Butch and Suni's Mission on Boeing's Crew Flight Test Is Finally Over...

NASA / Keegan Barber

Welcome Home! NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Back on Earth After Science Mission (News Release)

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 completed the agency’s ninth commercial crew rotation mission to the International Space Station on Tuesday, splashing down safely in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico.

NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth at 5:57 p.m. EDT. Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and its crew. After returning to shore, the crew will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and reunite with their families.

Hague and Gorbunov lifted off at 1:17 p.m. on September 28, 2024, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The next day, they docked to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on June 5, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 41 as part of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test.

Butch and Suni arrived at the space station on June 6. In August, NASA announced the uncrewed return of Starliner to Earth and integrated Wilmore and Williams as part of the space station’s Expedition 71/72 for a return on Crew-9. The crew of four undocked at 1:05 a.m. on Tuesday to begin the trip home.

Wilmore and Williams traveled 121,347,491 miles during their mission, spent 286 days in space, and completed 4,576 orbits around Earth. Hague and Gorbunov traveled 72,553,920 miles during their mission, spent 171 days in space, and completed 2,736 orbits around Earth.

The Crew-9 mission was the first spaceflight for Gorbunov. Hague has logged 374 days in space over his two missions, Williams has logged 608 days in space over her three flights, and Wilmore has logged 464 days in space over his three flights.

Throughout its mission, Crew-9 contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations. Williams conducted two spacewalks, joined by Wilmore for one and Hague for another, removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station’s truss, collecting samples from the station’s external surface for analysis, installing patches to cover damaged areas of light filters on an X-ray telescope, and more. Williams now holds the record for total spacewalking time by a female astronaut, with 62 hours and 6 minutes outside of station, and is fourth on the all-time spacewalk duration list.

The American crew members conducted more than 150 unique scientific experiments and technology demonstrations between them, with over 900 hours of research. This research included investigations on plant growth and quality, as well as the potential of stem cell technology to address blood diseases, autoimmune disorders and cancers. They also tested lighting systems to help astronauts maintain circadian rhythms, loaded the first wooden satellite for deployment, and took samples from the space station’s exterior to study whether microorganisms can survive in space.

The Crew-9 mission was the fourth flight of the Dragon spacecraft named Freedom. It also previously supported NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4, Axiom Mission 2 and Axiom Mission 3. The spacecraft will return to Florida for inspection and processing at SpaceX’s refurbishing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where teams will inspect the Dragon, analyze data on its performance, and begin processing for its next flight.

The Crew-9 flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, and its return to Earth follows on the heels of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 launch, which docked to the station on March 16, beginning another long-duration science expedition.

The goal of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station and low-Earth orbit. The program provides additional research time and has increased opportunities for discovery aboard humanity’s microgravity testbed for exploration, including helping NASA prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Keegan Barber

The Next SLS Rocket Will Resume Pre-Launch Stacking Before the End of this Month...

NASA / Kim Shiflett

NASA Artemis II Core Stage Goes Horizontal Ahead of Final Integration (News Release - March 14)

Technicians used massive cranes inside NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to lift the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage out of High Bay 2 and into a horizontal position in the facility’s transfer aisle. The move, completed on March 14, prepares the stage for integration with other elements of the rocket later this month.

The operation entailed vertically hoisting the 212-foot tall core stage, which weighs about 219,000 pounds with its engines, out of a stand it had been in since December that allowed engineers 360-degree access to interior and exterior elements of the rocket to enable final assembly and inspection activities.

In the transfer aisle, technicians will conduct final checkouts of the core stage before it is integrated with the completed twin solid rocket booster segments. During integration operations, teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program will lift and secure the rocket stage atop the Mobile Launcher inside High Bay 3 in the VAB.

Next year, the Artemis II mission will carry four astronauts – NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen – around the Moon. The mission is the first crewed flight under NASA’s Artemis campaign and is another step towards missions on the lunar surface and helping the agency prepare for future human flights to Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Kim Shiflett

Butch and Suni's Replacements Have Arrived at the ISS...

NASA TV

Dragon Crew Enters Station and Joins Expedition 72 Crew (News Release)

NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov entered the International Space Station shortly after opening the hatches between the space station and SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft at 1:35 a.m. EDT.

McClain, Ayers, Onishi and Peskov were welcomed by the Expedition 72 crew, including NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Don Petitt, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA TV

Butch and Suni's Replacements Are Now En Route to the ISS...

SpaceX

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Launches to International Space Station (News Release)

Four crew members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission launched at 7:03 p.m. EDT on Friday from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, for a science expedition aboard the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Dragon spacecraft into orbit carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. The spacecraft will dock autonomously to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. Shortly after docking, the crew will join Expedition 72/73 for a long-duration stay aboard the orbiting laboratory.

“Congratulations to our NASA and SpaceX teams on the 10th crew rotation mission under our commercial crew partnership. This milestone demonstrates NASA’s continued commitment to advancing American leadership in space and driving growth in our national space economy,” said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro. “Through these missions, we are laying the foundation for future exploration, from low-Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars. Our international crew will contribute to innovative science research and technology development, delivering benefits to all humanity.”

During Dragon’s flight, SpaceX will monitor a series of automatic spacecraft maneuvers from its mission control center in Hawthorne, California. NASA will monitor space station operations throughout the flight from the Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA’s live coverage resumes at 9:45 p.m., March 15, on NASA+ with rendezvous, docking and hatch opening. After docking, the crew will change out of their spacesuits and prepare cargo for offload before opening the hatch between Dragon and the space station’s Harmony module around 1:05 a.m. on Sunday, March 16. Once the new crew is aboard the orbital outpost, NASA will broadcast welcome remarks from Crew-10 and farewell remarks from the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts, beginning at about 1:40 a.m.

Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

The number of crew aboard the space station will increase to 11 for a short time as Crew-10 joins NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore and Don Pettit, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. Following a brief handover period, Hague, Williams, Wilmore and Gorbunov will return to Earth no earlier than Wednesday, March 19. Ahead of Crew-9’s departure from station, mission teams will review weather conditions at the splashdown sites off the coast of Florida.

During their mission, Crew-10 is scheduled to conduct material flammability tests to contribute to future spacecraft and facility designs. The crew will engage with students worldwide via the ISS Ham Radio program and use the program’s existing hardware to test a backup lunar navigation solution. The astronauts will also serve as test subjects, with one crew member conducting an integrated study to better understand physiological and psychological changes to the human body to provide valuable insights for future deep space missions.

With this mission, NASA continues to maximize the use of the orbiting laboratory, where people have lived and worked continuously for more than 24 years, testing technologies, performing science and developing the skills needed to operate future commercial destinations in low-Earth orbit and explore farther from our home planet. Research conducted at the space station benefits people on Earth and paves the way for future long-duration missions to the Moon under NASA’s Artemis campaign and beyond.

More about Crew-10

McClain is the commander of Crew-10 and is making her second trip to the orbital outpost since her selection as an astronaut in 2013. She will serve as a flight engineer during Expeditions 72/73 aboard the space station.

Ayers is the pilot of Crew-10 and is flying her first mission. Selected as an astronaut in 2021, Ayers will serve as a flight engineer during Expeditions 72/73.

Onishi is a mission specialist for Crew-10 and is making his second flight to the space station. He will serve as a flight engineer during Expeditions 72/73.

Peskov is a mission specialist for Crew-10 and is making his first flight to the space station. Peskov will serve as a flight engineer during Expeditions 72/73.

Source: NASA.Gov

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SpaceX

The Artemis 2 Capsule and its Wings...

NASA / Kim L Shiflett

Orion SAW Install (Photo Release)

Technicians install four solar array wings on NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, March 3, 2025. Each solar array is nearly 23 feet long and can turn on two axes to remain aligned with the Sun for maximum power.

Orion’s solar arrays, manufactured and installed by ESA (European Space Agency) and its contractor Airbus, will deliver power to the service module that provides propulsion, thermal control and electrical power to the spacecraft, as well as air and water for the crew.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Kim L Shiflett


NASA / Kim L Shiflett


NASA / Kim L Shiflett

Two Major Components for the Next SLS Rocket Will Soon Undergo Stacking Operations at KSC...

United Launch Alliance

ICPS-2: ULA-built Upper Stage for Artemis II Delivered to NASA (News Release)

United Launch Alliance (ULA) delivered the flight-ready Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage-2 (ICPS-2) to the Kennedy Space Center on March 9 to fulfill our contribution to the Artemis II launch in NASA's lunar exploration program.

The ICPS-2 was manufactured by ULA in collaboration with Boeing to serve as the upper stage to the Space Launch System (SLS) mega rocket, which will launch an international crew of four astronauts around the Moon on the Artemis II mission.

ULA built the stage at the rocket factory in Decatur, Alabama, then shipped ICPS-2 to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for final testing and check out activities.

With that work now completed, ICPS-2 was moved from ULA's Delta Operations Center high bay to NASA's Multi-Payload Processing Facility (MPPF) at Kennedy Space Center. Standing more than 45 feet tall and secured in its Vertical Transport Fixture, the ICPS rode aboard an Elevating Platform Transporter that provided hydraulic leveling and precision positioning capabilities along the route.

Technicians at the MPPF will load hydrazine in the ICPS-2's attitude control system to make in-flight maneuvers and prep the stage for its forthcoming transfer to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to undergo stacking operations.

The ICPS is based on the five-meter-diameter version of ULA's Delta Cryogenic Second Stage (DCSS) that flew for two decades on the Delta IV rocket with 100 percent mission success. ICPS-1 performance for the Artemis I mission was nominal, delivering the push needed to send Orion out of Earth orbit to travel around the Moon in 2022.

ICPS features a slightly larger liquid hydrogen tank as compared to the Delta IV second stage, as well as electrical and mechanical interfaces specific to attaching and supporting the Orion spacecraft, and a second hydrazine bottle for additional attitude control propellant.

The ICPS for Artemis II also includes an Emergency Detection System (EDS) and other hardware changes specific to astronaut safety.

The stage feeds liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to the RL10C-2 main engine to produce 24,750 pounds (110.1 kilo-Newtons) of highly-efficient thrust.

ICPS-2 also carries an approach target that the Artemis II astronauts will use to maneuver Orion in close proximity to the stage shortly after launch as part of a manual piloting evaluation test. Learn more about the test.

The ICPS-2 stage on Artemis II will provide the boost for the Orion capsule and its astronauts to reach a high-Earth orbit where the spacecraft will temporarily loiter to undergo testing before it departs on the lunar flyby trajectory.

The Artemis II crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen.

Source: United Launch Alliance

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United Launch Alliance


NASA


NASA

Starship Fails for the Second Straight Time...

Vic - @VictorOnX on X

FAA Statement on SpaceX Starship Flight 8 Mishap (News Release)

This information is preliminary and subject to change.

The FAA is requiring SpaceX to perform a mishap investigation into the loss of the Starship vehicle during launch operations on March 6.

During the event, the FAA activated a Debris Response Area and briefly slowed aircraft outside the area where space vehicle debris was falling or stopped aircraft at their departure location. Normal operations have resumed.

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Flights in the Caribbean turning away from Starship flight 8 debris. pic.twitter.com/Ly9NFnqJ6H

— Jack Sweeney (@Jxck_Sweeney) March 7, 2025

Watch as air traffic clears the debris zones pic.twitter.com/1lQayfAbFz

— Scott Manley (@DJSnM) March 7, 2025

A Quick Update on the Next Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle to Launch to the Moon...

NASA / Rad Sinyak

Artemis II Orion Solar Array Wing Installation (Photo Release - February 27)

Technicians begin working on the installation of the four solar array wings for NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft inside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on February 27, 2025.

Artemis II is Orion’s first crewed flight test around the Moon under the agency’s Artemis campaign.

Source: NASA.Gov

Photos of the Day: The Mini Mega-Moon Rocket Is Now Encased in Acrylic...

Richard T. Par

As promised in this blog post last New Year's Eve, here are images of the LEGO® Artemis 1 rocket after it was placed under an acrylic case that I purchased last December! The case was delivered to Southern California all the way from the United Kingdom courtesy of Wicked Brick last Monday, February 24...with me waiting over eight weeks for the package to arrive at my house. (The standard wait time according to an e-mail from Wicked Brick was approximately six weeks.)

The Artemis 1 rocket is now protected from dust like the LEGO Perseverance Mars rover that I got for Christmas in 2023. What isn't covered by a glass display is my mini-brick New Glenn rocket—which I built in late January.

Assuming that the lunar landing of Firefly Aerospace's actual spacecraft goes as planned tomorrow morning, I plan on ordering a mini-brick version of the Blue Ghost lander as well! You can buy your own set—which will consist of 196 pieces (compared to the 3,601 pieces for the Artemis 1 rocket and its Mobile Launcher; 1,100+ pieces for Perseverance; and 630 pieces for New Glenn)—on Firefly's online store.

Photos of the mini-brick Blue Ghost will be posted on my Main Blog after it is completed. Stay tuned!


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par

The Latest Update on Gateway...

Maxar Space Systems

NASA Prepares Gateway Lunar Space Station for Journey to Moon (News Release - February 25)

Assembly is underway for Gateway's Power and Propulsion Element, the module that will power the lunar space station's journey to and around the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign.

NASA’s Artemis IV astronauts will be the first to inhabit the Gateway lunar space station, opening the door to greater exploration of the Moon and paving the way to Mars. Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element, which will make the station the most powerful solar electric spacecraft ever flown, takes shape at Maxar Space Systems. In lunar orbit, Gateway will allow NASA to conduct unique science and exploration while preparing astronauts to go to the Red Planet.

Technicians install key hardware on the element’s Propulsion Bus Module following installation of both electric propulsion and chemical propulsion control modules. The image above highlights a propellant tank exposed on the right, positioned within the central cylinder of the element.

The Power and Propulsion Element will launch with Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) ahead of NASA’s Artemis IV mission. During Artemis IV, V and VI, international crews of astronauts will assemble the lunar space station around the Moon and embark on expeditions to the Moon’s South Pole region.

The Power and Propulsion Element is managed out of NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and built by Maxar Space Systems in Palo Alto, California.

Gateway is an international collaboration to establish humanity’s first lunar space station as a central component of the Artemis architecture designed to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for the first human missions to Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

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Maxar Space Systems


NASA / Maxar Space Systems

Katy Perry Will Be Among the Six All-Female Passengers Flying on the Next Suborbital Flight from Texas!

Blue Origin

Blue Origin Announces Crew For New Shepard’s 31st Mission (News Release)

Blue Origin today announced the six people flying on its NS-31 mission. The crew includes Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn and Lauren Sánchez, who brought the mission together. She is honored to lead a team of explorers on a mission that will challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their own stories, and create lasting impact that will inspire generations to come.

Meet the NS-31 Crew:

Aisha Bowe

Aisha is a former NASA rocket scientist, entrepreneur and global STEM advocate. She is the CEO of STEMBoard, an engineering firm recognized twice on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies, and the founder of LINGO, an edtech company on a mission to equip one million students with essential tech skills. Of Bahamian heritage, Aisha hopes her journey from community college to space will inspire young people in the Bahamas and around the world to pursue their dreams.

Amanda Nguyen

Amanda is a bioastronautics research scientist. She graduated from Harvard, and conducted research at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics, MIT, NASA and the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences. Amanda worked on the last NASA shuttle mission, STS-135, and the Kepler exoplanet mission.

For her advocacy for sexual violence survivors, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and awarded TIME’s Woman of the Year. As the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut, Amanda’s flight is a symbol of reconciliation between the United States and Vietnam, and will highlight science as a tool for peace.

Gayle King

Gayle is an award-winning journalist, co-host of CBS Mornings, editor-at-large of Oprah Daily, and the host of Gayle King in the House on SiriusXM radio. In a career spanning decades, King has been recognized as a gifted, compassionate interviewer able to break through the noise and create meaningful conversations. As someone who is staying open to new adventures, even ones that scare her, Gayle is honored to be part of Blue Origin’s first all-female flight team and is looking forward to stepping out of her comfort zone.

Katy Perry

Katy is the biggest-selling female artist in Capitol Records’ history and one of the best-selling music artists of all time with over 115 billion streams. Aside from being a global pop superstar, Katy is an active advocate of many philanthropic causes, including as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador where she uses her powerful voice to ensure every child’s right to health, education, equality and protection, and her own Firework Foundation, which empowers children from underserved communities by igniting their inner light through the arts.

Katy is honored to be a part of Blue Origin's first all-female crew and hopes her journey encourages her daughter and others to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively.

Kerianne Flynn

After a successful career in fashion and human resources, Kerianne Flynn has spent the last decade channeling her energy into community-building through board service and nonprofit work with The Allen-Stevenson School, The High Line and Hudson River Park. Passionate about the transformative power of storytelling, Kerianne has produced thought-provoking films such as This Changes Everything (2018), which explores the history of women in Hollywood, and LILLY (2024), a powerful tribute to fair-pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter. Kerianne has always been drawn to exploration, adventure and space, and hopes her Blue Origin space flight serves as an inspiration for her son, Dex, and the next generation of dreamers to reach for the stars.

Lauren Sánchez

Lauren is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, New York Times bestselling author, pilot, Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, and mother of three. In 2016, Sánchez, a licensed helicopter pilot, founded Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned and operated aerial film and production company. Sánchez released her New York Times bestselling debut children's book, The Fly Who Flew to Space, in 2024.

Sánchez's work in aviation earned her the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award in 2024 for her expertise as a helicopter pilot and aviation businesswoman. Sánchez’s goal is to inspire the next generation of explorers.

This mission will be the 11th human flight for the New Shepard program and 31st in its history. To date, the program has flown 52 people above the Kármán line, the internationally-recognized boundary of space. This is the first all-female flight crew since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo spaceflight in 1963.

Source: Blue Origin

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Blue Origin

Another Successful Suborbital Flight Is in the Books...

Blue Origin

Blue Origin’s New Shepard Completes 30th Mission to Space (News Release - February 25)

Blue Origin successfully completed its tenth human spaceflight and the 30th flight for the New Shepard program. The astronaut crew included: Lane Bess, Jesús Calleja, Elaine Chia Hyde, Dr. Richard Scott, Tushar Shah and an undisclosed sixth crew member. Lane flew for the second time, the fourth New Shepard customer to do so.

Including today’s crew, New Shepard has now flown 52 people into space, including repeat astronauts.

“There’s nothing like seeing the diversity among our crews, and this mission brought together people from all over the world—scientists, doctors, entrepreneurs and adventurers,” said Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President, New Shepard. “It’s always inspiring to hear their unique perspectives about the life-changing impact of seeing Earth from space. Huge thanks to our customers for supporting our mission to build a road to space for the benefit of Earth.”

Source: Blue Origin

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We just completed our 10th human spaceflight and the 30th flight of the New Shepard program. The astronaut crew included Lane Bess, Jesús Calleja, Elaine Chia Hyde, Dr. Richard Scott, Tushar Shah, and an undisclosed sixth person. This was Lane’s second flight. To date, New… pic.twitter.com/expfP7vNpR

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) February 25, 2025

Leave gravity behind ✨ pic.twitter.com/3iPdOf6qLh

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) February 26, 2025

Key stats from today’s New Shepard crewed NS-30 mission:

The crew capsule reached an apogee of 345,769 ft AGL / 349,416 ft MSL (105 km AGL / 107 km MSL)

The booster reached an apogee of 345,404 ft AGL / 349,051 ft MSL (105 km AGL / 106 km MSL)

Official launch time was 9:49:11…

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) February 25, 2025

The Latest Update on the Artemis 2 Crew Capsule...

NASA / Cory S Huston

NASA Readies Orion Spacecraft to Receive Wings (News Release)

Technicians have moved NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft out of its assembly stand in preparation for the upcoming installation of its four solar array wings and spacecraft adapter jettison fairings that encapsulate its service module. The move positions NASA another step closer to the first crewed flight test under Artemis.

Operators used a 30-ton crane on February 22 to hoist the spacecraft out of the Final Assembly and System Testing (FAST) cell inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Orion uses four solar arrays, manufactured and installed by ESA (European Space Agency) and its contractor Airbus, to deliver power to the service module that provides propulsion, thermal control and electrical power to the spacecraft, as well as air and water for the crew. Each solar array is nearly 23 feet long and can turn on two axes to remain aligned with the Sun for maximum power. A total of 15,000 gallium arsenide cells across the four arrays are used to convert sunlight into electricity.

After the arrays are installed in the coming week, technicians will install three 14-foot-tall fairing panels onto Orion’s service module. The panels act as a protective shell for the solar array wings, shielding them from the heat, wind and acoustics of launch and ascent, and also help redistribute the load between Orion and the massive thrust of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket during liftoff and ascent. Once the spacecraft is above the atmosphere, the three fairing panels will separate from the service module reducing the mass of the spacecraft, and the four solar arrays will unfold, powering Orion to support the four crew members aboard on their journey around the Moon.

Following the array and fairing installations, teams with NASA and Lockheed Martin will place Orion back in the FAST cell for final assembly operations on the spacecraft. Once work in the Operations and Checkout building is complete, the spacecraft will move to other NASA Kennedy facilities to be fueled, integrated with its launch abort system, and finally stacked atop the SLS in the Vehicle Assembly Building by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team.

Source: NASA.Gov

Testing Will Soon Begin on a Newly-built Engine for the Space Launch System...

NASA / Danny Nowlin

NASA Stennis Teams Install New Production RS-25 Engine for Upcoming Hot Fire (News Release)

NASA marked a key milestone on February 18 with installation of RS-25 engine No. E20001, the first new production engine to help power the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on future Artemis missions to the Moon.

The engine, built by lead SLS engines contractor L3Harris (formerly Aerojet Rocketdyne), was installed on the Fred Haise Test Stand in preparation for acceptance testing next month. It represents the first of 24 new flight engines being built for missions, beginning with Artemis V.

The NASA Stennis test team will conduct a full-duration, 500-second hot fire, providing critical performance data to certify the engine for use on a future mission. During missions to the Moon, RS-25 engines fire for about 500 seconds and up to the 111% power level to help launch SLS, with the Orion spacecraft, into orbit.

The engine arrived at the test stand from the L3Harris Engine Assembly Facility on the engine transport trailer before being lifted onto the vertical engine installer (VEI) on the west side deck. After rolling the engine into the stand, the team used the VEI to raise and secure it in place.

The upcoming acceptance test follows two certification test series that helped verify the new engine production process and components meet all performance requirements. Four RS-25 engines help launch SLS, producing up to 2 million pounds of combined thrust.

All RS-25 engines for Artemis missions are tested and proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis prior to use. RS-25 tests are conducted by a team of operators from NASA, L3Harris, and Syncom Space Services - prime contractor for site facilities and operations.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Danny Nowlin


NASA / Danny Nowlin


NASA / Danny Nowlin

Both SRBs for the Next SLS Are Fully Assembled for Flight!

NASA / Kim Shiflett

Stacking Complete on Artemis II Rocket Boosters (News Release)

Engineers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida completed stacking the twin SLS (Space Launch System) solid rocket boosters inside the Vehicle Assembly Building for the agency’s Artemis II crewed test flight around the Moon.

At launch and during liftoff, the boosters, which each stand 177 feet tall, will provide the majority of the 8.8 million pounds of thrust to propel four astronauts inside the Orion spacecraft on their journey.

During stacking operations, which began on November 20, 2024, technicians used a massive overhead crane to lift each booster segment into place on Mobile Launcher 1, the 380-foot-tall structure used to process, assemble and launch the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft.

With stacking of the forward assemblies, or nose cones, complete, the last segments have been integrated to complete the booster configuration. Each forward assembly contains an aerodynamic top, a forward skirt housing avionics, and frustum housing motors that allow the boosters to separate from the SLS core stage after launch.

In total, 10 segments — five segments per booster – were transported from Kennedy’s Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility, where they underwent processing after arriving by train in September 2023 from Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing facility in Utah, to the VAB for stacking operations.

Engineers will integrate the SLS core stage, currently undergoing processing in the VAB’s High Bay 2, in the coming weeks.

The Artemis II test flight will be NASA’s first mission with crew under the Artemis campaign, sending NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey around the Moon. Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Kim Shiflett

Five of the Six Passengers Who'll Fly on the Next Suborbital Flight from Texas Are Revealed...

Blue Origin

Blue Origin Announces Crew for New Shepard’s 30th Mission (News Release)

Blue Origin today revealed five of the six people flying on its NS-30 mission. The crew includes: Lane Bess, Jesús Calleja, Elaine Chia Hyde, Dr. Richard Scott, Tushar Shah and an undisclosed sixth crew member. Lane is flying on New Shepard for the second time, the fourth astronaut to do so.

This mission is the 10th human flight for the New Shepard program and the 30th in its history. To date, the program has flown 47 humans above the Kármán line, the internationally-recognized boundary of space.

Meet the Crew:

Lane Bess

Lane is the Principal and Founder of Bess Ventures and Advisory, a family office fund supporting technology firms that innovate and disrupt across multiple market sectors. He has led and built some of the world’s largest cybersecurity companies, including Palo Alto Networks and Zscaler, both of which he helped lead to IPO.

Lane also serves as a Trustee at Carnegie Mellon University and supports philanthropic interests across health and social issues. Lane first flew to space on NS-19 on December 11, 2021.

Jesús Calleja

Jesús is a Spanish TV host, mountaineer, pilot and lifelong adventurer. He currently hosts Calleja Planet, Flying By and Calleja Universe, which air on Mediaset channels in Spain.

Jesús’ adventures have taken him to every corner of the world, including the Seven Summits, the North and South Poles, and numerous deserts, active volcanoes and ancient sinkholes. A passionate race car driver, Jesús has participated in numerous international racing competitions, including four editions of the Dakar Rally and a 3,400-mile journey from the French Pyrenees to Dakar, Senegal.

Elaine Chia Hyde

Elaine is an entrepreneur, physicist and pilot. She is the founder of Chicago Star, a news and media company, and Eastside Enterprises, a research and development company focused on AI-assisted media products.

Elaine was born in Singapore and grew up in Australia. Space has captivated her imagination since childhood. A graduate of the University of Melbourne, she studied business and physics with the goal of inventing experiments to be conducted in space.

Elaine soon immigrated to the United States, where she worked as an intern at the University of Pennsylvania and later became a research scientist. Elaine, her husband, also a physicist, and their five children live in Florida.

Dr. Richard Scott

Dr. Scott is a reproductive endocrinologist, embryologist, professor, research scientist, philanthropist, entrepreneur and avid pilot. He was a founding partner and CEO of IVIRMA Global, the world’s largest fertility care group with clinics and laboratories in 10 countries.

Dr. Scott is an adjunct professor at Yale University and the University of South Carolina (Greenville) Medical Schools, and founded The Foundation for Embryonic Competence, a nonprofit focused on reproduction research, where he also serves as Scientific Director. He has served on the national boards of Directors of the Resolve and the American Fertility Associations, the two largest patient advocacy organizations for fertility care.

Dr. Scott and his wife have been married for 45 years and have four children.

Tushar Shah

Tushar is a partner and the co-head of research at a quantitative hedge fund in New York City. He studied physics as an undergraduate at MIT and high-energy experimental particle physics for his PhD, also at MIT.

Tushar and his wife, Sara, are philanthropists focused on addressing issues related to poverty, health and education. They have two children.

The flight date will be announced soon.

Source: Blue Origin

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Blue Origin

The Latest Update on the SLS Block 1B Variant...

NASA / Samuel Lott

NASA Readies Moon Rocket for the Future with Manufacturing Innovation (News Release - February 13)

NASA’s Artemis campaign will send astronauts, payloads and science experiments into deep space on NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) super heavy-lift Moon rocket. Starting with Artemis IV, the Orion spacecraft and its astronauts will be joined by other payloads atop an upgraded version of the SLS, called Block 1B. SLS Block 1B will deliver initial elements of a lunar space station designed to enable long-term exploration of the lunar surface and pave the way for future journeys to Mars.

To fly these advanced payloads on their future journeys through deep space, engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are building a cone-shaped adapter that is key to SLS Block 1B.

The payload adapter, nestled within the universal stage adapter sitting atop the SLS Block 1B’s Exploration Upper Stage, acts as a connecting point to secure a large payload that is co-manifested – or flying along with – the Orion spacecraft. The adapter consists of eight composite panels with an aluminum honeycomb core and two aluminum rings.

Beginning with the Artemis IV mission, SLS Block 1B will feature a new, more powerful upper stage that provides a substantial increase in payload mass, volume and energy over the first variant of the rocket that is launching Artemis missions I through III. SLS Block 1B can send 84,000 pounds of payload – including both a crewed Orion spacecraft and a 10-metric ton (22,046 lbs.) co-manifested payload riding in a separate cargo compartment – to the Moon in a single launch.

Artemis IV’s co-manifested payload will be the Lunar I-Hab, one of the initial elements of the Gateway lunar space station. Built by ESA (European Space Agency), the Lunar I-Hab provides expanded capability for astronauts to live, work, conduct science experiments and prepare for their missions to the lunar surface.

Before the Artemis IV mission structure was finalized, NASA engineers needed to design and test the new payload adapter.

“With SLS, there’s an intent to have as much commonality between flights as possible,” says Brent Gaddes, Lead for the Orion Stage Adapter and Payload Adapter in the SLS Spacecraft/Payload Integration & Evolution Office at NASA Marshall. However, with those payloads changing typically every flight, the connecting payload adapter must change as well. “We knew there needed to be a lot of flexibility to the payload adapter, and that we needed to be able to respond quickly in-house once the payloads were finalized,” says Gaddes.

A Flexible Approach

The required flexibility was not going to be satisfied with a one-size-fits-all approach, according to Gaddes.

Since different size payload adapters could be needed, Marshall is using a flexible approach to assemble the payload adapter that eliminates the need for heavy and expensive tooling used to hold the parts in place during assembly. A computer model of each completed part is created using a process called structured light scanning. The computer model provides the precise locations where holes need to be drilled to hold the parts together so that the completed payload adapter will be exactly the right size.

“Structured light has helped us reduce costs and increase flexibility on the payload adapter and allows us to pivot,” says Gaddes. “If the call came down to build a cargo version of SLS to launch 40 metric tons, for example, we can use our same tooling with the structured light approach to adapt to different sizes, whether that’s for an adapter with a larger diameter that’s shorter, or one with a smaller diameter that’s longer. It’s faster and cheaper.”

NASA Marshall engineers use an automated placement robot to manufacture eight lightweight composite panels from a graphite epoxy material. The robot performs fast, accurate lamination following preprogrammed paths, its high speed and precision resulting in lower cost and significantly faster production than other manufacturing methods.

At NASA Marshall, an engineering development unit of the payload has been successfully tested which demonstrated that it can handle up to three times the expected load. Another test version currently in development, called the qualification unit, will also be tested to NASA standards for composite structures to ensure that the flight unit will perform as expected.

“The payload adapter is shaped like a cone, and historically, most of the development work on structures like this has been on cylinders, so that’s one of the many reasons why testing it is so important,” says Gaddes. “NASA will test as high a load as possible to learn what produces structural failure. Any information we learn here will feed directly into the body of information NASA has pulled together over the years on how to analyze structures like this, and of course that’s something that’s shared with industry as well. It’s a win for everybody.”

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Samuel Lott

The Latest Update on Gateway...

Thales Alenia Space

Lunar Space Station Module Will Journey to U.S. Ahead of NASA’s Artemis IV Moon Mission (News Release)

A key element of the Gateway lunar space station has entered the clean room for final installations after completing environmental stress tests.

When NASA’s Artemis IV astronauts journey to the Moon, they will make the inaugural visit to Gateway, humanity’s first space station in lunar orbit. Shown here, technicians carefully guide HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost)—a foundational element of Gateway—onto a stand in the clean room at Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy. The element’s intricate structure, designed to support astronauts and science in lunar orbit, has entered the clean room after successfully completing a series of rigorous environmental stress tests.

In the clean room, technicians will make final installations before preparing the module for transport to the United States, a key milestone on its path to launch. This process includes installing and testing valves and hatches, performing leak checks, and integrating external secondary structures. Once these steps are finished, the module will be packaged for shipment to Gilbert, Arizona, where Northrop Grumman will complete its outfitting.

As one of Gateway’s four pressurized modules, HALO will provide Artemis astronauts with space to live, work, conduct scientific research, and prepare for missions to the lunar surface. The module will also support internal and external science payloads, including a space weather instrument suite attached via a Canadian Space Agency Small Orbital Replacement Unit Robotic Interface, host the Lunar Link communications system developed by the European Space Agency, and offer docking ports for visiting vehicles, including lunar landers and NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

Developed in collaboration with industry and international partners, Gateway is a cornerstone of NASA’s Artemis campaign to advance science and exploration on and around the Moon in preparation for the next giant leap: the first human missions to Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

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Thales Alenia Space

Update #2 on the Left Solid Rocket Booster for the Next SLS...

NASA / Glenn Benson

Artemis II Stacking - Left Forward Assembly SRB (Photo Release)

Technicians with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems complete the integration of the left forward segment to the center forward segment on Mobile Launcher 1 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, February 7, 2025.

The twin solid boosters, five segments on each side, will help support the remaining rocket components and Orion spacecraft during final assembly of the Artemis II Moon rocket, and provide more than 75 percent of the total SLS (Space Launch System) thrust during liftoff from NASA Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Glenn Benson


NASA / Glenn Benson


NASA / Glenn Benson

The Latest Update on One of the Orbital Successors to the ISS...

Vast

Vast Passes Critical Haven-1 Test Milestone (Press Release)

Vast is making rapid progress in designing and engineering Haven-1, establishing ourselves as a space station company—a title we believe is only earned by successfully building a station and safely hosting crew in orbit. Today, there are no operational commercial space station companies—only those working to achieve that milestone.

With the successful completion of the first crewed mission to Haven-1 on the updated timeline outlined below, Vast is on track to become the world’s first operational commercial space station company—well ahead of any other efforts. We kicked off the development of Haven-1, the first commercial space station, as part of a strategic plan to rapidly iterate on space station manufacturing for three main reasons:

‍1. Win NASA’s Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Destination (CLD) Phase II Contract

Vast was founded in 2021. At the time, NASA had already launched the CLD program and awarded funding to other companies. Recognizing the need for a leapfrog strategy, we developed Haven-1 to set us apart. When NASA selects its partner(s) to carry forward its low-Earth orbit (LEO) legacy, we will be the only company operating a crewed space station—one we designed, built, tested and verified for safety entirely in-house.

By then, we will have:

- Conducted crewed missions
- Established commercial partnerships for R&D
- Leveraged microgravity for economic and scientific benefits
- Developed and implemented crew training procedures
- Built capabilities for science, research and all phases of flight operations

Every lesson learned from Haven-1 will be applied to our CLD Phase II proposal—Haven-2. No team will have more operational experience than Vast. No design will carry as much flight heritage.

No company will be better positioned to deliver for NASA as fast—thanks to our work and over $1 billion investment in Haven-1 ahead of CLD Phase II.

‍2. Build a World-Class Team, Processes and Facilities for Crewed Space Systems

‍At Vast, we believe that building a spacecraft under real-world budget and timeline constraints is the only way to develop the capabilities required for a successful space station. Others focus solely on design milestones, but what works on paper often breaks down when faced with manufacturing, supply chain and testing realities.

For example, Vast initially selected stainless steel as the primary structural material for Haven-1. However, due to manufacturing challenges and delays, we launched a parallel effort in November 2023 to explore aluminum as an alternative. By March 2024, after hands-on manufacturing experience with both materials, our team completed a trade study and selected aluminum—driven by real-world constraints, not theoretical assumptions.

This philosophy applies to every critical subsystem, including avionics, control moment gyroscopes (CMGs), power systems, life support and propulsion. We are actively maturing these technologies in-house and with trusted partners to ensure that they are mission-ready for Haven-1 and future Vast stations. These are just a few reasons why no bidder will have more direct experience going into the CLD Phase II selection than Vast.

‍3. Ensure a Continuous U.S. and International Partner Presence in LEO

‍With the planned retirement of the ISS in 2030, we believe that it is imperative that the U.S. government have at least two years of overlap between its decommissioning and any successor station. To fill this critical gap, Vast is committed to developing safe and capable space stations at unprecedented speed and cost efficiency.

By leveraging Haven-1’s proven design, team, facilities and subsystems, we are confident that, if selected by mid-2026, we can launch Haven-2’s first module and have it ready to host crew as early as the end of 2028.

‍Haven-1 Primary Structure Development

‍Vast rapidly built the Haven-1 primary structure qualification article—the first space station primary structure built in the U.S. in over two decades—to demonstrate its ability to withstand the launch and on-orbit environments throughout its operational lifetime. This effort began with the Haven-1 Pathfinder article, manufactured between November 2023 and June 2024, which established the necessary tooling, team and processes. The Pathfinder validated our ability to fabricate all critical geometries and interfaces required for Haven-1.

‍In July 2024, we began milling, inspecting, rolling and welding the primary structure qualification article, completing it in six months. Building on that success, we began manufacturing our flight-ready primary structure in January 2025. We remain on track to complete it by July 2025—a major milestone leading into the Haven-1 flight integration campaign.

Vast is producing space station primary structures in-house at an unprecedented pace—under six months per hull. This efficiency sets a new benchmark in space station manufacturing and is a key differentiator in our bid to succeed the ISS.

Vertically-integrated production of Haven-1 is happening in the United States. This approach strengthens U.S. leadership in space and benefits our future international partners, ensuring an affordable, rapid build of the successor to the ISS, and preventing any gap in human spaceflight and scientific research in LEO.

Haven-1 Primary Structure Qualification Proof Test

‍On Friday, January 31, our team began the test campaign for Haven-1’s primary structure qualification article after completing all on-test stand integration tasks, procedure checks and rehearsals. This marks the first of many full-scale vehicle test campaigns for Vast.

We initiated the test with a decay leak check at 0.2 barD, which passed successfully.

Next, we performed the proof test, pressurizing the vehicle to 1.8 barD (26 psig). As expected:

- No visual changes were observed.
- No leaks were detected.
- The pressure held steady for 5 hours, with the leak rate remaining within specification for 10 minutes.
- All strain gauges stayed within acceptable ranges.

Following this, we maintained the vehicle at 3 psi (0.2 bar) for 48 hours without adding new nitrogen gas to measure the leak rate. The leak rate was indiscernible, exceeding NASA’s 1.2 standard cubic centimeters per minute requirement. This test procedure follows NASA Standard 5001, ensuring compliance with rigorous safety and performance standards.

‍Testing Results

‍We are proud to report that Haven-1 successfully passed its primary structure qualification proof test on the first attempt—a critical milestone in our journey. This achievement demonstrates:

- The full proof qualification of a space station pressure vessel
- A space station structure designed, built and tested entirely in-house by Vast
- A record timeline—completed in just 15 months from zero aluminum work to a proof-tested structure

This is just the beginning for Vast’s vehicle operations. Our team is incredibly proud of this milestone and remains focused on what’s next. Over the coming weeks, we will complete the full qualification test campaign, which involves:

- Applying simulated launch and on-orbit forces using hydraulic actuators
- Conducting structural load tests under pressure
- Replicating the flight conditions that the vehicle will experience in orbit

Stay tuned for updates on our social media and a full blog post once the campaign is complete.

Source: VastSpace.com

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Vast