Spacecraft

• NASA funded an early-stage spacecraft concept called "Slingshot" to develop new techniques for mapping minerals on the moon, asteroids, and Martian moons. • Project lead Sobron noted that landing in the wrong location could bankrupt a company or end an entire exploration program due to the high cost of failure. • This technology aims to reduce the financial risk of space mining by proving the existence of valuable resources before expensive landing missions occur.

• The European Space Agency located its Philae lander on the surface of Comet 67P on September 2, 2016, ending a two-year search. • Philae had previously made history as the first spacecraft to achieve a soft-landing on a comet before it disappeared from view. • Finding the lander allowed scientists to understand the specific environment and conditions where the probe had been resting.

• On August 28, 1993, NASA's Galileo spacecraft performed a flyby of the asteroid Ida while en route to Jupiter. • During the encounter, the spacecraft discovered Dactyl, a tiny moon orbiting the larger asteroid Ida. • This discovery was significant as it provided the first evidence that asteroids could have their own satellites, offering new insights into the formation of the solar system.

• A fleet of 17 spacecraft positioned across the solar system collaborated to track a single coronal mass ejection (CME) from multiple vantage points. • The coordinated measurements revealed that the eruption was lopsided, which caused a previously hidden cloud of charged particles to be directed toward Earth. • This discovery is significant because it demonstrates how multi-point observations can uncover the true extent and structure of solar eruptions that single-point views might miss.

• A fleet of 17 spacecraft positioned across the solar system collaborated to track a single coronal mass ejection (CME) from multiple vantage points. • The coordinated measurements revealed that the eruption was lopsided, which caused a previously hidden cloud of charged particles to be directed toward Earth. • This discovery is significant because it demonstrates how multi-point observations can uncover the true extent and structure of solar eruptions that single-point views might miss.

• NASA successfully executed a risky "Big Bang" energy-saving maneuver on the Voyager 2 spacecraft, extending its operational power for another year. • The 50-year-old probe is running low on power for its science instruments as it continues its journey through interstellar space. • This success provides a critical proof-of-concept for NASA engineers seeking to prolong the mission of the twin spacecraft.

• On August 3, 2004, NASA launched the MESSENGER spacecraft, marking the first mission designed to orbit the innermost planet, Mercury. • The spacecraft was specifically tasked with exploring the planet's composition and hunting for evidence of water. • This mission was significant as it provided the first detailed orbital data on Mercury, helping scientists understand the planet's geological history and magnetic field.

• 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. • This reactivation allows the record-breaking probe to continue conducting unprecedented science and data collection in deep space.

• 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. • This flyby serves as a complementary addition to existing Mars science, utilizing Psyche's specific trajectory and instrumentation.

• 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. • This flyby serves as a critical technical milestone, ensuring the spacecraft's systems are fully operational before it reaches its primary target.

• 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. • This operation marks a historic milestone as no previous space mission has ever required the coordination of this many simultaneous launches.

• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has successfully woken up in good health after completing its longest hibernation period to date, which lasted nearly one year. • The spacecraft is now ready to resume transmitting data as it continues its mission to explore the distant reaches of the solar system. • This mission has achieved several historic milestones since its 2006 launch, including a 2007 Jupiter flyby, the first exploration of Pluto in 2015, and a 2019 visit to the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth.

• Startup Katalyst Space is partnering with NASA to attempt a first-of-its-kind rescue mission to save the aging Swift space telescope. • The Arizona-based company developed a 935-pound robotic spacecraft called LINK in just 250 days to facilitate the operation. • The mission is critical because LINK must physically interact with and stabilize the observatory, which was not originally designed for such interventions.

• 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 Chandra X-ray spacecraft has discovered the wreckage of a dead star located at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. • The supernova event occurred approximately 1,700 years ago, ejecting stellar debris at speeds of roughly 2 million mph. • This discovery is significant as it allows astronomers to study the remnants of ancient stellar explosions and their impact on the galactic core.

• NASA has officially ended the MAVEN mission after losing contact with the spacecraft, which reportedly began spinning out of control. • The spacecraft had spent 11 years orbiting Mars to study the planet's atmosphere, climate, and the processes that caused its atmosphere to strip away. • This loss marks the conclusion of a decade-long effort to understand Mars' evolution and determine if the planet could have once supported life.

Follow latest updates, including how to watch the launch, as four astronauts prepare to set off on a 685,000-mile journey with millions watchingA two-hour launch window for Artemis II opens at 6.24pm EST (11.24pm BST) after an almost four-hour fueling process. Nasa’s final weather briefing on Tuesday reported an 80% chance of favorable conditions for launch.Mission managers will be watching closely data from launchpad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, as well as real-time and forecast weather information. Any last-minute technical issue or weather violation can cause a scrubbed launch attempt, or a delay, right up to T-0 (the moment the countdown clock reaches zero). Continue reading...