the Sun. From the crew’s perspective, the Moon appears large enough to completely block the Sun, creating nearly 54 minutes of totality and extending the view far beyond what is possible from Earth. The corona forms a glowing halo around the dark lunar disk, revealing details of the Sun’s outer atmosphere typically hidden by its brightness. Also visi...
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📅 Discovered:
June 30, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogFBVV95cUxObDVUZEtOZGt0YVRwVVRyREs1VWRvSjBIM1U4TE9SdHotaDdaRkZaUXd5TVVNOE0zcjNSaFJwd2xZcW9NN2pYaEdzc2x2Slh4YXl1NzZrWHYtQTVwaHpGd3NQUTJJcXlqNFB5QjhZT3J3UmdLcm1kc3N1dnZ3dEt3MWJiVnF1SENGbzI2LUdQUWJaX21VMmF5cDZZSUkxdkE4Q2c?oc=5" target="_blank">NASA's c...
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Josh Dinner
Fri, June 26, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC
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NASA's Office of Inspector General memo reveals costly hardware components of Artemis program lunar missions have been canceled, leading to a $5.9 billion investment in hardware that was originally contracted at $2.9 billion.
Major pieces of Artemis program hardware, including upgraded variations of NASA's Space Launch System rocket and the Gateway space station, have been abandoned in favor of a single uniform design and a stronger focus on establishing a base on the moon's surface.
Boeing's Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) and Dynetics' Universal Stage Adapter (USA) were among the scrapped components of the now-canceled SLS variants, with EUS delivery delayed to the end of 2028 and USA completion projected to be delayed to May 2030, with costs rising to $3.7 billion and $497 million, respectively.
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NASA's Artemis 2 Space Launch System rocket rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center, in Florida, Jan. 17, 2026. | Credit: Thales Alenia Space
A new memo from NASA's Office of Inspector General has revealed how major pieces of Artemis program hardware became costly components of lunar missions that no longer align with the agency's new plans to return astronauts to the moon and have since been canceled.
NASA
announced a major shakeup
to its
Artemis plans
earlier this year at its
"Ignition Day" event
, restructuring its mission goals in order to streamline the return of astronauts to the lunar surface and simplify the architecture needed to get them there. Most notably, th...
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📅 Discovered:
June 30, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi9wFBVV95cUxOdG9WcC1HWlpTUVJLSWRWejliNl8zV1B0UGlqR1RqZl9VaHZqU1RwcE9LMWl3QkpLZlFzLXltb3A1cFVDbll5VUlQbDlNMU5pd2MyWUxhZWpqc1dDdzQ4MENEbVB2QW4zbTRmRzBhZENzV09oOHlXMzVTWmNLLW5WSVo2X0s2cnhOdnhFbGZsSmlSV29SYU5oTlE2bzZJSFlPUzhja0paaE5YclNDMkFCWXhlWjdneUdNaG...
📅 Discovered:
June 30, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi1wFBVV95cUxOU2d4UEdhMUJTNjE4YUF5c0pudnU4b0Z6MU9LRmVxbnZjY3RkNzM4ZkRBaGs2cU8ydkZxblhraUJqRmRsNEdxRU5wMVFrSGFWS2xuRXhLQlFVWGVqV2lYeGVEVi15UFV5anlrMUVXQmpKU0RTU3pscVJGVGwycW5zRFFGQXRlWnJVdnRWYUdlQ2VNNzd1dVdPOWZ2ZFpvZkNReHAyaC1XWnpDQVpwUWhINXhyU0I4X3RodH...
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Karpathy CLAUDE.md Grows to Ten Rules: New Self-Check Protocol for AI Coding Loops
📅 Discovered:
June 30, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiVkFVX3lxTE9yWXY0a2Iwc2lFRjItRElERDBoYVlVMzFJTmN0OExYS2tza212N0NOalI4VUwydEFaZTR3V2hyb29GWVF5Z2U5OUhjVHhyQ3Vtd21wd2FR?oc=5" target="_blank">Jared Isaacman discusses NASA's future, Artemis missions and moon base plans</a> <font color="#6f6f6...
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Jared Isaacman discusses NASA's future, Artemis missions and moon base plans
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman joins Fox News to discuss the Artemis program, celebrating America's 250th birthday.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman shares insights into the future of space exploration, including the historic Artemis II mission that sent a crew around the Moon. Isaacman details plans for building a permanent base on the Moon and deploying "Moonfall drones" for extensive scouting. He stresses the intensifying competition in space, particularly with China, and anticipates rapid advancements in lunar exploration.
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📅 Discovered:
June 28, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi5wFBVV95cUxQcmoyd2pubzFNV002d203Wlcwby1GdGVNcXliYzNVTEE0anQ3LVE0UjRNN200Ykc1UF9pNGhxZFB3MVNmNnBNa0c0QWJwVFA4V283d2ZKSFpaX09MU1hHMmJuWk9zU3g4NXhUS0EzNURGUEVjdUVrcXY3b2FJX0dESVZ3dXJFUjVBdHl5b2xVWWpqczV4RmRoUFlXZlJzNVpxVlZGS3dBTmREeHZySTMzZ2NNaEhFQl91d3...
📅 Discovered:
June 28, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi9AFBVV95cUxQUi05a1lNY2QzZTYyZVBVVFlBdWJZRURuRXcxUTF5S1NCcmtuM3d5clR5aURVSnd0SUhzM21FUU1aR2VjOUlQTUlXUlg5VjRWZy1wamJOMUlNZmdESGNiSFFhV1pKV0NzSmtvU01vdlhrcHc1bE1jb3Bzb0tPbml1MkZ3clFlX2hlS1JpTGZaOHY3dVRKbVJzWXdQS2EwdllIdVdfR09GNnFKUzBKaFZFN0JwYTJpRGJFVW...
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NASA Announces Winners for 2026 Human Lander Challenge
Beverly Perry
Communications Strategist
Jun 26, 2026
Article
NASA has announced the top student-developed solutions for environmental control and life support systems in future crewed lunar landers from participants in the 2026 Human Lander Challenge. The announcement marks the culmination of months of research by university teams working to advance technologies supporting the agency’s Artemis program that will return American astronauts to the Moon in 2028.
The challenge concluded June 25 following final technical presentations near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Since September 2025, student teams from across the nation have designed systems‑level approaches to enhance the performance and reliability of environmental control and life support technologies essential for astronauts during deep space missions.
University students and advisors from 11 finalist teams gathered in Huntsville, home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, June 23-25 for the agency’s third annual Human Lander Challenge. This year’s competition challenged students to consider solutions for environmental control and life support systems for long duration spaceflight. These technologies are essential for maintaining breathable air, potable water, and thermal stability for astronauts during deep space missions.
NASA/Charles Beason
“As NASA continues preparing for sustained lunar exploration and future human missions to Mars, the development of robust, efficient, and reliable life support systems remains a critical focus area,” said Natalie Martinez-Vlasoff, mission capabilities and risk reduction advanced capabilities integration lead at NASA Marshall. “The 2026 student teams demonstrated a strong understanding of the range of design choices for these systems, and how well-considered, systems-level approaches can improve reliability and crew safety for astronauts using future human landing systems. It ...
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📅 Discovered:
June 28, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi0wFBVV95cUxOT29GWDViVnQ3Y21nY0puaEQ0aXNaSmVtSVVLZU80NktWZHlxSG82azlOY1M3SG8wdng1RExPN0dqRmhrbHpxWmFURDBmNzF3VldPV3Rxc1BtTktkeS1sdlJfMklGU1RfcGR2NDdEdmJrMlJsZGVVQUVRbjF6TUYxOFZDM0FBdHN1d1NYcFpjejZ0Y0JMLVdIYjE0RXF0bVJzSE5IWmdKNzdYanlqY0ZZSzVaZzQxSEdEZU...
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INTERVIEW
'An honour to be chosen': Italian astronaut on piloting Nasa lunar mission
Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano will be the first European to participate in Nasa's lunar programme, as part of the Artemis III mission in 2027. He spoke to RFI about the challenges of such a mission, and the risks.
Issued on:
27/06/2026 - 15:34
4 min
Reading time
Luca Parmitano speaks at the unveiling of the Artemis III mission at Nasa's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, 9 June. REUTERS - Antranik Tavitian
By:
RFI
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Nasa's Artemis III mission follows the successful Artemis II flight completed in April – the farthest humans have travelled from the Earth.
The crew will undertake a series of challenging tests in Low Earth Orbit in 2027, in preparation for Artemis IV, the first planned crewed mission to the lunar South Pole, in 2028.
At the helm will be Italy's Luca Parmitano, heading up a four-member crew expected to remain in
space
for around two weeks.
Selected by the European Space Agency (
ESA
) as an astronaut in 2009, Parmitano has a master’s degree in experimental flight test engineering from the Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace in Toulouse. He has logged more than 2,000 flight hours across 40 types of aircraft.
RFI: Nasa announced on 9 June that you will be part of the next Artemis mission in 2027 – the first European to participate in a mission of the American space agency's lunar programme. How does it feel to be selected for such an adventure?
Luca Parmitano:
It's incredible. I'm truly honoured to have been chosen for this role and this pilot position. It was completely unexpected. I'm approaching this role with humility because I know it's a very complex mission. I have a lot to learn.
RFI: What do you think made Nasa choose you?
LP:
I think they looked at the experience, the background, the rank of the test pilots, and I think they looked at my experience as an astronaut with two missions to the International Space Sta...
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📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixgFBVV95cUxONDI4Sk1jMS1qM21QSkloUVhQem1PV2dfVi0xLWVldHRwNWptdTFGUm9WclUtU080WDh3YTZNMG5razBZbWNUWjN3VC1QcjRmZmZyVDg3SVlwbjR0QnB3RmtJMWxEeDBEcTFkV2ZTNDhNM1dqbmdrNnZNTGZkSy1WVWJrMWVuQlM2UklxNEl1WjJrSnJFUmpaZmZrd3FuRmdTTF91QmdKRjhwWUoxT0pQa3ZSUkZTRkUyM1...
📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixgFBVV95cUxOek1ORjBqX2NMNkYtQldBNEp6a1lMUlBFYkN3bnRnUEFLSHpsY21vczJ2THVjeVFiNEItc3R1SGZ4S1pYSUNwN0hjTHpFNFkzaG11T0dBOVpDZGsxR1U3QjB1eXE5MmM3OVE1dWMySTcyYURPLThlMTd2cVh6cER4bzRwYzJLVTg0T01LdG1Hd2dPNGVaX1Uxc1ZsWjNhWW5ralNCN3loQkZnd3JzMVRLWTRiTFZnUHRpRE...
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5 min of reading
Experts Warn: Aging NASA Launch Facilities Could Hinder Artemis Moon Mission Progress
Written by
Noel Budeguer
Published on 26/06/2026 at 18:56
Science and Technology
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NASA Inspector General’s Workshop Report Reveals a Less Visible Bottleneck of the Artemis Program: Bases Pressured by More Launches, Old Systems, and Insufficient Budget to Modernize Lunar Operations.
The Artemis program, one of NASA’s most ambitious bets to take astronauts back to the Moon, faces an obstacle that is not just in the rockets, capsules, or lunar landing systems. According to information from the NASA Inspector General’s Office, cited by Xataka in a report by Azucena Martín, the agency’s launch infrastructure is pressured, aging, and without enough funding to keep up with the planned mission pace.
The alert involves two central points of the American space operation: the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Both are used by NASA and also by private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin. The problem is that the volume of launches has grown rapidly, while part of the bases continues to rely on structures designed for another era of the space race.
Launches Grew Too Fast
Artemis program rocket appears next to the launch tower at Kennedy Space Center, in a structure that became a central point of the alert about NASA’s capacity to sustain new missions to the Moon.
The striking data is the activity jump at the Kennedy Space Center. In 2020, the base recorded 31 launches. By 2025, this number reached 109. This represents an increase of 252%, according to the numbers cited in the analyzed material.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
See also
Self-Driving Harvester Now Operating in Brazil’s Vast Farmlands
Astronomers Discover Two Giant Exoplanets as Light as Cotton Candy, Challenging Current Scientific Models 1,110 Light-Years from Earth
NASA’s ...
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📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi3gFBVV95cUxNM1AwWW5rZ1g3Z0YxMmlIWTVYbDg0RE04RUpVeVJrMUZYMnM3c1BqSUpTczZNX25aeXp4T3pkcm02UnNQN2xmT1NkWmhadGFWQlZiR01McFBlN0pMa0l0OGNWcUc1MzlET0RmZmxSUFdUakQ0czhtSFlDRVNIZThib3l2cDNlX2NSeVlDUzFNdkYwSUhlRDh0aVdZb2ZORW5pYVg0TlV1N3RpZGt3UEtHU3htTnE3ZGY1U1...
📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZEFVX3lxTE12ekdGQ2lqWHppNjdZeXptUkw3c3AzR2p6TnQ4VGlpNHJjQ3p0NlJYTUdncFQ5UjZqLVZnVDFfQTV3ZW14WEgyNkFqcDA2ajVQNDA2d19rbTBQSzBkZ243Q1dNcU0?oc=5" target="_blank">NASA backs dozens of projects on the space frontier, including some with Northwest connectio...
📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinwFBVV95cUxNWDlfek5yVGNwcmpoTDJIQTJ5dzRCalp4Zm1QNEJIdUVtYVlab3Y0ZDZlQkVia1paVEo2LU9JMXlNUkxqUXd6cjFXUlpZVy02cUxjcEJrN1c4cWZFdS1qcVNjVlVEQ0JHRUR1dlB2RmNpWTBySVR3WXNIY1JQUm0tTEZmMFJUMWFyNF85VE8wX1Rna1ZGYUM0YUltcVlJY2s?oc=5" target="_blank">Canceled NAS...
📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMic0FVX3lxTFBtRUY2aGpuWUpoNGQ0Q3RGQVprMGZnUmZIM0pKMl8zc1hRU0dadjRINUJ6eURld1FnQ1F1QUd0cExhLXBjMEUwbFRwOEF6TUVfdkdsUWk4U0ZaTEtKbXZ3dW11ZklMZ0JRbXFNeGlGRUh4Ums?oc=5" target="_blank">NASA Has a Major Problem Threatening Its Entire Moon Plans</a> &nbs...
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SpaceX / NASA
Sign up to see the future, today
Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech
To get SpaceX’s mammoth Starship all the way to the Moon and back with astronauts on board will require an enormous amount of fuel.
Over a period of eight days, Elon Musk’s space company will need to launch
at least 15 of them to fully load a fuel depot
in low-Earth orbit. That fuel will then have to be transferred into a separately-launched Human Landing System variant of the spacecraft that astronauts will board before descending to the lunar surface.
Needless to say, SpaceX certainly has its
work cut out to have its Starship ready
for NASA’s Artemis 4 mission in 2028, the first crewed attempt to land on the Moon since 1972 — let alone dramatically increasing its launch cadence, as it has yet to launch and safely land the rocket.
It gets worse. Now, the space agency’s watchdog says there’s an even bigger problem that could threaten NASA’s ambitious plans. According to a
new report
by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), “NASA’s launch infrastructure is dated and lacks the capacity to meet the growing demands of the Agency and government and commercial partners.”
A major surge in commercial launches has put the launch pads at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia under major strain. And simply building more pads is far easier said than done. Growing “demand for super heavy-lift launch vehicles” is “driving the need for additional launch pads that can accommodate these vehicles, but locations for new launch pads are limited and will require extensive time and resources to develop,” the OIG frets.
Meanwhile, electrical power distribution is “being used beyond its design life and needs to be upgraded,” while the infrastructure for fuel components, like nitrogen and helium, could also “lead to delays.” Even the roadways around Kennedy were “not designed to accommodate the volume, frequency, and weight of modern ...
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📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwAFBVV95cUxQaEI5cWhUZlk3eXFRUHhNbDl2bGtSRGtDZHFCaU94dG5aYzJSUDZQUkNXRzBpd1ZQSWNhU29TS2ZNRy0ydEQ3VUdWcXp5XzlfWmNIQS1IQTJrZ3JsVTNSd1ZWRHVGenRNTFdSekUxTTdMVW94WFBRMWRRa2NTNnBSRHFpbnktYjdtZ2RrbVlpUHIzdXRHRmphYXpwbmNYNDc3SXJhcGxrV2pIanBhOUhiWWhXUGxZUjhVeV...
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Three months ago, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the space agency was making a major pivot from building a space station in lunar orbit to a base on the surface. This “Ignition” event followed an earlier announcement in which NASA also said it was ending development of a new upper stage for its Space Launch System rocket.
In the aftermath of these decisions, there was some grumbling—mostly from contractors involved with the programs—that NASA was foolishly walking away from nearly complete hardware that the space agency needed for its Artemis Program.
Isaacman said these programs were not essential for landing humans on the Moon and added that they had cost far more than originally budgeted and had been subjected to years of delays. Moreover, they were still not ready.
“For too long we tried to satisfy every stakeholder,”
he said during the Ignition event
in March. “Billions of dollars wasted. Years lost. Hardware that never launched. Fewer flagship science missions. And fewer astronauts in space, which means fewer kids dressing up as astronauts for Halloween. I don’t like it. The president doesn’t like it. The American people have waited long enough.”
Elements reviewed by inspector general
On Wednesday, NASA’s Office of the Inspector General prepared a memorandum on the elements of the Artemis Program that NASA was canceling as its focus shifted to the Moon’s surface. These were:
Exploration Upper Stage
, an upgrade for the Space Launch System rocket
Universal Stage Adapter
, which links the Orion spacecraft to the Exploration Upper Stage
Mobile Launcher 2
, a larger launch tower for the upgraded Space Launch System rocket
Habitation and Logistics Outpost
, a habitation module for the Lunar Gateway
The memorandum notes that each of these projects has experienced substantial cost increases and numerous delays over th...
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📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi-wFBVV95cUxNeHdxa0hJelVTZDczaVAzQVRtQVJwTzBSc1J2RHRqNk4tUzgxWFYyNVM1RUY0WlR1SnUtNXJwZG9wYk4zbU1UN1R1dURkOEh4WVpNN2l3SkJUd2xKcW8xTTdIZzNQM3Rvekw0dUxlWlF3RktYRlJWeTJ4UHNBUWNzb1NKTmJvV010b0FrYUlrWHJNQlNiaC1RMTIzeTV5Y2xBRnZHMU53QkstWVhJY0FlTlY2d0w4RUtJa2...
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SPACE
Kennedy Space Center's aging infrastructure risks NASA's moon, Mars goals
Brooke Edwards
Florida Today
June 26, 2026, 5:06 a.m. ET
As NASA works toward returning astronauts to the moon to stay and then onward to Mars, Kennedy Space Center remains the hub of that ambitious effort — but a
June report by the space agency's chief watchdog
warned of major Earth-based risks to these plans.
Everything from bridges to roads, and electrical power to nitrogen and helium gas supplies requires upgrades at a facility built in the 1960s for Apollo program and later modified to support the space shuttle, which retired in 2011.
📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiwFBVV95cUxNdmtJV0VRazNFeE9ORDlpcnpXM1ppZjdvRXV6ZkItQ3NITTVSYlg2Vk93M0h2UE94TmMzaWJLaVVIRkIwZTJoUHdGU2pYSzJNZFJkZ3c0ZG1zejZPZTYzeDdpMlg2TmJXWWNsb2ZaZ2NxaXRINVMxN2VSWVZzZDRtUlY4Q0NmY2c5MlRV?oc=5" target="_blank">Report to Congress on Returning Humans ...
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Report to Congress on Returning Humans to the Moon
U.S. Naval Institute Staff
June 26, 2026 6:55 AM
The following is the June 25, 2026, Congressional Research Service In Focus report, Artemis: NASA’s Program to Return Humans to the Moon.
From the report
Orion and the Space Launch System
The Artemis program has evolved from plans initiated in the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-267). The act established a statutory goal of “expand[ing] permanent human presence beyond low-Earth orbit” and mandated the development of a crew capsule and a heavy-lift rocket to accomplish that goal. The capsule, now known as Orion, and the rocket, known as the Space Launch System (SLS), have been in development since that time (see Figure 1).
Each Orion capsule consists of a crew module with room for four to six astronauts, storage space, and a docking port; a service module (contributed by the European Space Agency) to provide power and propulsion; and a launch abort system. The crew module is designed to be reusable and is the only portion intended to return to Earth at the end of a mission.
SLS is an expendable rocket designed to carry Orion into space and set it on an initial trajectory to the Moon. SLS could also be used for other missions involving heavy payloads or requiring very high thrust. As required by P.L. 111-267, SLS was designed to accommodate future, phased upgrades (known as Block 1, Block 1B, and Block 2) to increase its thrust capacity. Similarly, NASA planned to upgrade SLS’s upper stages (i.e., in-space propulsion) by developing what is known as the Exploration Upper Stage.
The first launch of Orion on an SLS was in November 2022. This mission, known as Artemis I, was an uncrewed test flight near the Moon to certify safety for crewed flights. Artemis II, the first crewed test of Orion and SLS, occurred in April 2026. Orion and its crew of four traveled near the Moon before returning to Earth.
In February 2026, the NASA Administrator announced that, after Art...
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📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiugFBVV95cUxQUE9xWmh4cGZTUFlLSm9ZRkp1WENPcjUzX3lfZ2RkeHQ2WWFPVUNubllMQmwyWWxCbmF3VDVJWlZpVzF2Rk5ySlVYeTFrVVl0YThqZ1RsaEdvQjBtZ3dxQU5sbVZ6M3V6ODEyb0JSTTlYQUtubnlHbVp1YjRWZ3NyVmw0eGdHWDN1czFpVThGbUtLMzNxRVNZbk40bWV6NXJoNF9fb3J5b1VYZUhRTE9vVzE5MVY1QUdTZk...
📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMivAFBVV95cUxOQzBsWFFhQ000Z05Xa0lMb3dITEhFOVZ4NGxXTUE3SV8tTUNQcjA0MFJSdzYxaHdfWjBWZkNuWEpzTzFaelE1TEtPTHJaeUt0S0NPYk4zUGQ4ci1iT0NEd1RSMUtFT3dWLWRYTzRGaW1rN05IME4zbWtSTTlmbHA5MGc2cFVFUERrWnJUX3B0ejl5eUl4TThhb1BsaWNGYTAxcjFFb1ItZEJ1Tm95MWRTNWdXOXdFN1Q5NV...
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Artists’ renderings of lunar terrain vehicles selected for development to support NASA’s Moon Base program. Astrolab’s Crewed Lunar Vehicle (left) and Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus (right). Illustration: Astrolab/Lunar Outpost
NASA’s goal of a sprawling Moon Base near the south pole of the Moon will be driven in part by its ability to move astronauts from one location to another. Right now, two companies are racing to give the agency that capability by the end of 2027.
Last month, NASA selected Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to develop lunar terrain vehicles that can be delivered to the agency next year. They are two out of the three companies who were originally competing for the LTV contract announced by NASA in 2024, which would’ve resulted in the selection of just one rover.
Instead, NASA asked the companies to come up with a simpler design that doesn’t need to potentially survive on the lunar surface for a decade, but rather something that could be ready in time for the first crewed landing of the Artemis program, which is currently scheduled for early 2028.
“Protecting for [plume surface interaction], we plan to keep the LTVs approximately 2 km away when the landers land,” said Ryan Stephan, NASA’s acting director for cargo landers. “They’ll traverse in, be able to pick up the crew, and then do missions up to like 10 km during the crewed period and then uncrewed, like Carlos said, a total of 400 km throughout the lifetime.”
Astrobotic’s offering is called the Crewed Lunar Vehicle (CLV-1) and takes learnings from the company’s future-looking Flexible Logistics & Exploration (FLEX) rover, capable of carrying humans and cargo, along with its smaller FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) rover.
“FLIP was always going to be a test bed for LTV, that’s why FLIP has extremely large tires because they were meant to be the LTV tires and big overpowered wheel actuators and large batteries,” Jaret Matthews, Astrolab’s CEO and founder, told Spaceflight Now following NASA’s May 26 Mo...
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📅 Discovered:
June 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiigFBVV95cUxQV0ZVdGx3XzNGLUhqcFRaYnUzTzdYTzNoVm1hblRFUW9wZjVVQmhXLVVpNWg0Skx5QUp2Y2U1SWZLek56VjFuVERvNFJ1TlRqUmJwcnRtdV9YQURta3NORmRDcV9XcEJLcHhRalppaVdhQTFIaVd0ZTUteXExdU9ySzJsVjQwVkhLMWc?oc=5" target="_blank">NASA to Share Latest Moon Base Mission P...
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2 min read
NASA to Share Latest Moon Base Mission Progress
Lauren E. Low
Jun 24, 2026
MEDIA ADVISORY
M26-050
NASA Headquarters
Artist’s rendering of the Moon’s South Pole region. Glowing points of light scattered across the lunar surface represent surface assets supporting sustained human and robotic operations near the South Pole.
Credit: NASA
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will host a virtual conversation at 2:30 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, June 30, to share updates to NASA’s plans to build a Moon Base on the lunar surface.
Administrator Isaacman and Carlos García-Galán, Moon Base program manager, will discuss the next set of awards for new lunar lander missions and preview upcoming opportunities as the agency works toward building a sustained presence on the Moon.
The discussion will stream on NASA’s
YouTube
channel. An instant replay will be available online. Learn how to
watch NASA content
on a variety of platforms, including social media.
To ask a question virtually during the event, media must RSVP no later than 12:30 p.m., June 30 to:
hq-media@mail.nasa.gov
. NASA’s
media accreditation policy
is available online.
NASA is advancing development of the Moon Base, a long-term lunar exploration and infrastructure initiative designed to enable sustained human presence and expanded scientific and commercial activity on the lunar surface.
As part of the Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
For more information about NASA’s Moon Base plans, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/moonbase
-end-
Bethany Stevens / Rachel Kraft
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov
rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated
Jun 24, 2026
Location
NASA Headquarters
Related Terms
Moon Base
Earth's Moon
Missions
📅 Discovered:
June 26, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxNUjJ3WnlKdFZXTzlxdURYb2NpR1JmaUxkcjRuc2tpMDdlNktmY2Z0QURNVHhlZmxNMjE4ZHVJbG82SzY1a3RURzZjdWI4eGNCSkdSTG5WV0sxQnE2SGsyV2xlNUwzLUFNVDhfa1h4VnRtN0Z3MkZZblBta1YweE42ZVBuUjhzdEJwaDZGd0pSaGVUdw?oc=5" target="_blank">NASA, Lockheed Martin honor E...
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JOPLIN, Mo. — Leaders of NASA and Lockheed Martin, builder of the capsule that recently sent a crew on a flyby of the moon, were in Joplin on Thursday to recognize the hundreds of EaglePicher Technologies employees for their work on the batteries that powered that mission.
Four EaglePicher batteries powered the Orion crew capsule and service module on each of the first two Artemis missions, and more batteries have been delivered or are being manufactured in Joplin for Artemis missions 3-8 at this time.
Howard Hu, Orion program manager for NASA, and Kirk Shireman, Orion program director at Lockheed Martin, came to EaglePicher’s battery manufacturing plant in the Crossroads Industrial Park in Joplin to present the company with the Rigel Award, presented once a year to a small business supplier by Lockheed Martin.
Hu also presented special recognition awards from NASA to EaglePicher and to Don Turner, who just retired from EaglePicher after leading the aerospace battery program for many years.
Turner said the batteries on the Artemis 2 flight were his final project at EaglePicher.
Shireman said the Rigel Award goes to a supplier who has gone out of their way to help Lockheed Martin meet its needs and its deadlines.
Next year’s Artemis 3 mission will stay in Earth orbit to practice docking in space with proposed landers for the actual landing of astronauts on the moon on the Artemis 4 mission, planned for 2028 or 2029.
“EaglePicher builds these batteries and to some, you think batteries, well, it’s just batteries, right?” Shireman said. “You can go to your Walgreens, your CVS and buy batteries, right? These are not those batteries. The whole spacecraft doesn’t work without these batteries. They have a ton of energy stored in a very small package which is important, but also means they’re somewhat dangerous. So you have to build them to have that energy but you have to build them safely. And that’s really the key. In fact some of the things that EaglePicher has done have...
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📅 Discovered:
June 26, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilAFBVV95cUxPZks1SjltWk1UZmt0SzFqVjc2UHI3M3FsZDRsdXVpVnVMZTV0WUxMVkc2eVVaQTlMLU1uRzZJalZQaWlJZDVDa2Y5MVQ5QWVtNmxsMEtpUVF0Z3g2NllhSklCUjh4bTQ5Qi1hZFFueHBJZHdRYV9haDNveW9PZ2RjVWtsMXNiSGtxM05kQTgxTGJHYktp?oc=5" target="_blank">NASA taps US astronauts, It...
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Jared Isaacman, NASA administrator, speaks to media during the unveiling for the NASA Artemis III mission at an event at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, U.S., June 9, 2026. REUTERS/Antranik Tavitian
By Joey Roulette
Tue, June 9, 2026 at 10:49 PM UTC
4 min read
View comments
Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.
By Joey Roulette
June 9 (Reuters) - NASA named three U.S. astronauts and an Italian astronaut on Tuesday to serve as the crew for its next Artemis mission, a spacecraft docking demonstration in Earth's orbit next year that will test moon landers from Elon Musk's SpaceX and
Jeff Bezos
' Blue Origin for the first time in space.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman at a ceremony in Houston named U.S. astronauts Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio and Randy Bresnik and Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency as the crew for Artemis III. It is due to launch late next year, with no specific date yet announced.
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"Artemis III is an incredibly exciting, complicated and highly coordinated multi-launch campaign," Jeremy Parsons, NASA's Artemis program manager, said at the Houston event. "It's going to happen in a short period of time with three of the world's most powerful rockets."
Bresnik, 58, a former test pilot and a veteran of three spaceflights, was named mission commander. The crew also includes a space record-holder, a first-time space traveler and the first European national to join an Artemis mission.
The mission will be a delicate dance in low-Earth orbit of multiple spacecraft involved in NASA's complex Artemis program, the flagship U.S. effort to return people to the moon for a long-term presence. The program faces competitive pressure from China, which is targeting its own 2030 crewed moon landing.
Though the two-week Artemis III mission will not approach the moon, it is seen as a key debut test of the two primary moon landers NASA will use on subsequent Art...
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📅 Discovered:
June 26, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMibkFVX3lxTFBjaEZiSEI0eTQ4aE54XzVURW5YMXNUUkVLOE9PSEY1eEpsamtiUHM1UVlDOFRBdzhWVTZSLWlnQlpwR0g1V3B4ZjY3LW9US3NMYzZmZmtiWDE4T2RMRFprN2s4UVE0ekVxV0oyNVp3?oc=5" target="_blank">NASA reveals Artemis III crew that will take the next big step on its journey b...
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NASA reveals Artemis III crew that will take the next big step on its journey back to the moon
NASA reveals Artemis III crew that will take the next big step on its journey back to the moon
ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS URGED TO CONTACT AUTHORITIES IMMEDIATELY. NOW TO BREAKING NEWS SURROUNDING THE FUTURE OF SPACE FLIGHT. LIVE PICTURES FOR YOU NOW FROM THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON, WHERE NASA IS ABOUT TO UNVEIL THE CREW OF ARTEMIS THREE. THIS MISSION WILL NOT BE GOING BACK TO THE MOON, BUT IT WILL TEST SOME NECESSARY PROCEDURES IN ORDER TO PUT FEET BACK ON THE LUNAR SURFACE. WESH TWO MEGHAN MORIARTY IS LIVE AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX. THERE’S A WATCH PARTY BEING HELD THERE, AND MEGHAN, BEFORE THE CREW IS ANNOUNCED. NASA DID ADDRESS BLUE ORIGIN’S RECENT ROCKET EXPLOSION AND HOW THAT COULD IMPACT THE MISSION AHEAD. PARADIGM SHIFTING NASA ADMINISTRATOR JARED ISAACMAN SAYS THAT HE BELIEVES THAT THE NEW GLENN ROCKET THAT RECENTLY EXPLODED WILL BE READY FOR ARTEMIS THREE. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THEY ARE FOCUSING ALL THEIR ENERGY ON THE MARK ONE LUNAR LANDER FROM BLUE ORIGIN. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WILL BE USING SPACEX’S LUNAR LANDER AS WELL, AND TALK ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF STARSHIP. NOW, I WANT TO SHOW YOU RIGHT NOW SOME OF THAT VIDEO OF THAT EXPLOSION. AND WE DO KNOW THAT WHILE THERE WAS A LOT OF DAMAGE THAT WE DID SEE THERE, THERE WAS A LOT THAT WAS ABLE TO BE RECOVERED AND THAT WAS NOT HARMED AS WELL. NOW, IT DOES APPEAR THAT WE MIGHT BE GETTING THOSE NAMES OF THE ASTRONAUTS. SO IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THAT LIVE NEWS CONFERENCE RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE THAT THEY’RE GOING TO BE ANNOUNCING THEM ANY SECOND NOW. AND WE’D LIKE TO LISTEN IN IF THAT’S POSSIBLE. I WOULD LIKE TO. NOW, ALONGSIDE THE PRIME CREW, WE HAVE A BACKUP CREW MEMBER WHO WILL TRAIN SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH THEM TO ENSURE MISSION READINESS AND CONTINUITY. TEST PILOT. AIR FORCE COLONEL AND FORMER SPACEX CREW FOUR PILOT STANDS READY TO JOIN THE TEAM IF NECESSARY. ARTEMIS THREE BACKUP CREW MEMBER...
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📅 Discovered:
June 26, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihgFBVV95cUxNNHI3UEI1bzNVSFA3Q01HQW9yc0V1TGVwdzM0em02Vkt0VXVHell2azhVaEF3TlZhMHFUaDJaODM1RTNuam9GY1Yxa05JckdDQmx2VFQxczFDY2p1ODVyZm9XcG1wNGFBWWhJRGpxNVBadTZUeXVQWmNNUnk0WWtiRmRCMEJTQQ?oc=5" target="_blank">NASA names Artemis III crew for mission that ...
📅 Discovered:
June 26, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi3gFBVV95cUxQNEE1VU9QVG1pRHBwWjFHNU9RcGZENnFpLXlOWnJ4cTNibUVVc3dFNUdaQWp5ejFockY1dU9oS29rVVVEaUZNWXZYMkRIcERPV0tiN2Zzc0JaUWFJbnBsdklzdG5pcDN4U0RpYWNvQ0IweHFxdUNGMmlLRUdHZGZEaUNMV0tobVZhbzBmc0RNWUlvd19uZUZrVUFZcGt1a0JnNnlQNFBuZl8yTk9fYmR4UnlsQ1A3WUFhOG...
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ARIZONA
Sen. Mark Kelly pushes rare Congressional honor for Artemis II crew
Mark Kelly, a Democratic US senator from Arizona, is part of a push to recognize NASA's renewed focus on landing humans on the moon by giving a rare award to the Artemis II crew.
Eric Lagatta
USA TODAY NETWORK
June 25, 2026, 7:36 a.m. MT
Bipartisan bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to award the Artemis II crew a Congressional Gold Medal.
The Artemis II mission was the first crewed flight to the moon in more than 50 years.
If passed, the Artemis II astronauts would be only the second crew to receive the honor after the Apollo 11 crew.
The legislation was introduced by Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut, and Rep. Don Bacon.
A U.S. senator from Arizona is behind an effort to recognize the
Artemis II crew
with a Congressional honor
rarely awarded to astronauts
Separate bills were introduced Wednesday, June 24, by Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, and
retiring Nebraska GOP Rep. Don Bacon
in both the Senate and House to award the Artemis II crew a Congressional Gold Medal. The bipartisan legislation comes more than two months after the
four astronauts returned
from the
first crewed moon mission
in more than half a century.
The bills would first have to pass through Congress and be signed into law by President Donald Trump. If that were to happen, the
Artemis II astronauts
would become just the second ever crew to receive a Congressional Gold Medal after the honor was bestowed on the Apollo 11 crew in 2009 – 40 years after that historic mission.
The USA TODAY Network – of which the Arizona Republic is a part – was the
first to report the story
Here's everything to know about the Congressional Gold Medal, and why some lawmakers think the Artemis II astronauts are deserving of the honor amid NASA's
drive to return humans to the moon
Lawmakers seek to award Congressional Gold Medal to Artemis II crew
Kelly and Bacon introduced the legislation more than two months after NASA's Reid Wi...
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📅 Discovered:
June 26, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwgFBVV95cUxQRVlBeUN0Q2RWMnNHNHdTOEZEM3NtLWVWejBQT3lIcDNOMzJSck5lSHM5M2hCR1IwTU00SjJud3d2bjI2S3VRUHVmXzZmczZFVV9jMTNFZGhkV0N6RFVuWkNjNVZHYWxsLXVMYWpQZmFydklFSW9vNzdkZ3dWRFJ0M2ZXenZoSXVzTXZKeF8zeWZ3cFRjazlnUEU2MGRzZjFhTTUwLUQwR0pUSU9Ld2ExTi1NcmEwbGhEZj...
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SPACE
Artemis II crew could soon make history again with this rare honor
Here's everything to know about the Congressional Gold Medal, and why some lawmakers think the Artemis II astronauts are deserving of the honor amid NASA's drive to return humans to the moon.
Eric Lagatta
USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
June 25, 2026, 8:38 a.m. ET
U.S. lawmakers have nominated the four astronauts of the Artemis II mission for a Congressional Gold Medal.
If approved, they would be only the second astronaut crew to receive the honor after the Apollo 11 crew.
The Artemis II mission was the first time in over 50 years that humans flew near the moon.
During their 10-day mission, the crew traveled farther from Earth than any humans before.
The
four people who flew
on NASA's
Artemis II mission
could join rare company, becoming just the second crew of astronauts ever to be awarded one of the nation's
most prestigious civilian honors
In a bipartisan effort, U.S. lawmakers have nominated the Artemis II crew for a Congressional Gold Medal. Separate bills were introduced Wednesday, June 24, by Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona – a former astronaut – and
retiring Nebraska GOP Rep. Don Bacon
in both the Senate and House.
The USA TODAY Network – of which FLORIDA TODAY is a part – was the
first to report the story
The bills would first have to pass through Congress and be signed into law by President Donald Trump. If that were to happen, the
Artemis II astronauts
would become just the second ever crew to receive a Congressional Gold Medal after the honor was bestowed on the Apollo 11 crew in 2009 – 40 years after that historic mission.
Here's everything to know about the Congressional Gold Medal, and why some lawmakers think the Artemis II astronauts are deserving of the honor amid NASA's
drive to return humans to the moon
Lawmakers seek to award Congressional Gold Medal to Artemis II crew
Kelly and Bacon introduced the legislation more than two months after NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christi...
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📅 Discovered:
June 25, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiugFBVV95cUxQSmlRWmdsR21vRFkzRmdMc0tzNlRHMVpMVjBzYm5JUUZ0UFpzS3FwdnVybW5oZTZCdC0zN3l2SXNBUmRGa2hIUTBYLWlGSEVmWTJfUnZMN0Q1cjVsYUVPR0RtWWZXaUtSbk1mdnRaZWhBTVdNTV9md1U2SVNDWjd4eHVpZkVCQUkxc1FTSUVoRUlOVVg1Q215a0RkS2UzWnNmMFAxSFB2aUNHdS1LYVpJbEtZV2ZFbG04ck...
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Buy Tickets
With so much excitement surrounding
NASA’s
Artemis II mission, you may be wondering how you can explore the Artemis Program at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
We have put together a list of exhibits, displays and artifacts that can help you learn more about NASA’s
Moon missions and the next giant leap toward Mars
Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex®
Gateway
showcases
the now and next of NASA and
its
commercial partners. Learn about the Artemis Program with hands-on displays and up-close
views of
flight-flown artifacts.
Orion Spacecraft from EFT-1
Orion lifted off on
Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1)
in 201
on a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy
ocket
. EFT-1
was the first test of Orion’s
space-worthiness and
heat
shiel
. Though the mission was unmanned and stayed in Earth orbit, it tested critical components of the spacecraft
and recovery system
Zohar and AstroRad Vest
Artemis I
mission
did not have a crew of
astronauts,
but
there were still
passengers along for the ride!
Two identical manikin torsos, named Zohar and Helga, collected data on solar radiation during the mission. The Zohar manikin wore
the
AstroRad
radiation protection vest
while Helga did not.
This experiment
determined
how well the vest protected the crew from solar radiation.
One of th
e manikins
Zohar, is
display
along with the
Astro
vest.
Space Launch System Scale Model
Located
immediately
to your right a
s you enter the main hall of Gateway, you
are greeted by
a 1:25 scale model of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft. The model includes the
mobile launcher
(ML) and
crawler-transporter
that is used to move the rocket to the launch pad.
RL-10 Engine by L3Harris
The RL10 engine power
the
interim cryogenic propulsion stage
, or ICPS, on t
he Artemis I and Artemis II missions. This interactive engine allows you to step into the role of
test
engineer and try your hand at fueling and igniting the engine
Full-Scale Model of Orion Spacecraft in NASA Central
N...
(showing first 2000 characters of 2944 total)
📅 Discovered:
June 25, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMie0FVX3lxTE8xSUpsRDA1cFM2MnBjMi1Mdno1QlYweUp5RVdpUnQ1SUw4cDhsU2lVT2kxdFNpUENEQ1hVRWNHakx1dE5EV2Rkc25OZE5aYU1nOXFmdUtOM3p5U3dHTGtQRzZYY0NlVVU3SHVVOW1UdHZDTnQwUk9sY1VGZw?oc=5" target="_blank">Space Coast launch schedule:</a> <font color="#6f6...
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A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches on the Starfall Demo mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (Courtesy/SpaceX)
Richard Tribou
rtribou@orlandosentinel.com
| Orlando Sentinel
PUBLISHED:
June 23, 2026 at 7:30 AM EDT
| UPDATED:
June 23, 2026 at 10:53 AM EDT
Getting your
Trinity Audio
player ready...
The Space Coast ended 2025 with a record 109 launches from SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin. 2026 could see a similar number as all three ramp up plans plus NASA launches the Space Launch System rocket on Artemis II.
Check back for the latest information on upcoming launches.
By The Numbers:
2026:
42 Space Coast orbital launches (updated June 23) | 40 from Cape Canaveral, 2 from KSC | 36 from SpaceX (35 Falcon 9, 1
Falcon Heavy
), 4 from ULA (3 Atlas V, 1 Vulcan), 1 from Blue Origin (1 New Glenn on
NG-3
) | 1 from NASA (1 SLS on Artemis II) | 2 human spaceflights (
Crew-12
Artemis II
2025:
109 Space Coast orbital launches, 1
hypersonic missile
| 83 from Cape Canaveral, 26 from KSC | 101 from SpaceX (101 Falcon 9), 6 from ULA (5 Atlas V, 1 Vulcan), 2 from Blue Origin (New Glenn on
NG-1
NG-2
) | 4 human spaceflights (
Crew-10
Fram2
Ax-4
Crew-11
2024:
93 Space Coast launches | 67 from Cape Canaveral, 26 from KSC | 88 from SpaceX (86 Falcon 9, 2 Falcon Heavy), 5 from ULA (2 Vulcan, 1 Delta IV Heavy, 2 Atlas V) | 5 human spaceflights (
Axiom Space Ax-3
SpaceX Crew-8
Boeing Crew Flight Test
Polaris Dawn
Crew-9
2023:
72 Space Coast launches | 59 from Cape Canaveral, 13 from KSC | 68 from SpaceX (63 Falcon 9s, 5 Falcon Heavy), 3 from United Launch Alliance (1 Delta IV Heavy, 2 Atlas V), 1 from Relativity Space | 3 human spaceflights (
Crew-6
Ax-2
Crew-7
Details on past launches can be found at the end of file.
MOST RECENT LAUNCHES
June 23:
SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starfall Demo mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:43 a.m. Starfall is a SpaceX project to perform microgravity ...
(showing first 2000 characters of 144842 total)
📅 Discovered:
June 25, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxPeFBTRkVhLVFrMU1HVmFuNnJyTFBFVkRwVGlJLUF3MnFsdE01R3MtR25YdHdLOHJPT3Y4ZE8wTTRJeDJsamtyNVlPeXlvUWRlcDkzMUR3MUNGMzVsb0hRLUcxYS02eld4U1loUE4tMmRIQU50dS1QUGM4QVlrOXk3cUxqUTlNeW94Y1ZqUGNmVzExeEc0NnEzQUE3Y1Z1MGpUY0dUdHJtT3FiNWc?oc=5" target="_bla...
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NATION
Artemis
Add Topic
Effort in Congress would grant Artemis II astronauts rare honor: Exclusive
The four-person Artemis II crew could join exclusive company, becoming the only astronauts along with the crew of Apollo 11 to receive a Congressional Gold Medal.
Eric Lagatta
USA TODAY
Updated June 24, 2026, 12:06 p.m. ET
Hear this story
The Artemis II mission marked the first time in over 50 years that humans flew near the moon.
The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian honors awarded by Congress.
If the bill is signed, the Artemis II crew would be the first astronauts to receive the honor since the Apollo 11 crew in 2009.
The
crew members of Artemis II
have already become the first astronauts in more than 50 years to fly near the moon. Now, the four of them could become the first astronauts in nearly two decades to be honored with
one of the most prestigious civilian awards
in the nation.
The USA TODAY Network has learned that two U.S. lawmakers are behind new bipartisan legislation that would award the Artemis II astronauts a Congressional Gold Medal. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona – a former astronaut – is joining
retiring Nebraska GOP Rep. Don Bacon
to introduce bills Wednesday, June 24, in both the House and Senate, Kelly's office confirmed exclusively to the USA TODAY Network.
If the legislation passes and is signed by President
Donald Trump
into law, it would make the
Artemis II astronauts
the first crew to receive a Congressional Gold Medal since the honor was bestowed on the Apollo 11 crew in 2009 – 40 years after that historic mission.
Here's everything to know about the Congressional Gold Medal, and why some lawmakers think the Artemis II astronauts earned the recognition amid NASA's
drive to return humans to the moon
Artemis II astronauts up for Congressional Gold Medal
News of the impending legislation comes more than two months after NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen return...
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📅 Discovered:
June 25, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi1wFBVV95cUxOUmExdkI4LW4wRVVwMFR2bloxMURDenRkNFY5WDdDV3JzUmVKX2dFeVItQmpGUThDbTJHX2J2b2VhTENBRGh0dHZIZUQxV1pWMzFsQXUzSmxVUzFlZHloSG5kN1VKbG0tZV9WRnp0MnZPZjA0dlVVYmtpQk16NDluTDBKcVh2Q3JjVkxpS2xDOGo3MVloaG5uZ2Y2WUVjU0V0M2lpRE5qeG5oM1BMZEJtQTVTVVRueExYTm...
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CARE FOR AN EARTH-FIE?
New photos of the Earth shot during the Artemis II mission last April.
: NASA)
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Ledif Butial Hoo
What a beautifull CGI
Renzee Balmedina Paningbatan
#LEGITSURVEY
Sino Iboboto mong President sa 2028 ( WOW React for SARA ) ( CARE React for LENI )
Nick Yuzon
FLAT EARTH BELIEVERS PASOK!!!
Sidrices Dakula
Artimis daw uh
hmmmmm naku naku naku… nasa imagination nyo lng yan itulog nyo na lng Baka sakali pagka gising patay na lahat ng mga corrupt sa pilipinas kasama na si munafik na robin padilla
Christian Lumangtad
Binoang naman jud na uy.
Hinay2 nag gawas ang kamatooran dinami ninyo mauto mala
Dominic Mercurio
What a great CGI
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📅 Discovered:
June 24, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiAFBVV95cUxPWlNrNHAxYTJiT1JwVEN0Q3BZb2R4T2JFOVh2WDlDVXRIeENybzlKM0tIRVUzbXJCb05qV19taEhoRmVvclhMeURZZUxzWEFLZmlTLTYtMmpWVE93RHplM3EtUTlTTk9STDVld29qdGpGckJxUl9IRWVfVXZVUjRaeDJVRjBYYmU4?oc=5" target="_blank">Artemis II: Nasa launches new moon flight -...
📅 Discovered:
June 24, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi1gFBVV95cUxNNDl5VDBEWnRULUZrXzFUVG85MjlhZFZLLXJ0cnh6Y3NHckZYbkg2OF9BUWNiVGNfVHpqZGp1dEtUMmZQcEQ1ZU5DMlVXOFMtSHFmR2VyelJXbHlvYV9laW1fSzdUTjhpVDZRN2xOdjl4d25YSTZ3NUFRU1JZbnpsenRCOUxEaW5JdUJ3SEdOWDQwVFZMVVlia19jYkgtbUI1WWNxalFVb2xqQ3FZU3Y4dS1HQ0ZUSlNHN1...
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Botswana is set to become the 68th country to sign the Artemis Accords, joining a US-led framework that has become central to Washington’s effort to shape the rules for civil space exploration on the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Botswana becomes latest African nation to join US-led Artemis Accords as Africa's space ambitions grow
Botswana will become the 68th country to sign the US-led Artemis Accords for lunar and planetary space exploration.
Botswana joins several other African nations, reflecting Africa's rising involvement in global space governance and diplomacy.
Accession to the Accords does not require having a space program, but signals commitment to international space cooperation.
The Artemis Accords outline non-binding principles for peaceful, transparent, and responsible civil space activity.
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The Southern African country will sign the Accords at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Thursday, June 25, in a move that places it among a growing number of countries aligning with a framework designed to promote peaceful, transparent and coordinated space activity.
The signing will involve Botswana’s Minister of Communications and Innovation, David Tshere, NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson, and U.S. Department of State Senior Advisor for Space, Gregory Autry.
The move comes as governments and private companies show growing interest in lunar activity, making space cooperation an expanding area of diplomacy and technology policy.
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What the Artemis Accords mean
The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 during the first Trump administration by the United States, through NASA and the Department of State, alongside seven founding nation...
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📅 Discovered:
June 24, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMisgFBVV95cUxOZ0RwelJ3UTc5VmJOMzdMYzhwTXhmaGlURnV1R2J5Y0lsdjVSZmpBeDBkaW9QbmEyRG9QdzJ1cVFlMlYtNThEQVBjOUZ1QnRQd2JXOV9SSFpQUWxXN2hOcGRBSG9fLVFMb2x3Rkx0ZWZCWERYY3phWERHQmF1Um9iUW5RRE0tQ3N3Ymp1REtUREQ3b0Mxb2NsVlZaWE1JMDN5VHJTTVUwQ1UwUW42Rm1JR2pB?oc=5" tar...
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Astronauts Randy Bresnik, Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas at the Artemis III crew reveal at Johnson Space Center on June 9 in Houston.
(Brandon Bell / Getty Images)
Loren Grush
June 23, 2026
3 AM PT
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When NASA unveiled the four-person crew of its Artemis III mission this month, it didn’t take long for the public to notice a common feature of the group: All four astronauts were men.
NASA said the selection was not political. But it triggered a wave of disappointment from former NASA officials, space industry insiders and enthusiasts invested in the agency’s effort to put U.S. astronauts back on the moon for the first time in more than half a century — and their hope that one of them will be a woman.
“Do I think this was chosen maliciously? Obviously no,” Emily Calandrelli, a science author who flew to space with Blue Origin, wrote on Instagram. “Do I think those in the selection process had a bias and ultimately when there were four men selected no one in the room thought it was a ‘big enough’ issue to try to correct? Yes.”
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Whether deliberate or by coincidence, the irony of the omission was immediately glaring.
The Artemis program was named after the goddess of Greek mythology — the twin of Apollo, whose name adorned the history-making U.S. initiative that put the first men on the moon. The name “Artemis” was a nod to the agency’s original vow with the program: This time when NASA went back to the moon, it would send the first woman to walk there.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman defended the decision in a series of posts on social media.
He said that he’d personally been to space twice “with 50 percent female crews” and that his closest advisors “and some of the smartest engineers I know are women.” He said NASA technically assigned only women to the SpaceX Crew-10 mission in 2025, though two men were also on the mission from ...
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📅 Discovered:
June 24, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikAFBVV95cUxQNnd1WlV1MnBFWTZCMFBZXzJmZXdZMnlVTjZjSzNpVVluWHYxdzNrLUdpbk51VlpzcXczVUtRZmF4dnhic1QyN3NwTHBOOHFZRHRxekEzRUtfYnZZWndqaDBSXzNtV3V2Sy1QYkNHOEdrU1o3d0tKVUdGRS16dEF4VlFMQlRxQUJIYlU2SFQxVXE?oc=5" target="_blank">NASA watchdog warns aging Kenned...
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NASA watchdog warns aging Kennedy Space Center infrastructure threatens future space goals
NASA watchdog warns aging Kennedy Space Center infrastructure threatens future space goals
LIVE LOOK NOW OVER THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER THIS AFTERNOON, WHERE A NEW REPORT FROM NASA’S INSPECTOR GENERAL WARNS AMERICA’S GROWING AMBITIONS IN SPACE ARE RUNNING INTO A CHALLENGE MUCH CLOSER TO HOME, AND THAT ITS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AT KSC WESH 2’S MEREDITH MCDONOUGH IS SHOWING US THE PROBLEMS AND LIFTOFF AND MAY BE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING. ROCKET LAUNCHES HAVE INCREASED SHARPLY FROM THE CAPE IN RECENT YEARS. NOW, THE NASA GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG SAYS THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER ISN’T KEEPING UP. GROWING LAUNCH DEMANDS AGING FACILITIES BUILT DECADES AGO, MULTIPLE USERS COMPETING FOR LAUNCH ACCESS ARTEMIS MISSIONS, INCREASING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND PHOTOS PROVIDED TO WESH TWO. YOU CAN SEE THE CRACKING OUTDATED INFRASTRUCTURE AT KSC. THE REPORT SAYS THE BIGGEST PADS 39 A AND 39 B, ARE BOTH IN NEED OF MAJOR UPGRADES. THERE ARE CHALLENGES AS IT RELATES TO THE COMMODITIES THAT THE COMMERCIAL PROVIDERS NEED AND NASA NEEDS. THERE ARE CHALLENGES WITH THE SIMPLE THINGS LIKE WASTEWATER AND ELECTRIC. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE UPGRADES WE DO NOW ARE RESILIENT. THE DIRECTOR OF THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IS WELL AWARE OF THE CHANGING LAUNCH CADENCE. THIS GRAPHIC SHOWS THE PACE OF COMMERCIAL LAUNCHES CLIMBING EVERY YEAR. EXPERTS SAY THE FIX WILL TAKE BILLIONS ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SUPERHEAVY ROCKETS LAUNCHING DAILY TO THE MOON AND BEYOND. THE SPACE RACE WITH CHINA COULD BE LOST BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT HESITATING WHATSOEVER. THEY ARE INCREASING THEIR FUNDING TO GO TO THE MOON. DOCTOR KEN KRAMER WITH SPACEX UP CLOSE.COM, SAYS CONGRESS HAS SHOWN THEY CAN WORK ACROSS THE AISLE ON SPACE. THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION SEEMS TO THINK THEY CAN TAKE AND LIVE OFF THE PAST. THEY CAN’T, OR THE COMMERCIAL COMPANIES CAN HANDLE EVERYTHING THAT THEY JUST CANNOT. EVEN WITH $250 MILLION EARMARKED FOR THE SPACE COAST AND CON...
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📅 Discovered:
June 24, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitgFBVV95cUxPVWZlTjFOaDNOWkhfVHU1LVQyb2kzUnJCLWdKWXVFNHBMN1FrRTZRb1UzWUlraHFSSlZ1djRjT3lDckRqaHZ0Z0hkcjRVYXoyWm1RVUtwdURWdUZNbkRWcDZEaE5zTmNadHJnX0QwWUhjNHhOallvRzhCVGc2RDVCN3pxUEdzZU8yT0Z1VlNVM0NUelJIWTFVRVg1UlgzZzZXYWVzdFRuSmlKd3hEcUp6eERPTVVrZw?oc=...
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📅 Discovered:
June 24, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipgFBVV95cUxQQXhFYjhYUWx6THBTNURveDFfQjBqV1M0Y21IeC13V3IxRE9rMW9DcjFmRzg0YWh1YnBVSlNKVGdndGE2VG01cldYU2RLbFdick85blNaYk9mNmZHeGJ1UklWa1ZzOTFGVkQ0MGxJV1NrVUl3OFlWaHlHQkowVWJxR3J3cGtjVHNiMWIwUGxQalNMN2VsRGo1NEdicWE5UXU0aU5jdkV3?oc=5" target="_blank">Fly...
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June 23, 2026
| Insight
Fly Me to the Moon: 4 Ways Artemis Builds on Apollo’s Giant Leap
Emmerson Overell
CCTI Project Coordinator
June 23, 2026
| Insight
Fly Me to the Moon: 4 Ways Artemis Builds on Apollo’s Giant Leap
Emmerson Overell
CCTI Project Coordinator
The last time Americans walked on the lunar surface, the Soviet Union was the enemy and a flag plant was the finish line. Today’s competition bears little resemblance to the Cold War space race that captivated the world during the 1960s. The rival has changed, the mission has evolved, and the technology has leaped forward.
NASA’s storied 1960s-70s lunar program,
Apollo
, was a race to get there first. Today’s successor,
Artemis
, is a race to stay.
While Apollo succeeded in planting the American flag on the moon and demonstrating U.S. technological superiority over the Soviet Union, Artemis
aims
to establish a sustained presence on and around the moon, expand scientific research, build critical infrastructure, and lay the groundwork for future missions deeper into the solar system.
1. The rival has changed, but the race is back on.
The original moon race emerged from Cold War competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. Apollo was born out of President John F. Kennedy’s “moonshot”
challenge
to land an American on the moon before the end of the decade and prove that Washington could
outpace
Moscow technologically. As the Associated Press
summarized
, “The Soviets were America’s fierce rivals during Apollo, but their moon rockets kept exploding at liftoff and they eventually gave up. Now the Chinese are the competition.”
Today, Beijing is pursuing its own ambitious lunar agenda — one that increasingly mirrors NASA’s Artemis and has the United States back in a high-stakes
race
for the ultimate high ground. China has publicly stated its
goal
of landing astronauts on the moon by 2030 and is targeting the same strategically valuable destination as NASA: the lunar south pole. The
region
, which has ne...
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📅 Discovered:
June 23, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi1wFBVV95cUxOX1QxeGdXdWNyMW9hZ21tOFNWQVVscUdWREJqV29yQjJwLVZpQTIxUVIxVFNfT2lyNTEwUWJYQURWZ3hyNVJMMkNIQzZiS0NyR3FwR1dwdXNiSUc4SVRXalVCbDU5R3YwRm8yeGRSTHUzNzNwWnVMUG9wd1ByTzJMRjZKY0FtaEdkVnRTWWFBNkEyQWlnX2xGdEpjX21PQU42VDVfUlRVZ1hmdXVwaG5vbzZXOVNiRk85dX...
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NASA’s “Moon Joy June” celebration continues as it shares new photos from the Artemis II mission earlier this year.
The mission made history as the first humans to travel to the Moon in over half a century.
: NASA)
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Certified Yabang Pinoy
Philippines will Launch a SPACE MISSION na MAG sesent ng kaunaunahang Filipino Astronauts sa Admin Ni Sara hopefully sa 2034
Jonathan Del Carmen
Mostly astronomers, astronauts, and cosmonauts were born Scorpio and Aquarius
📅 Discovered:
June 23, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiygFBVV95cUxPSWJsTFFRb2QwcVpRNFBuX3lZOExuM0dyQ20xUmY4OC1UODM5Z2Vzb1c1anBwUzZIV21Fa0h3WmdMQ2VtWGxldzRSTl9MWHZEYWl6eXpXS0g0Zkk0V2thUHIzS19HblB5NmZ0MEFPRERNaEE3V2gtTmJvdmRrQVgzT1NjcjN1NEI5b19Gakw4UldvQXFaTTUwblQ1UkcwOW8ybERWbVBBb0xmb0JnQkZlRnZ5dGpVX1pVLT...
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“It’s a good time to be in the testing business,” says NASA’s Human Landing System acting program manager, Steve Creech. The space agency has a busy schedule based around its return to the Moon – the Artemis program. Spawned from a 2017 presidential space exploration directive and named by NASA in 2019, Artemis is an agency-wide endeavor that involves the test facilities across 10 space centers.
“The capabilities we’ve built up over the years in the agency are really being exploited to enable a lot of the development,” Creech says. “We did the Arc jet testing and wind tunnel testing and other tests at the Ames Research Center. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has done component testing. The White Sands Test Facility handles a lot of the flammability testing for materials for Orion and HLS [Human Landing System].”
Creech also served as the Artemis development division’s assistant deputy associate administrator, and as the Moon to Mars program office assistant deputy associate administrator. NASA created the Moon to Mars program office because Artemis is viewed as a precursor project to sending people to Mars. But the primary goal of Artemis is to establish a Moon base at the lunar South Pole from 2030.
NASA is calling all the Artemis missions test flights. The first Artemis mission to the Moon was in late 2022. The 2022 Artemis I test flight saw an uncrewed Lockheed Martin Orion spacecraft, launched by the Boeing-built Space Launch System (SLS) from NASA Kennedy Space Center, fly around the Moon. In April this year, a crewed version, Artemis II, saw four astronauts sent around the Moon and back. The Orion spacecraft’s heat shield, also called the thermal protection system (TPS), became a key focus point for testing. “There has been TPS testing for the different rockets, the base heat shields, because of the different kinds of thermal protection. And you’ll see a lot more testing there,” says Creech.
“The re-entry system for Orion looked great coming back from Artemis II...
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📅 Discovered:
June 23, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi3wFBVV95cUxPanBWSHhlR1VzSUtUS2dmSW1mYVF2eGpDajUyY0M4aVVwQmR2T1RWaDdlczZxN2RUbTVpZHNjQzNGakR6U2F6WHJZRlNwbFlSV3dla1NBQXZ3X2QxZ2FCcy1nOXZyV3h4Y2l0ZVNqQWVkdHh3Y0lDWWtxN1JpQVZ1dDhJeVFhc3lWd2REY2xFN2F1blV0UENQaFl2eW1FQlc0OXZHN2std0dYb3hpaW5KWlE2bFVOZ1dIT3...
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NASA SHARES NEW ARTEMIS II PHOTOS
As part of its "Moon Joy June" celebration, NASA has released new photos from the historic Artemis II mission conducted earlier this year. The mission marked a monumental milestone in space exploration as the first human flight to the Moon in over half a century. | via Jella Mae Vallejos/CMU, SunStar Intern
NASA/Facebook
#AllYouNeedToKnow
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📅 Discovered:
June 22, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilgFBVV95cUxObjZjSmNYelFlcHc5ZmhSOTFESzVkemhJY0FaVGdZeGJSSDU1Z0ZKY2FQSVhMTlRhai12UmgwRi1fUmZjNlU0cVc0SHZIZlgtWmFlWDc1RmhzT21pTFZ4VkpjNjdQNnJxSVc4elB3NGhoSkVnLVFFc3VDVndGZkUxTGRKNnBrVVEwWFVzQWhWUzFRR3VGV3c?oc=5" target="_blank">UTA Alumna Leads NASA's ...
📅 Discovered:
June 22, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitgFBVV95cUxQSzJlV1lKNENsVVpidmRadXJrcnlET3ZhY25QMnNIRnk0QkVfV1Q5QnZJcVhMSTAwanBWcGY3WWppMHE3dmp2SXhmYldRcm01VWEtc1V2NERMNTZtSzktY0Nvb1F3ZW8yT0FQenNuNHRta1NkOElLY0JnVzlaWV9EWnFPd3hOZWdpRHJfMWVwTGkzOUFVU19wVkJqTnB4RWFBaXJsdmhnbEpHbVVaSk54UUJtRk1WUQ?oc=...
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US strike on an alleged drug boat kills 2, leaves 6 survivors, in the eastern Pacific Ocean
📅 Discovered:
June 22, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi3wFBVV95cUxNR1ZBT0xHdFFZUDRYVUhNQmNKZzM2Ni1CZmpyWU1rcmJDMzVXOW9SY2JJY2FzZmU0S3N4a0xvWFc0ZWxVbzN3Qjk2elJJRkJBb0V5ZmdoeW9PZ1Y5WDJNQnhPdzJadFpCbmo0ZWcxS2hsZEFBTllUWGQ0b2ZoWXZTX05JQ29pZTJQYlVBQW9iTm5WeTFUdkxoNmdLRjN2MHBGaEF0QUxXTHRIUzlfOHItZkdpQU9FRHBjZz...
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📅 Discovered:
June 22, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwgFBVV95cUxNRzdrMUFkdkU3MWQ5clJTNHpTWVZaaGs4SHUtRkFISE02VTdvVExkbVBFOXFfQWphNHluVThyOHZDLUtwaGpwUUJ6ZkZXOFhLYjdkZEYtTDdKRTlVNlRDaU9WSXlMdGxwSmgyQ2Z6TEl5bGxmUnl2MVYxdjRHeVBpcjlpenZVRDVObkFCSURONk9MME05Wm1hSVJ5STE2TWZoYTBwVWdNM0ZYWW1vbGVLQ2szX2RSWTZpbT...
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SpaceX Crew-4 astronaut Bob Hines arrived with his three crewmates to Kennedy Space Center on Monday, April 18, 2022 ahead of their launch to the International Space Station. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Richard Tribou
rtribou@orlandosentinel.com
| Orlando Sentinel
PUBLISHED:
June 19, 2026 at 7:00 AM EDT
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Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were backup crew for Apollo 8. Their next flight made them the first two men to step foot on the moon.
The role of backup has traditionally set up astronauts to be named prime crew for successive NASA’s missions, something that bodes well for Air Force Col. Bob “Farmer” Hines, who was designated the sole backup for all four astronauts assigned to fly on next year’s Artemis III mission.
One of those four is Andre Douglas, himself most recently NASA’s backup astronaut for this year’s Artemis II lunar flyby mission. While Artemis III will be a low-Earth orbit flight to test out the Orion spacecraft’s ability to dock with lunar landers, Artemis IV looks to return humans to the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.
That could mean Hines may be among the front runners to fly on Artemis IV, and may be among those chosen to venture down to lunar surface, although that crew won’t be named until after the completion of Artemis III.
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
NASA astronaut Robert Hines says goodbye to family and friends as Crew-4 departs to Launch Complex 39-A to prepare for liftoff to the International Space Station onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
The astronauts of the NASA Crew-4 mission head to Launch Complex 39-A to prepare for liftoff to the International Space Station onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Wednesday, April 27, 2022. From left, NASA astronauts Robert Hines, Jessica Watkins; Kjell Lindgren and ESA astronaut Samantha Cristo...
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📅 Discovered:
June 22, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilwFBVV95cUxQaVgxcHE1cWhjWmJxRGRqNjJ4bUdZX0p1Zm82RHRldnlhSS1IanVOT2EzeFpKakZDeEoxMVYyb245LTdyOENHYl9GclVOZlY2d0pnSTViQmwyVnRmeEJNT2ZqQndMclNGU284VkNmdklPcDBUTm0yQ1hUN0VvTXV5bkNzYW9mbjlJQ2pSVmwySUpXX0pWeDlz?oc=5" target="_blank">All-male NASA Artemis c...
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All-male NASA Artemis crew creates backlash as priorities shift
20 hours, 44 minutes ago
Loren Grush Bloomberg News (TNS)
The four primary crew of Artemis III take the stage at Johnson Space Center in Houston on June 9, 2026. (NASA/TNS)
When NASA unveiled the four-person crew of its Artemis III mission last week, it didn't take long for the general public to notice a common feature of the group: all four astronauts were men.
NASA said the selection was not political. But it triggered a wave of disappointment from former NASA officials, space industry insiders and enthusiasts invested in the agency's effort to put U.S. astronauts back on the moon for the first time in more than half a century -- and their hope that one of them will be a woman.
"Do I think this was chosen maliciously? Obviously no," Emily Calandrelli, a science author who flew to space with Blue Origin, wrote on Instagram. "Do I think those in the selection process had a bias and ultimately when there were four men selected no one in the room thought it was a 'big enough' issue to try to correct? Yes."
Whether deliberate or by coincidence, the irony of the omission was immediately glaring.
The Artemis program got its name after the goddess of Greek mythology -- the twin of Apollo whose name adorned the history-making U.S. initiative that put the first men on the moon. The name "Artemis" was a nod to the agency's original vow with the program: this time when NASA went back to the moon, it would send the first woman to walk there.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman defended the decision last week in a series of posts on social media.
He said he'd personally been to space twice "with 50 percent female crews" and that his closest advisers "and some of the smartest engineers I know are women." He said NASA technically assigned only women to the SpaceX Crew-10 mission in 2025, though two men were also on the mission from partnering countries.
A representative for NASA referred to Issacman's social media stat...
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📅 Discovered:
June 21, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimgFBVV95cUxPQ0xTTEpyMkZMcTVqQWY3TjRBaXFEODBqdDg4YUM0MC1Gcmg3ZG1qcHd4ZE1KVTlNMHNiZ0pSbmVsTkUzVFZ5MFZCb1A2cFVwd1EzTjVISHZaVEc2dlFjblNjQ2plbEZ3ZUdfT2pBcm9jWWNTNlF2WHJaR1FaMWdUSzBleFBmVlZnRDIwRlJ5Skw3cHE5Vlg1aEl3?oc=5" target="_blank">Purdue alums waitin...
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Purdue alums waiting to help Artemis astronauts return home safely
Purdue alumni Rob Lantz, Jason Endsley and Emily Spreen are members of the Landing and Recovery Operations team responsible for retrieving the Artemis II astronauts and crew module from the Pacific Ocean after splashdown. (Photo courtesy of Jason Endsley)
April 10, 2026
David Ching
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NASA’s recovery team includes three alums aboard the Navy ship that will retrieve the space voyagers from the Pacific Ocean
When the crew of
Artemis II
splashes down in the Pacific Ocean just after 8 p.m. ET on Friday, April 10, it will be the end of a 10-day journey where they traveled farther away from Earth than anyone in history.
But the work will be far from complete for the members of the Landing and Recovery Operations team — a group that includes Purdue alumni Emily Spreen, Jason Endsley and Rob Lantz — who have spent years preparing for this moment. The team has been aboard the USS John P. Murtha all week, preparing to retrieve the four astronauts and spacecraft and safely transport them to the Navy ship.
“I’d describe the recovery process as a carefully coordinated ballet,” says Spreen (BS
aeronautical and astronautical engineering
’15, MS
astrodynamics and space applications
’17, PhD
aeronautical and astronautical engineering
’21), a
NASA
aerospace engineer who leads a team that will pinpoint where the spacecraft and jettisoned hardware will land, ensuring the safety of the waiting recovery crews. “There are a lot of moving parts and interfaces between NASA and the DOD (Department of Defense) that all must work smoothly together. We practice each piece of the recovery process many times in order to be prepared for anything on game day.”
Purdue Polytechnic
alum Endsley (BS
aeronautical engineering technology
’19, MS
aerospace and aviation management
’20) will share real-time data that c...
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📅 Discovered:
June 21, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxOaEFwbHJiU1FBZUdHVzhIWDlXN2Qxb01CU3UtYXNNNzFsU25OUTJsOWw0cy0ycW91eHBid2V1WlB4Z1NWVDAzLTdwV285cUpUVU9MZk1VYzc3aVZQVHBRU19CQzIzcGJYV2I5Z0pCb2h2eTlwelRZLUlHb1lkUWY4V3A0eGpFX2tkUk9ya3V3N1U3STQ?oc=5" target="_blank">WATCH LIVE: NASA's Artemis I...
📅 Discovered:
June 21, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi0gFBVV95cUxPTzV6WGNDNWltZllrQjVIcUtYTV8yZjFnYXBoay1rclJWMTdodzFjTXVGVUh4dU5CS002bkxPRE1DekUtODVrWVk5QlNvNEZWQnlsZHVGZUU3eU1VM1F6WWwwcjJ0aW9QUW9xMHhLdHQ2QjJ0SEN4V2tXWWJtcU8xWENQT0FLOXBvZThwVVJNX2ViOTBPWHRIMkt5dURBN3JycWZYQjEyMzVDSWZkWHNGeFY3a3JWZGJTTk...
📅 Discovered:
June 21, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMibEFVX3lxTFBDNTkzaWZualBYSHdHelh4SGhWcU14MnBMVVRISWFFOXRqSzdvSVB4eUFvOUN4UVl2cVhSUG5NdXlnV0Q4cl9NWW1mb2lvVlpRWDBsYkJkNkVuNzU2SVpyVmpybDBKQzlmRkF6bA?oc=5" target="_blank">Artemis II launches into orbit as NASA begins historic moon mission</a> &nbs...
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What to know for NASA's Artemis II launch:
NASA's
Artemis II astronauts
launched on a nine-and-a-half-day
mission around the moon
and back. The rocket lifted off Wednesday evening from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EDT. The spectacular launch marked the first piloted moonshot since the end of the Apollo program 53 years ago.
After separating from the other rocket components, the Orion crew capsule is now in high Earth orbit in preparation for a Thursday night engine firing that will send it on its way to the moon.
If all goes according to plan,
the crew
— commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — will get an unprecedented view of the far side of the moon and set a record for the farthest distance ever traveled from Earth: 252,000 miles.
Artemis II is intended as a test flight to check out systems and equipment, laying the groundwork for
future missions
to land astronauts on the moon in 2028.
New Updates
7:54 AM / April 2, 2026
Artemis II crew begins first day in space after exhilarating launch
With an exhilarating
launch
behind them, NASA's Artemis II
astronauts
are turning their attention to the next big challenge of their
historic mission
: a "crazy first day" in space.
The crew is spending about 24 hours orbiting the Earth while they put their Orion capsule through its paces before finally heading for the moon. Their spectacular launch Wednesday evening marked the first piloted moonshot since the end of the Apollo program 53 years ago.
Artemis II crew's plan after launch
The Artemis crew will not land on the moon or even go into lunar orbit. Instead, the plan is to loop around it, getting an unprecedented view of the far side of the moon. In the process, the astronauts — commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — are expected to travel farther from Earth than anyone before them.
But first, they must thoroughl...
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📅 Discovered:
June 20, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipwFBVV95cUxPRTFGZG5pQUFHNFR5b2I0ZFlQRmM3MWVYLXJWM3dUMDEteGw0ZkdfTE9PdmU4T2V6SzRDNWFkdFkyRHAwWjVrdGF1NEdkT3NtVjdoQkJNR3lxcGFFemhpZGljOWpQRDdLN09JalJQdUc4MzBvRk9LSlhDSHk2NnV0M1hlV3FWMDQ0clhhNWVadlJZTXQxcUJ4Z0ZXVzk3Sy14VVFSRkk3RQ?oc=5" target="_blank">S...
📅 Discovered:
June 20, 2026 at 06:00 AM
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizgFBVV95cUxNbDE0Q1RRbDdWX1RtTFNhX0pRUVdNU1VqcDZoNGxUdlg0V3U0YUJ4YkJsUTktajlWY240TC1tYi1yQkZ5bkJ5UzRKcEh2UXQyRXlkaDFfNGVFWHFGV255TVlWVWZaY2R6ZzduTEliTmM3V25ENVVnUmhZakhZdlR3Rl9uRjZvT1V4S1A2MEFKdWdpNzdBakxkdV9IbmxmQmMwRERBT2kwWFMwZXlZalFRZXdtQ1FvaFljR0...