US Measles Resurgence Reaches 1,300 Cases in 2026, Threatening Elimination Status

• OSTP Director Michael Kratsios released a landmark report and set of recommendations aimed at renewing and revitalizing the American scientific discovery enterprise. • The proposal advocates for shifting R&D support toward individual scientists rather than legacy institutions and diversifying funding mechanisms to move beyond slow consensus peer review.

• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has successfully awoken from a 321-day hibernation period. • The spacecraft is reported to be in "good health" as it resumes its mission at the edge of the solar system.

• NASA's Psyche spacecraft successfully completed a Mars flyby, utilizing the planet's gravity to gain momentum for its journey toward a metal-rich asteroid. • During the maneuver, the probe tested its onboard scientific instruments, capturing high-resolution imagery and data of the Red Planet.

• NASA astronauts successfully grew a unique, scroll-like crystal aboard the International Space Station (ISS) using ordinary salts. • The experiment demonstrates how the absence of gravity allows crystals to form shapes that are physically impossible to replicate naturally on Earth.

• Researchers have developed a breakthrough hydrogen-production method announced on June 2, 2026, aimed at reducing the cost of clean fuel. • The new process focuses on making hydrogen generation significantly cheaper and more accessible than current industrial standards.

• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has successfully awakened from a period of hibernation to resume its mission. • The probe is now continuing its journey to explore the fringes of the solar system, targeting previously unmapped regions.

• SpaceX has launched a mission for Northrop Grumman designed to extend the operational lifespan of aging satellites. • The mission utilizes specialized spacecraft to rendezvous with and dock with existing satellites, providing additional propulsion and stability.

• NASA released a timelapse video showing the Psyche spacecraft's perspective as it zoomed past Mars in May 2026. • While the mission did not expect major new discoveries due to Mars' extensive history of study, the spacecraft provided a unique vantage point for data collection.

• NASA has announced the 2026 selections for the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, highlighting cutting-edge aerospace research. • Selected projects include Saptarshi Bandyopadhyay's "Dimming the Sun (DimSun)," which explores using controllable dust clouds to reduce solar insolation, and Gilly Elor's "Power-over-Fiber" system for the Lunar Underground eXplorer (LUX).

• Some individuals maintain a general trust in science while simultaneously believing in scientific conspiracy theories, provided the theories are framed in plausible scientific terms. • These beliefs often center on "lone genius" narratives that ignore the actual mechanisms of scientific progress, such as peer review, replication, and institutional evaluation.

• SpaceX launched Northrop Grumman's MRV-MEP satellite-servicing mission into Earth orbit on July 21. • The spacecraft is equipped with specialized 10-foot robotic arms designed to dock with and repair existing satellites.

• NASA is preparing for the Artemis III mission, which is projected to be the most complex operation in the agency's history. • The mission will involve coordinating the launch and orbital rendezvous of three separate spacecraft to transport four astronauts.