Meeting the Next Crew Dragon Astronauts to Fly to the ISS...

NASA

NASA Shares SpaceX Crew-13 Assignments for Space Station Mission (News Release - April 23)

As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission, four crew members from three space agencies will launch no earlier than mid-September to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition.

NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney will serve as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively. They will be joined by CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, who will serve as mission specialists. After arriving at the orbiting laboratory, Crew-13 will become members of the space station’s Expedition 75.

This flight is the 13th crew rotation with SpaceX to the space station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA is advancing the launch date of Crew-13 from November to help increase the frequency of U.S. crew rotation missions to the space station. The crew will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare humans for future exploration missions to the Moon and Mars, and benefit people on Earth.

This will be the second flight to the space station for Watkins, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017. Watkins grew up in Lafayette, Colorado, and earned an undergraduate degree in geological and environmental sciences from Stanford University, as well as a doctorate in geology from the University of California, Los Angeles. As a geologist, she studied the Martian surface and was a member of the Curiosity rover science team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

Watkins first launched to the space station as a crew member aboard NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission, spending a total of 170 days in space across Expeditions 67/68 in 2022. She will be the first NASA astronaut to launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft twice.

Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021, Delaney earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of North Florida and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School. The Florida native is a distinguished naval aviator who participated in exercises throughout the Asia Pacific region and conducted missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. As a test pilot, Delaney evaluated developmental aircraft systems and served as a test pilot instructor.

Delaney also worked as a research pilot at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, where he supported airborne science missions. This is the first spaceflight for Delaney.

The Crew-13 mission is also the first spaceflight for Kutryk. Prior to his selection as a CSA astronaut in 2017, he served as a CF-18 fighter pilot, flying missions in support of Canada’s NATO, U.N., and North American Aerospace Defense Command commitments. A native of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Kutryk also worked as an experimental and operational test pilot at the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment in Cold Lake, Alberta.

Kutryk received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, and he is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot school in Edwards, California. He has master’s degrees in space studies, flight test engineering, and defense studies.

Crew-13 will be Teteryatnikov’s first trip to the orbiting laboratory. He graduated from the Naval Academy, St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2011 as an engineer specializing in ship power plant operations. Before his selection as a test cosmonaut, Teteryatnikov served in various naval engineering roles, including undersea vessels and specialized engine room operations.

Teteryatnikov was selected for the Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Center Cosmonaut Corps in 2021 and has served as a test cosmonaut since 2023.

For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs that aren’t possible on Earth. The space station helps NASA understand and overcome the challenges of human spaceflight, expand commercial opportunities in low-Earth orbit, and build on the foundation for long-duration missions to the Moon, as part of the Artemis program, and to Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

Photo of the Day: Marking 45 Years Since the Launch of STS-1...

NASA

Hail, Columbia! Just thought I'd share this iconic image of NASA's first space-worthy orbiter lifting off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A on April 12, 1981. And two days later, this test flight—known as STS-1—would come to a successful end when astronauts Robert Crippen and John Young piloted Columbia to a landing in the middle of a dry lake bed at Edwards Air Force Base in California. And so began the 30-year space shuttle program that included such highlights as the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the deployment of the Magellan robotic probe to Venus, the send-off of the Galileo orbiter to Jupiter, and eventually, the commencement of construction on the International Space Station.

But sadly, this program would also include two tragedies that claimed the lives of 14 brave astronauts (in 1986 and 2003), and the in-flight loss of Columbia herself.

Even though Columbia didn't ultimately make her way into a museum like Enterprise, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour did, her legacy will live on. The storied space shuttle program gave rise to Artemis...which utilizes shuttle hardware on the Space Launch System and Orion, respectively, as they are now looking ahead to their third lunar flight on Artemis 3. Columbia may have spent all of her career in low-Earth orbit, but the amount of knowledge gleamed from flying her and her sister ships (excluding Enterprise, the orbiter prototype) for over three decades have no doubt played a role in guiding astronauts back to the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Columbia may be gone, but the spirit of human spaceflight (which began 60 years ago today with the launch of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on Vostok 1) remains stronger than ever. Ad astra.

The Artemis 2 Astronauts Are Officially Headed to their Lunar Destination...

NASA / Reid Wiseman

Orion Completes TLI Burn, Crew Begins Journey to the Moon (News Release)

NASA’s Artemis II crew is on the way to the Moon.

After the mission management team polled “Go” on Thursday, NASA’s Orion spacecraft fired its main engine for five minutes and 50 seconds beginning at 7:49 p.m. EDT, to successfully complete the translunar injection (TLI) burn, sending the crew in Orion out of Earth orbit and on a trajectory towards the Moon.

Orion’s main engine provides up to 6,700 pounds of thrust, enough to accelerate a car from 0 to 60 mph in about 2.7 seconds. At the time of the burn, Orion’s mass was 58,000 pounds and burned approximately 1,000 pounds of fuel during the firing.

Crew members are also spending time exercising on the spacecraft’s flywheel exercise device. During exercise, teams on the ground monitored the spacecraft’s air revitalization system, which maintains a breathable, comfortable cabin environment for the crew, and assessed how exercise impacts movement of the spacecraft.

The flywheel uses a simple cable‑based mechanism that supports both aerobic exercises like rowing and resistive movements such as squats and deadlifts. Operating much like a yo‑yo, the device provides resistance proportional to the force applied, allowing loads up to 400 pounds. This capability is especially important in deep space, where astronauts do not have access to the extensive exercise equipment aboard the International Space Station.

On the station, crews rely on more than 4,000 pounds of exercise hardware spread across roughly 850 cubic feet. In contrast, Orion’s flywheel weighs just 30 pounds and is about the size of a carry‑on suitcase—meeting the strict mass and volume constraints of deep‑space missions while still supporting crew health and reentry readiness.

The crew members – NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen – have successfully checked out the AVATAR scientific payload.

Engineers also determined that a brief loss of two-way communications between the ground and crew that occurred shortly after the crew reached orbit was due to a ground configuration issue involving the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite system. The issue was rectified quickly with no impact to mission operations.

Lunar Science Team Prepares for Flyby

After the TLI burn that sent Orion on its path to the Moon, the lunar science team began building a Lunar Targeting Plan, a guide to what the crew will look at on the Moon’s surface during its approximately six-hour observation on Monday, April 6.

The targeting plan will include documenting features that can help scientists understand how the Moon and Solar System formed, such as craters, ancient lava flows, and cracks and ridges created as the Moon’s outer layer slowly shifted over time.

One feature that will be added to the plan is a solar eclipse, which will last for nearly an hour towards the end of the flyby window. During the eclipse, the Sun will be hidden from view as it moves behind the Moon from the perspective of Orion. The crew will see a mostly-dark Moon at this time — an opportunity for them to look for flashes of light from meteoroids striking the Moon’s surface, dust lofting above the edge of the Moon, and deep space targets, including planets.

While the Sun slides behind the Moon, the crew will observe the solar corona, the Sun’s outermost atmosphere, while it’s visible.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Reid Wiseman

Artemis Update: The Lunar Gateway Has Been Shelved in Favor of a Moon Base, While a Nuclear-powered Mission Heads to Mars in 2028...

NASA

NASA Unveils Initiatives to Achieve America’s National Space Policy (News Release)

As part of its Ignition event on Tuesday, NASA announced a series of transformative agencywide initiatives designed to achieve the president's National Space Policy and advance American leadership in space. These actions reflect the urgency of the moment, but also the tremendous opportunity ahead for world-changing science and discovery.

“NASA is committed to achieving the near‑impossible once again, to build a Moon base, establish an enduring presence, and do the other things needed to ensure American leadership in space. This is why it is essential we leave an event like Ignition with complete alignment on the national imperative that is our collective mission. The clock is running in this great‑power competition, and success or failure will be measured in months, not years,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.

“If we concentrate NASA’s extraordinary resources on the objectives of the National Space Policy, clear away needless obstacles that impede progress, and unleash the workforce and industrial might of our nation and partners, then returning to the Moon and building a base will seem pale in comparison to what we will be capable of accomplishing in the years ahead.”

NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya said, “Today we are aligning NASA around the mission. On the Moon, we are shifting to a focused, phased architecture that builds capability landing by landing, incrementally, and in alignment with our industrial and international partners. In low-Earth orbit (LEO), we are recognizing where the market is and where it isn’t, recognizing the incredible value of the International Space Station, and building a transition that builds a competitive commercial ecosystem rather than forcing a single outcome the market cannot support.

"In our science missions, we are opening the lunar surface to researchers and students nationwide, and with Space Reactor‑1 Freedom, we are finally putting nuclear propulsion on a trajectory out of the laboratory and into deep space. And this is all possible by investing in our people, bringing critical skills back into the agency, putting our teams where the machines are being built, and creating real pathways for the next generation of NASA leaders. Our workforce is the jewel of NASA, and from their leaders, they need clear mission goals, the tools to execute, and to get out of their way. This is what Ignition is about.”

Going back to the Moon

The announcements build on recent updates to the Artemis program, including standardizing the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket configuration, adding an additional mission in 2027, and undertaking at least one surface landing every year thereafter. Under this previously updated architecture, Artemis III – scheduled for 2027 – will focus on testing integrated systems and operational capabilities in Earth orbit in advance of the Artemis IV lunar landing.

Looking beyond Artemis V, NASA announced on March 24 that it will begin to incorporate more commercially-procured and reusable hardware to undertake frequent and affordable crewed missions to the lunar surface, initially targeting landings every six months, with the potential to increase cadence as capabilities mature.

To achieve an enduring human presence on the Moon, NASA also announced a phased approach to building a lunar base. As part of this strategy, the agency intends to pause Gateway in its current form and shift focus to infrastructure that enables sustained surface operations. Despite challenges with some existing hardware, the agency will repurpose applicable equipment and leverage international partner commitments to support these objectives.

In the coming days, NASA will release Requests for Information (RFIs) and draft Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to ensure continued progress in meeting national objectives.

Building the Moon Base

NASA’s plan for establishing a sustained lunar presence will roll out in three deliberate phases.

-- Phase One: Build, Test, Learn
NASA shifts from bespoke, infrequent missions to a repeatable, modular approach. Through CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) deliveries and the LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle) program, the agency will increase the tempo of lunar activity, sending rovers, instruments and technology demonstrations that advance mobility, power generation (including radioisotope heater units and radioisotope thermoelectric generators), communications, navigation, surface operations, and a wide range of scientific investigations.

-- Phase Two: Establish Early Infrastructure
With lessons from early missions in hand, NASA moves toward semi‑habitable infrastructure and regular logistics. This phase supports recurring astronaut operations on the surface and incorporates major international contributions, including JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) pressurized rover, and potentially other partner scientific payloads, rovers, and infrastructure/transportation capabilities.

--Phase Three: Enable Long‑Duration Human Presence
As cargo‑capable Human Landing Systems (HLS) come online, NASA will deliver heavier infrastructure needed for a continuous human foothold on the Moon, marking the transition from periodic expeditions to a permanent lunar base. This will include ASI’s (Italian Space Agency) Multi-purpose Habitats (MPH), CSA’s (Canadian Space Agency) Lunar Utility Vehicle, and opportunities for additional contributions in habitation, surface mobility and logistics.

Ensuring American presence in low-Earth orbit

While building a sustainable lunar architecture, NASA is also reaffirming its commitment to low-Earth orbit. For more than two decades, the International Space Station has served as a world‑class orbital laboratory, enabling more than 4,000 research investigations, supporting more than 5,000 researchers, and hosting visitors from 26 countries. The space station required 37 shuttle flights, 160 spacewalks, two decades, and more than $100 billion to design, develop and build.

The orbital laboratory cannot operate indefinitely. The transition to commercial stations must be thoughtful, deliberate and structured to support long‑term industry success.

NASA is introducing and seeking industry feedback on an additional LEO strategy that preserves all current pathways while adding a phased, International Space Station‑anchored approach to avoid any gap in U.S. human presence and mature a robust commercial ecosystem. Under this alternative approach, NASA would procure a government‑owned Core Module that attaches to the space station, followed by commercial modules that are validated using International Space Station capabilities and later detach into free flight. After maturing technical and operational capabilities and market demand is realized, the stations would detach and NASA would be one of many customers purchasing commercial services.

To stimulate the orbital economy, NASA would expand industry opportunities, including private astronaut missions, commander seat sales, joint missions, multiple module competitions, and prize‑based awards.

An industry RFI opens on Wednesday, March 25, to inform partnership structures, financing, and risk mitigation.

Advancing world-changing discovery with current, developing science missions

In a Golden Age of exploration and discovery, NASA takes full advantage of every opportunity to get science into space. The James Webb Space Telescope continues to transform our understanding of the early Universe, Parker Solar Probe has flown through the atmosphere of the Sun, NASA has shown that it can defend the planet by deflecting asteroids, and Earth science data is used extensively by American companies, U.S. agriculture, and disaster relief. On the International Space Station, NASA is conducting groundbreaking experiments in quantum science.

Future opportunities will advance U.S. leadership in space science. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launching as early as this fall, will advance our understanding of dark energy, and has created a new standard for the management of large science missions. Dragonfly will launch a nuclear-powered octocopter in 2028, arriving at Saturn’s moon Titan in 2034 to explore its complex, organic-rich environment.

In 2028, NASA will launch and deliver ESA’s (European Space Agency) Rosalind Franklin Rover to Mars, with NASA’s contributed mass spectrometer for the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) instrument, which may result in the most advanced detection and analysis of organic matter ever conducted on Mars. A new Earth science mission launching next year will measure for the first time the evolution of the dynamics within convective storms to improve the prediction of extreme weather events up to six hours before the storm occurs.

The agency detailed how advancements in lunar science will also be afforded by the build out of the Moon Base and underpin future Moon and Mars exploration. With an accelerated CLPS cadence, targeting up to 30 robotic landings starting in 2027, NASA is expediting delivery of science and technology to the lunar surface. There will be many opportunities for payload delivery including rovers, hoppers and drones with contributions welcomed from industry, academia and international partners.

Near-term payloads include the VIPER rover and the LuSEE‑Night mission. An RFI will be released on March 24 that calls for payloads capable of supporting NASA’s science and technology goals for additional 2027 and 2028 flights. It will enable students and researchers across the country to work on scientific instruments for use on the surface of the Moon in the years ahead.

This RFI will also solicit payloads incorporated on future missions to Mars including the Mars Telecom Network (MTN) and a nuclear technology demonstration mission.

The agency intends to partner with philanthropic and privately-funded research organizations with shared objectives in space science.

Other RFIs released on March 24 will strengthen “Science as a Service” partnerships and commercial capabilities, allowing NASA to streamline legacy operations and focus investment on the transformational missions that only the agency can lead.

Finally, NASA will unveil a previously unseen pair of images from the James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes. These images show the planet Saturn in unprecedented detail in both infrared and visible wavelengths.

America underway on nuclear power in space

In addition to these scientific missions, after decades of study and in response to the National Space Policy, NASA announced a major step forward in bringing nuclear power and propulsion from the lab to space.

NASA will launch the Space Reactor‑1 Freedom, the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, to Mars before the end of 2028, demonstrating advanced nuclear electric propulsion in deep space. Nuclear electric propulsion provides an extraordinary capability for efficient mass transport in deep space and enables high power missions beyond Jupiter where solar arrays are not effective.

When SR-1 Freedom reaches Mars, it will deploy the Skyfall payload of Ingenuity‑class helicopters to continue exploring the Red Planet. SR-1 Freedom will establish flight heritage nuclear hardware, set regulatory and launch precedent, and activate the industrial base for future fission power systems across propulsion, surface, and long‑duration missions. NASA and its U.S. Department of Energy partner will unlock the capabilities required for sustained exploration beyond the Moon and eventual journeys to Mars and the outer Solar System.

None of these endeavors can succeed without the NASA workforce. As previously announced, the agency is rebuilding its core competencies, converting thousands of contractor positions to civil service, and restoring the engineering, technical and operational strengths expected of the world’s premier space organization.

NASA is expanding opportunities for interns and early‑career professionals and, in partnership with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and NASA Force, is creating new pathways for experienced industry talent to serve through term‑based appointments. The agency is also seeking to open opportunities for NASA employees to gain valuable experience working within the most technologically-advanced space industry in history.

The changes announced on March 24 will be implemented during the coming months, with teams agencywide ensuring a smooth transition while advancing key programs and partnerships.

NASA will embed subject‑matter experts across the supply chain – at every major vendor, subcontractor and critical‑path component – to challenge assumptions, solve problems, accelerate production, and help ensure that the right outcomes are achieved.

Through these reforms, NASA is strengthening its ability to deliver on the president’s National Space Policy and ensure continued American superiority in space.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA


NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Amy Simon (NASA-GSFC), Michael Wong (UC Berkeley); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

.@NASAMoonBase has landed on X. Join us as we explore, innovate, and build a sustained human presence on the Moon. pic.twitter.com/qNgYX8cJWU

— NASA (@NASA) March 24, 2026

The HTV-X1 Is Now Flying Freely in Low-Earth Orbit...

NASA

Canadian Robotic Arm Releases Japan’s Spacecraft for Departure (News Release)

At 12 p.m. EST, JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s) HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft was released from the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm, which earlier detached it from the Earth-facing port of the orbiting laboratory’s Harmony module. At the time of release, the station was flying about 260 miles over the Pacific Ocean.

The HTV-X1 spacecraft successfully departed the station more than four months after arriving to deliver over 9,000 pounds of supplies, scientific investigations, commercial products, hardware and other cargo for NASA and its international partners.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA+

Japan's Newest Space Freighter Is Ready to Depart from the ISS...

NASA

Canadarm2 Grips Cargo Spacecraft, Spacewalk Prep and Biology Continue (News Release)

A JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) cargo spacecraft is in the grasp of the Canadarm2 robotic arm following its detachment from the International Space Station’s Harmony module on Thursday. The Expedition 74 crew continued its spacewalk preparations, transferred more cargo, and conducted biology research throughout the day.

The HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft was uninstalled from Harmony with Canadarm2 at 2:26 p.m. EST on Thursday and maneuvered to an overnight parking position. During the crew’s sleep shift, Japanese mission controllers will conduct a laser-ranging sensor demonstration test with HTV-X1 still held by the robotic arm.

Then at 12 p.m. EST on Friday, robotics controllers will command the Canadarm2 to release HTV-X1 into Earth orbit. The spacecraft will remain at a safe distance from the station for approximately three months while conducting a series of remotely-controlled science experiments. NASA will broadcast the release live, beginning at 11:45 a.m. Friday on NASA+, Amazon Prime and the agency’s YouTube channel.

While robotic operations continued outside the space station, the astronauts pressed ahead with spacewalk preparations. NASA flight engineers Jessica Meir, Chris Williams and Jack Hathaway gathered together and reviewed the tools and equipment required to install a modification kit and route cables for a future roll-out solar array on the port side of the orbital outpost. NASA will soon announce the date and name the two spacewalkers who will exit the station’s Quest airlock into the vacuum of space for the roll-out solar array preparation work.

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot began her shift packing cargo for disposal inside Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft attached to the Unity module’s Earth-facing port. Cygnus will conclude its mission soon at the orbital outpost that began on September 18 with its robotic capture and installation to Unity. Adenot also worked in the Kibo laboratory module removing computer and electronics hardware for stowage and later reuse.

Cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev teamed up early Thursday for a Roscosmos digestion study. Shortly after waking, the duo scanned their stomachs with an ultrasound device before eating their breakfast. After their meal, the station commander and flight engineer repeated the stomach scans helping researchers understand how the digestive system adapts to weightlessness.

Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev kicked off his shift servicing the Elektron oxygen generator and its components in the station’s Roscosmos segment. Fedyaev then inspected video recording gear, downloaded video and imagery for mission controllers, and installed automated Earth observation hardware to capture imagery of islands across the Asia-Pacific region.

Source: NASA.Gov

Freedom Has Arrived at the ISS...

NASA+

Dragon Hatches Open, Crew-12 Enters Station and Joins Expedition 74 (News Release)

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev have entered the International Space Station after opening the hatches at 5:14 p.m. EST between the space station and SpaceX's Dragon Freedom spacecraft.

Meir, Hathaway, Adenot and Fedyaev now join the Expedition 74 crew, including NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev already aboard the orbiting laboratory.

NASA’s live coverage continues through the welcome ceremony on NASA+, Amazon Prime and the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA+

Freedom Is Once Again Bound for the ISS...

SpaceX

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 Launches to International Space Station (News Release)

Four crew members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission launched at 5:15 a.m. EST on Friday from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, for a science expedition aboard the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Dragon Freedom spacecraft into orbit carrying NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. The spacecraft will dock autonomously to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at approximately 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, February 14.

“With Crew-12 safely on orbit, America and our international partners once again demonstrated the professionalism, preparation and teamwork required for human spaceflight,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “The research this crew will conduct aboard the space station advances critical technologies for deep space exploration while delivering real benefits here on Earth. I’m grateful to the NASA and SpaceX teams whose discipline, rigor and resilience made today’s launch possible. We undertake these missions with a clear understanding of risk, managing it responsibly so we can continue expanding human presence in low-Earth orbit while preparing for our next great leap to the Moon and onward to Mars.”

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 1:15 p.m. Saturday on NASA+, Amazon Prime and the agency’s YouTube channel 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 5 p.m. NASA will also provide coverage of the welcome ceremony aboard the space station shortly following hatch opening.

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

Meir, Hathaway, Adenot and Fedyaev will join the Expedition 74 crew, including NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev already aboard the orbiting laboratory, returning the space station to its standard seven crew members complement following the January 14 departure of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission.

During its mission, Crew-12 will conduct scientific research to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and to benefit humanity on Earth. Participating crew members will study pneumonia-causing bacteria to improve cardiovascular treatments, on-demand intravenous fluid generation for future space missions, and research on how physical characteristics may affect blood flow during spaceflight. Other experiments include automated plant health monitoring and investigations of plant and nitrogen-fixing microbe interactions to enhance food production in space.

Crew-12 is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which provides reliable access to space, maximizing the use of the station for research and development, and supporting future missions beyond low-Earth orbit by partnering with private companies to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

Source: NASA.Gov

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SpaceX

A Commercial Company Other Than Axiom Space Will Send a Crew to the ISS...

NASA

Vast Selected by NASA for Sixth Private Astronaut Mission to International Space Station (Press Release)

Vast, the company developing next-generation space stations, has signed an order with NASA for the sixth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch no earlier than summer 2027 from Florida. It is Vast’s first private astronaut mission to the space station in partnership with NASA.

“Vast is honored to have been selected by NASA for the sixth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station,” said Max Haot, CEO of Vast. “Leveraging the remaining life of the International Space Station with science and research-led commercial crewed missions is a critical part of the transition to commercial space stations and fully unlocking the orbital economy.”

The Vast private astronaut mission crew is expected to spend up to 14 days aboard the space station. A specific launch date will depend on overall spacecraft traffic at the orbital outpost and other planning considerations. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch the crew on a Dragon spacecraft to the space station as previously announced.

The mission will generate invaluable insights into the infrastructure and processes required for Vast to safely accomplish human spaceflight missions. The mission supports deeper collaboration with NASA and international space agencies in addition to strengthening Vast’s position as a candidate to deliver its proposed successor to the space station, the multi-module, continuously-crewed Haven-2.

Vast is planning a robust science and research portfolio with a focus on biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, human research, and technology demonstrations for the mission. Last year, Vast announced a call for research proposals for a potential PAM mission. In addition, Vast’s current agreement with CASIS will enable increased throughput of high-quality science that aligns with its science strategy.

Source: VastSpace.com

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

Vast

Vast Advances Haven‑1 Into Integration Phase (News Release)

Vast, the company developing next-generation space stations, announced that integration has begun on Haven-1. Scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station, Haven-1 is designed as a standalone, crewed station and serves as the first step for Haven-2, a multi-module station capable of supporting a continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit (LEO) that is Vast’s proposed successor to the International Space Station (ISS).

Haven-1 is an integral part of the company’s hardware-rich development approach that is putting flight-hardware and systems through rigorous ground and in-space testing to accelerate learning, reduce technical and schedule risk, and unlock new commercial and government capabilities in LEO. Haven-1 is designed to expand access to space and provide an affordable platform for microgravity research, manufacturing, and both national and international space infrastructure.

The first phase of Haven-1 integration includes installation of the station’s pressurized fluid systems, including thermal control, life support, and propulsion system tubes, and component trays and tanks. These systems will undergo pressure, leak and functional testing. The second phase of integration will incorporate avionics, guidance, navigation and control systems, and air revitalization hardware.

The third and final phase will complete the vehicle with crew habitation and interior closeouts, exterior micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) shielding, thermal radiator installation, and solar array integration, bringing Haven-1 to a fully flight-ready configuration. Vast remains focused on completing integration and conducting a suite of system environmental tests at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility later in 2026.

Based on the current integration timeline, Vast is updating its schedule for Haven-1 to be ready to launch Q1 2027. Haven-1 is contracted to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. With each milestone, the team gains more data and greater certainty, enabling timelines to become progressively more precise.

Haven-1 represents a true zero-to-one development, and as Vast moves on to its second, third and subsequent stations, schedule precision will continue to improve as systems, processes, and integration maturity increases. Throughout this process, human safety remains the team’s top priority, with development and manufacturing pace carefully balanced to ensure mission integrity.

“From the beginning, our business plan has been about building a sustainable future in orbit, one that meets today’s market while creating the foundation for what comes next,” said Max Haot, CEO of Vast. “Haven-1 is not a concept; it is real, flight-tested hardware designed to carry forward a continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit for America and its allies. By vertically integrating design, manufacturing, testing and operations, we’re moving with both speed and autonomy. Haven-1 brings the next era of space stations within reach and helps ensure there is no gap in our ability to live and work in space beyond the ISS.”

Vast’s hardware-rich, stepping-stone approach accelerates development while improving safety and reducing cost by building, testing and flying systems early. This is reinforced by Vast’s vertically-integrated model, which has already delivered a 10X reduction in primary structure manufacturing costs compared to traditional space station programs, while increasing capability, improving schedule certainty, and shortening manufacturing timelines.

Haven-1 Development: Recap of 2025 Milestones

Throughout 2025, Vast completed a series of major Haven-1 milestones, advancing the station from component-level development to a fully-qualified flight structure.

In October, Vast installed and completed fit verification of the passive docking system on Haven-1, confirming mechanical alignment, and interface compatibility with visiting crewed spacecraft.

In late 2025, Vast conducted acceptance testing of the Haven-1 flight primary structure, culminating in full-scale pressure testing at Vast’s testing site in Mojave, California. The flight primary structure was pressurized beyond nominal operating conditions to validate structural margins, weld integrity, and leak performance, marking a critical step towards human-rated operations.

The Haven-1 primary structure represents the second primary structure that Vast has completed in one year and demonstrates the company’s leadership in returning space station manufacturing and testing to the United States after more than two decades.

Vast is now the only operational commercial space station company to have successfully flown and operated its own spacecraft in orbit. On November 2, 2025, Haven Demo, an in-orbit testbed for key space station technologies and the first step in our stepping stone approach, achieved mission success. Through Haven Demo, core systems, including power, avionics, ground systems, propulsion, and guidance, navigation and control, were validated in space, directly informing the final design of Haven-1.

Source: VastSpace.com

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Vast

Crew-11 Has Safely Returned to Earth After a Shortened Stay at the ISS...

SpaceX

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Dragon Splashdown at 3:41 a.m. EST (News Release)

At 3:41 a.m. EST, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov splashed down off the coast of San Diego, California.

This completes a stay in space of 167 days for the four-person crew. The mission returned to Earth earlier than originally planned as teams monitored a medical concern with a crew member living and working aboard the orbital laboratory. The crew member is stable.

Teams aboard the recovery ship, including two fast boats, are securing the SpaceX Dragon and ensuring that the spacecraft is safe for the recovery effort. As the fast boat teams complete their work, the recovery ship will move into position to hoist Dragon onto the main deck with the astronauts inside. Once on the main deck, the crew will egress the spacecraft.

NASA previously announced that all four crew members will be transported to a local hospital for additional evaluation, taking advantage of medical resources on Earth to provide the best care possible.

Following a planned overnight hospital stay, the crew will return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they will reunite with their families and undergo standard post-flight reconditioning and evaluations. Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member.

NASA will host a post-splashdown media conference at 5:45 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime and the agency’s YouTube channel, with the following participants:

-- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
-- Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Bill Ingalls

The Latest Update on Crew-11's Departure from the ISS...

NASA

NASA, SpaceX Set Target Date for Crew-11’s Return to Earth (News Release)

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. EST on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International Space Station, pending weather conditions.

On January 8, NASA announced its decision to return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to Earth from the space station earlier than originally planned as teams monitor a medical concern with a crew member currently living and working aboard the orbital laboratory, who is stable. Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member.

NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov will splash down off the coast of California at approximately 3:40 a.m. on Thursday, January 15.

Mission managers continue monitoring conditions in the recovery area, as undocking of the SpaceX Dragon depends on spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states and other factors. NASA and SpaceX will select a specific splashdown time and location closer to the Crew-11 spacecraft undocking.

NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):

Wednesday, January 14

3 p.m. – Hatch closure coverage begins

3:30 p.m. – Hatch closing

4:45 p.m. – Undocking coverage begins

5 p.m. – Undocking

Thursday, January 15

2:15 a.m. – Return coverage begins

2:50 a.m. – Deorbit burn

3:40 a.m. – Splashdown

5:45 a.m. – Return to Earth media news conference

NASA will share more details about its coverage plans in the coming days.

Source: NASA.Gov

SpaceX's Crew-11 Astronauts Will Return to Earth Early...

NASA

NASA Shares Latest Update on International Space Station Operations (News Release)

NASA announced on Thursday its decision to return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to Earth from the International Space Station earlier than originally planned as teams monitor a medical concern with a crew member currently living and working aboard the orbital laboratory. As NASA reviews Crew-11 return dates, the agency is also working with SpaceX, and its international partners, to review the options available to advance launch opportunities for the Crew-12 mission. The agency anticipates a decision on a target Crew-11 return date in the coming days.

For the full details discussed, watch a replay of the news conference from the agency’s headquarters in Washington. The participants in the news conference included:

-- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
-- Amit Kshatriya, associate administrator
-- Dr. James Polk, chief health and medical officer, NASA Headquarters

NASA will provide additional details later.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA TV

NASA's First Korean-American Astronaut (Who's Also a Former Navy SEAL and Harvard Medical Doctor) Is Back on Earth...

NASA / Bill Ingalls

Soyuz Crew Lands Ending Eight-Month Space Research Journey (News Release)

At 12:03 a.m. EST (10:03 a.m. local time), the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft made a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan.

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky orbited Earth 3,920 times and traveled nearly 104 million miles over the course of their 245-day mission. The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft launched and docked with the space station on April 8.

This was Kim’s first spaceflight, where he served as flight engineer for Expedition 72 and 73. This was also Zubritsky's first trip to the space station. Ryzhikov has now logged a total of 603 days in space during three trips to the orbital complex, ranking him 13th of all time.

The three crew members will fly by helicopter to Karaganda, Kazakhstan, where recovery teams are based. Kim will board a NASA aircraft and return to Houston, while Ryzhikov and Zubritsky will depart for their training base in Star City, Russia.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Bill Ingalls

The Latest Update on Starliner...

NASA

NASA, Boeing Modify Commercial Crew Contract (News Release)

In 2014, NASA awarded a Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract to Boeing to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station with its Starliner spacecraft. As part of its contract, Boeing was awarded up to six crewed flights to the orbital complex.

After a thorough evaluation, NASA and Boeing have mutually agreed to modify the contract. As part of the modification, the definitive order has been adjusted to four missions, with the remaining two available as options. The next Starliner flight, known as Starliner-1, will be used by NASA to deliver necessary cargo to the orbital laboratory and allow in-flight validation of the system upgrades implemented following the Crew Flight Test mission last year.

NASA and Boeing are targeting no earlier than April 2026 to fly the uncrewed Starliner-1 pending completion of rigorous test, certification, and mission readiness activities. Following Starliner certification, and a successful Starliner-1 mission, Starliner will fly up to three crew rotations to the International Space Station.

“NASA and Boeing are continuing to rigorously test the Starliner propulsion system in preparation for two potential flights next year,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “This modification allows NASA and Boeing to focus on safely certifying the system in 2026, execute Starliner’s first crew rotation when ready, and align our ongoing flight planning for future Starliner missions based on station’s operational needs through 2030.”

Certification of Boeing’s Starliner remains important to NASA’s goal of sustained human presence in low-Earth orbit, and dissimilar redundancy is essential to supporting the agency’s goals and international obligations.

Source: NASA.Gov

America's Next-Generation Spaceplane Won't Head to the ISS on its First Mission as Originally Planned...

Sierra Space

Dream Chaser® Advances Toward First Flight, Eyes Multi-Use Applications (Press Release)

LOUISVILLE, Colo. – Sierra Space, a proven Defense Tech company delivering solutions for the nation’s most critical missions and advancing the future of security in space, announced today a strategic transition for its Dream Chaser® spaceplane. Dream Chaser’s first flight will be a free-flyer, demonstration mission, which is expected to prove the technology and deliver critical data to NASA. This approach aims to provide Sierra Space with flexibility to address the nation’s most pressing National Security Space challenges, while continuing to advance Dream Chaser’s capabilities for NASA and commercial customers.

Sierra Space is prioritizing first-flight readiness with Dream Chaser, targeting a launch in late 2026 to align with expected launch vehicle availability. Sierra Space and NASA worked together to reach this mutually-beneficial agreement that provides greater mission flexibility for Dream Chaser’s first flight. This flight aims to demonstrate critical capabilities for NASA’s ISS resupply and future Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) missions and position Dream Chaser as a national asset available for future national security and defense demonstrations.

As America’s Spaceplane®, we believe that its adaptability as an orbital, hypersonic spacecraft and rapid deployment, commercial testbed is critical to addressing the nation’s evolving priorities and emerging threats. Additionally, Dream Chaser has unique features and capabilities as a commercial, autonomous spaceplane with the ability to land on any conventional runway, enabling reusability, rapid turnaround and cost-efficient operations for space missions.

“Dream Chaser represents the future of versatile space transportation and mission flexibility,” said Fatih Ozmen, Executive Chair at Sierra Space. “This transition provides unique capabilities to meet the needs of diverse mission profiles, including emerging and existential threats and national security priorities that align with our acceleration into the Defense Tech market. Together with NASA, we are seeking to preserve the exceptional potential of Dream Chaser as a national asset, ensuring its readiness for the next era of space innovation.”

Source: Sierra Space

Welcoming the Next Generation of Space Explorers for Artemis and Beyond...

NASA

NASA Selects All-American 2025 Class of Astronaut Candidates (News Release)

NASA’s 10 new astronaut candidates were introduced on Monday following a competitive selection process of more than 8,000 applicants from across the United States. The class will now complete nearly two years of training before becoming eligible for flight assignments supporting future science and exploration missions to low-Earth orbit, the Moon and Mars.

Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy welcomed the all-American 2025 astronaut candidate class during a ceremony at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“I’m honored to welcome the next generation of American explorers to our agency! More than 8,000 people applied – scientists, pilots, engineers, dreamers from every corner of this nation. The 10 men and women sitting here today embody the truth that in America, regardless of where you start, there is no limit to what a determined dreamer can achieve – even going to space,” said Duffy. “Together, we’ll unlock the Golden Age of exploration.”

The agency’s 24th astronaut class reported for duty at NASA Johnson in mid-September and immediately began their training. Their curriculum includes instruction and skills development for complex operations aboard the International Space Station, Artemis missions to the Moon, and beyond. Specifically, training includes robotics, land and water survival, geology, foreign language, space medicine and physiology, and more, while also conducting simulated spacewalks and flying high-performance jets.

After graduation, the 2025 class will join the agency’s active astronaut corps. Active astronauts are conducting science research aboard the space station while preparing for the transition to commercial space stations and the next great leaps in human exploration at the Moon and Mars. The candidates’ operational expertise, scientific knowledge, and technical backgrounds are essential to advancing NASA’s deep space exploration goals and sustaining a long-term human presence beyond low-Earth orbit.

The 2025 astronaut candidates are:

-- Ben Bailey, 38, chief warrant officer 3, U.S. Army, was born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia and is completing a master’s in systems engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Bailey is a U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduate with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.

At the time of his selection, Bailey was responsible for the developmental testing of emerging technologies aboard Army rotary-wing aircraft, specializing in the UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47F Chinook.

-- Lauren Edgar, 40, considers Sammamish, Washington, her hometown. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Earth sciences from Dartmouth College, and her master’s and doctorate in geology from the California Institute of Technology. Edgar has served as the deputy principal investigator for the Artemis III Geology Team.

In this role, Lauren helped define lunar science goals and geology activities that NASA astronauts will conduct, and science operations for NASA’s return to the Moon. She also spent more than 17 years supporting Mars exploration rovers. Edgar was working at the U.S. Geological Survey at the time of her selection.

-- Adam Fuhrmann, 35, major, U.S. Air Force, is from Leesburg, Virginia, and has accumulated more than 2,100 flight hours in 27 aircraft, including the F-16 and F-35. He holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and master’s degrees in flight test engineering and systems engineering from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and Purdue University, respectively. He has deployed in support of Operations Freedom’s Sentinel and Resolute Support, logging 400 combat hours.

At the time of his selection, Fuhrmann served as the director of operations for an Air Force flight test unit.

-- Cameron Jones, 35, major, U.S. Air Force, is a native of Savanna, Illinois. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California and the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

Jones is an experienced test pilot with more than 1,600 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft, including 150 combat hours. The majority of his flight time is in the F-22 Raptor. At the time of his selection, Jones was an Air Force Academic Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

-- Yuri Kubo, 40, is a native of Columbus, Indiana. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s in electrical and computer engineering from Purdue University. He spent 12 years working across various teams at SpaceX, including as launch director for Falcon 9 rocket launches, director of avionics for the Starshield program, and director of Ground Segment.

Earlier in his career, Kubo was a co-op student at NASA Johnson, where he completed multiple tours supporting the Orion spacecraft, the International Space Station, and the Space Shuttle Program. At the time of his selection, Kubo was the senior vice president of Engineering at Electric Hydrogen.

-- Rebecca Lawler, 38, is a native of Little Elm, Texas, and a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy. She is a former Navy P-3 pilot and experimental test pilot with more than 2,800 flight hours in more than 45 aircraft. Lawler holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the National Test Pilot School.

Lawler is also a U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduate. She also flew as a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hurricane hunter, and during NASA’s Operation IceBridge. Lawler was a test pilot for United Airlines at the time of selection.

-- Anna Menon, 39, is from Houston and earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University with a double major in mathematics and Spanish. She also holds a master’s in biomedical engineering from Duke University. Menon previously worked in the Mission Control Center at NASA Johnson, supporting medical hardware and software aboard the International Space Station.

In 2024, Menon flew to space as a mission specialist and medical officer aboard SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn. The mission saw a new female altitude record, the first commercial spacewalk, and the completion of approximately 40 research experiments. At the time of her selection, Menon was a senior engineer at SpaceX.

-- Imelda Muller, 34, considers Copake Falls, New York, her hometown. She was formerly a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and served as an undersea medical officer after training at the Naval Undersea Medical Institute. Muller earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral neuroscience from Northeastern University and a medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine.

Muller's experience includes providing medical support during Navy operational diving training at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. At the time of her selection, Muller was completing a residency in anesthesia at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.

-- Erin Overcash, 34, lieutenant commander, U.S. Navy, is from Goshen, Kentucky. She holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s in bioastronautics from the University of Colorado, Boulder. A U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduate, Overcash is an experienced F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet pilot with multiple deployments.

Overcash has logged more than 1,300 flight hours in 20 aircraft, including 249 carrier arrested landings. Overcash was part of the Navy’s World Class Athlete Program and trained full-time at the Olympic Training Center with the USA Rugby Women’s National Team. She was training for a squadron department head tour at the time of selection.

-- Katherine Spies, 43, is a native of San Diego and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Southern California and a master’s in design engineering from Harvard University. She is a former Marine Corps AH-1 attack helicopter pilot and experimental test pilot, with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, she served as UH-1Y/AH-1Z project officer and AH-1W platform coordinator during her time on active duty.

At the time of her selection, Spies was the director of flight test engineering at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation.

With the addition of these 10 individuals, NASA has now recruited 370 astronaut candidates since selecting the original Mercury Seven in 1959.

“Today, our mission propels us even further as we prepare for our next giant leap with NASA’s newest astronaut candidate class,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA Johnson. “Representing America’s best and brightest, this astronaut candidate class will usher in the Golden Age of innovation and exploration as we push toward the Moon and Mars.”

Source: NASA.Gov

The Latest Update on Orion's First Crewed Lunar Flight...

NASA

NASA Seeks Volunteers to Track Artemis II Mission (News Release)

NASA seeks volunteers to passively track the Artemis II Orion spacecraft as the crewed mission travels to the Moon and back to Earth.

The Artemis II test flight, a launch of the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on an approximately 10-day mission around the Moon.

The mission, targeted for no later than April 2026, will rely on NASA’s Near Space Network and Deep Space Network for primary communications and tracking support throughout its launch, orbit and reentry. However, with a growing focus on commercialization, NASA wants to further understand industry’s tracking capabilities.

This collaboration opportunity builds upon a previous request released by NASA’s SCaN (Space Communication and Navigation) Program during the Artemis I mission, where ten volunteers successfully tracked the uncrewed Orion spacecraft in 2022 on its journey thousands of miles beyond the Moon and back.

During the Artemis I mission, participants – ranging from international space agencies, academic institutions, commercial companies, nonprofits and private citizens – attempted to receive Orion’s signal and use their respective ground antennas to track and measure changes in the radio waves transmitted by Orion.

“By offering this opportunity to the broader aerospace community, we can identify available tracking capabilities outside the government,” said Kevin Coggins, NASA’s deputy associate administrator for SCaN at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This data will help inform our transition to a commercial-first approach, ultimately strengthening the infrastructure needed to support Artemis missions and our long-term Moon to Mars objectives.”

Read the opportunity announcement here
Responses are due by 5 p.m. EDT on Monday, October 27.

NASA’s SCaN Program serves as the management office for the agency’s space communications and navigation systems. More than 100 NASA and non-NASA missions rely on SCaN’s two networks, the Near Space Network and Deep Space Network, to support astronauts aboard the International Space Station and future Artemis missions, monitor Earth’s weather, support lunar exploration, and uncover the Solar System and beyond.

Artemis II will help confirm the systems and hardware needed for human deep space exploration. This mission is the first crewed flight under NASA’s Artemis campaign and is another step towards new U.S.-crewed missions on the Moon’s surface that will help the agency prepare to send American astronauts to Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

Images of the Day: The CRS-33 Freighter Arrives at the ISS...

NASA

A SpaceX Dragon Cargo Spacecraft Approaches the International Space Station (Photo Release)

A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft with its nose cone open and carrying over 5,000 pounds of science, supplies and hardware for NASA's SpaceX CRS-33 mission approaches the International Space Station for an automated docking to the Harmony module's forward port.

Both spacecraft were flying 261 miles above the Atlantic Ocean south of the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago, at the time of this photograph.

Source: NASA.Gov

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