Nasa

• Northrop Grumman is scheduled to launch a rescue mission on June 30 to save NASA's Swift space telescope. • The mission will utilize a unique deployment method, launching a rocket from an airplane to boost the telescope's altitude. • This intervention is critical to prevent the Swift telescope from falling out of orbit and burning up upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere.

• NASA is preparing an unprecedented rescue mission to extend the operational life of the aging Swift observatory. • The mission aims to support the detection of cosmic explosions and transients, complementing new facilities like the Argus Array currently under development in Texas. • This effort is critical because while new detectors can identify millions of potential transients nightly, specialized observatories like Swift are needed to analyze these events.

• NASA is planning a daring rescue mission to prevent a precious space telescope from plummeting back to Earth. • Separately, a University of Alberta study found that smartwatches are less effective at tracking heart health data for people with darker skin tones. • This research is the first to aggregate data from multiple studies to specifically analyze how skin pigmentation impacts wearable accuracy.

• A NASA Office of Inspector General audit revealed that canceled hardware contracts for the Artemis program reached a total of $5.9 billion. • The report highlights significant cost overruns and extended timelines, specifically noting a stage adapter that was on track to cost nearly $500 million. • These findings underscore systemic inefficiencies and financial mismanagement within the agency's procurement process for lunar exploration hardware.

• NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope observed the edge-on starburst galaxy Messier 82, also known as the Cigar Galaxy or NGC 3034. • By peering through cosmic dust, the telescope pinpointed 16.5 million stars and revealed the galaxy's distended disk structure. • The intense star formation in M82 is believed to be the result of a galaxy merger, creating a unique, short-lived environment for astronomical study.

• NASA has announced the winning student-developed solutions for environmental control and life support systems designed for future crewed lunar landers. • Finalist teams presented their research to a panel of NASA and aerospace industry experts during a collaborative poster session on June 22 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville. • This challenge is critical as it leverages student innovation to solve complex engineering problems, making long-duration lunar exploration more achievable.

• NASA's Roman Space Telescope arrived in Florida between June 20 and June 26, 2026, marking a key milestone in its deployment process. • Researchers have developed a new non-surgical treatment for knee osteoarthritis, offering a potential alternative to invasive procedures for pain relief. • Archaeologists discovered a cave in the Rising Star system containing skeletons that appear exclusively female, suggesting the Dinaledi Chamber may be the first known sex-specific burial site created by a non-modern human species.

• NASA is investing $30 million in the "Swift Boost" mission, scheduled to launch on June 27, to rescue the aging Swift observatory. • The nearly 22-year-old telescope is currently being dragged toward Earth's atmosphere, risking a premature reentry and destruction. • This first-of-its-kind rescue operation is critical to preserving the observatory's ability to monitor cosmic events from space.

• NASA is testing a new refueling device designed to enable in-orbit cryogenic refueling between two spacecraft. • This technology addresses one of the most difficult engineering challenges in spaceflight, as transferring cryogenic fuels in zero gravity has not yet been achieved. • The capability is critical for next-generation deep space exploration, allowing spacecraft to top off fuel tanks in Earth orbit before traveling further into the solar system.

• NASA is utilizing the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission to study smoke and aerosols during a record-breaking North American fire season. • The mission employs three specialized instruments, including the Hyper-Angle Rainbow Polarimeter 2 and the Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration, to analyze atmospheric composition. • According to project science lead Andrew Sayer, these tools provide critical data on aerosols from diverse regions to better understand their environmental impact.

• NASA's Perseverance rover has detected the most complex organic chemistry ever found on Mars within mudstones located in the Jezero Crater. • This discovery follows similar findings by the Curiosity rover in Gale Crater, situated over 2,175 miles (3,500 kilometers) away. • The presence of organic-bearing materials in two distinct locations suggests that the raw ingredients for life and environments capable of preserving them were widespread across the planet.

• NASA's Perseverance rover has detected organic carbon molecules in rocks located on an ancient Martian riverbed that flowed billions of years ago. • This discovery complements previous findings by the Curiosity rover in the Gale crater, meaning organic-bearing mudstones have now been identified more than 2,000 miles apart. • While these signatures are potential indicators of ancient microbial life, scientists caution that they do not yet provide definitive proof of biological activity.

• NASA's Perseverance rover has detected a record-breaking concentration of macromolecular carbon at the Bright Angel rock formation on Mars. • These carbon molecules are significant because they are key building blocks for life and can persist in rocks for billions of years. • The discovery provides critical evidence in the ongoing search for ancient microbial life by identifying organic materials in a geologically diverse area.

• NASA's Perseverance rover has detected hundreds of organic molecules within two mudstone samples in the Jezero crater on Mars. • These findings represent the most robust detection of complex carbon-based materials to date in this specific region of the Red Planet. • The discovery is significant because organic compounds are essential building blocks for life, strengthening the hypothesis that Mars once hosted ancient microbes.

• NASA plans to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) in the coming years, intending to let the massive structure crash into the ocean. • A leading ocean conservation organization has raised serious concerns, arguing that the impact could negatively affect ocean health and marine ecosystems. • The controversy highlights a critical gap in international law regarding the environmental impact and regulation of space debris entering Earth's atmosphere.

• NASA is conducting a formal review of the progress made toward the "Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s" Decadal Survey. • The review focuses on evaluating significant scientific discoveries and technological advancements that have emerged since the publication of the Astro2020 report. • This process is critical for assessing how changes in the facilities landscape and programmatic shifts may impact the implementation of planned missions.

• NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for final pre-launch preparations. • The observatory is scheduled to launch this summer aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to join other major orbital telescopes like Hubble and Webb. • This mission represents a significant leap in astronomical capabilities, designed to study dark energy and exoplanets with a wider field of view than its predecessors.

• NASA has extended the deadline for submitting abstracts and mission concepts for the Ad ASTRA Workshop. • The new submission deadline is now set for July 1, 2026. • This extension provides researchers and innovators more time to develop proposals for the agency's science-driven initiatives.

• NASA has selected the Dynamic Atmosphere-Ionosphere Explorer (DAPHNE) mission concept to investigate the relationship between Earth's atmosphere and space weather. • The mission will specifically research how atmospheric dynamics and space weather influence the surrounding space environment. • This study is critical for improving our understanding of atmospheric waves and auroras, which can impact satellite communications and navigation systems.

• Relativity Space announced plans in June 2026 to privately build and launch a Mars orbiter by 2028. • The mission will carry NASA's Aeolus atmospheric instruments and serve as a communications relay, funded by an unnamed philanthropic donor. • The announcement comes despite the company's poor track record, as its only rocket flight in March 2023 failed to reach orbit due to a second-stage engine failure.

• NASA's Swift space observatory is currently falling out of orbit, threatening the loss of a critical astronomical tool. • In a rapid response, a commercial company has spent nine months designing and building a specialized spacecraft intended to intercept and save the observatory. • This mission is considered highly daring and "impossible" by many, as it represents a rare attempt to rescue a failing satellite using a commercially developed craft.

• NASA's Lucy spacecraft conducted a flyby of the asteroid Donaldjohanson (known as "DJ") in April 2025 during its journey toward Jupiter's Trojan asteroids. • Analysis of the asteroid revealed evidence of chemical alteration caused by liquid water, suggesting the body once hosted aqueous activity. • Scientists believe Donaldjohanson originally formed in a colder region further from the sun before being gravitationally pushed inward.

• NASA's Astrophysics Division is hosting a special session on June 18, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am PT, to discuss the future of its observatory fleet and the ASTRA Initiative. • The event will present initial findings from the "Innovation for Astrophysics Missions Workshop" held in May 2026, focusing on driving technological innovations and maintaining U.S. leadership in space. • This session serves as a strategic bridge to the upcoming "Ad ASTRA" astrophysics community science workshop scheduled for September 2026.

• NASA announced a new public-private partnership on Wednesday aimed at advancing Mars science by integrating agency leadership with commercial innovation. • The initiative seeks to accelerate scientific discovery and increase the frequency of missions to the Red Planet. • This collaboration is a strategic move to strengthen the technical and scientific foundation required for future human exploration of Mars.

• NASA has selected the Dynamic Atmosphere-Ionosphere Explorer (DAPHNE) mission concept to study the complex interactions between space weather and Earth's atmosphere. • The mission will specifically research how atmospheric dynamics and space weather influence the surrounding space environment, focusing on phenomena like auroras and atmospheric waves. • This research is critical for improving our understanding of the space environment, which can impact satellite communications and global navigation systems.

• NASA’s Fermi mission has identified two supernova remnants that likely originated from a pair of binary stellar siblings. • The first star's explosion ejected its companion star from their orbit, sending it hurtling through space for thousands of years before it also detonated. • This discovery provides rare insight into the life cycles of binary star systems and the violent dynamics of supernova events.

• NASA is launching a daring rescue mission to capture and boost the Swift observatory, a space telescope that is currently falling toward Earth. • The mission involves a specialized vehicle designed to intercept the telescope and push it back into a stable orbit to prevent its atmospheric reentry. • This effort is critical to extending the operational life of the observatory, which provides essential data on gamma-ray bursts and other high-energy cosmic events.

• NASA's James Webb Space Telescope observed HD 80606 b, an exoplanet four times the mass of Jupiter with a highly elliptical orbit. • The planet experiences extreme heating as its orbit brings it exceptionally close to its Sun-like host star. • Researchers are presenting their preliminary findings on Tuesday at the 248th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Pasadena, California.