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.

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

On This Day in 1986: Challenger's Final Crew Is Lost in Flight...

Bruce Weaver / AP

40 Years Ago Today... The seven astronauts of space shuttle Challenger lost their lives 73 seconds into flight on a frigid January day.

59 years ago yesterday, the three astronauts of Apollo 1 perished in a terrible fire during a ground launch rehearsal at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

This Sunday, it will be 23 years since the crew of space shuttle Columbia was lost during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere above Texas.

May all these explorers rest in peace. NASA's official Day of Remembrance was on January 22.


NASA


NASA


NASA

Photos of the Day: The Exterior of Space Shuttle Endeavour's New Home is Complete!

Earlier today, I drove down to the California Science Center near downtown Los Angeles to check up on the current status of space shuttle Endeavour's permanent home, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. As you can see from these images, the exterior of the new building is complete!

While the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center now looks like the gorgeous renderings that were released when construction on the exhibit commenced three years ago, it will still take at least a year to fill the Center with the scores of flight artifacts that will accompany Endeavour's Space Shuttle Stack inside the $425-million structure. The orbiter's new home, as currently scheduled, is set to open either in late 2026 or 2027.

Stay tuned!


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par

The Latest Update on the Fifth Planned SLS Flight...

L3Harris Successfully Tests Second RS-25 Engine for Artemis V (Press Release)

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. — NASA and L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) have successfully test-fired the second RS-25 engine that will support the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for NASA’s Artemis V mission.

L3Harris’ RS-25 rocket engines are critical to the Artemis program’s success, with four RS-25s powering every SLS rocket, enabling the U.S. to help establish a sustainable presence on the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars.

“As we approach America’s 250th anniversary next year, it’s fitting that we’re advancing the Artemis program that embodies the pioneering spirit of our nation,” said Kristin Houston, President, Space Propulsion and Power Systems, Aerojet Rocketdyne, L3Harris. “By leveraging advanced manufacturing techniques, we’re delivering engines that are more cost effective while maintaining the power and reliability needed to propel Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.”

NASA conducted the test at its Stennis Space Center, which demonstrated the engine’s performance and reliability during a 500-second firing that reached 111% of its rated power level. This test marked the second flight-ready RS-25 engine produced using modern manufacturing techniques, including 3D printing, which reduce production costs by 30% compared to earlier RS-25 engines that powered the space shuttle.

The first four Artemis missions use upgraded RS-25 engines originally designed for the space shuttle program, while the fifth mission will debut the newly-produced RS-25 engines.

Source: L3Harris Technologies

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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

Blue Origin Looks Ahead to Its Next Suborbital Passenger Flight...

Blue Origin

New Shepard’s Crewed NS-34 Mission Targets Liftoff on August 3 (News Release - July 30)

Blue Origin announced that its next New Shepard crewed flight, NS-34, will lift off from Launch Site One in West Texas on Sunday, August 3. The launch window opens at 7:30 AM CDT / 12:30 UTC. The webcast on BlueOrigin.com will start at T-30 minutes.

Meet the Crew:

Arvinder (Arvi) Singh Bahal

Arvi is a real estate investor born in Agra, India, and is now a naturalized U.S. citizen. A lifelong traveler and adventurer, Arvi has visited every country in the world, the North and South Poles, and skydived over Mount Everest and the Pyramids of Giza. He holds a private pilot’s license and also flies helicopters.

Gökhan Erdem

Gökhan is a Turkish businessman and a board member of Erdem Holding, a diverse group of companies operating in the energy, telecommunications, construction and manufacturing sectors. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Gökhan is a passionate space enthusiast and an avid photographer. Deeply inspired by space exploration, he dreams of one day traveling to the International Space Station and possibly even beyond.

Deborah Martorell

Deborah is a Puerto Rican meteorologist and journalist. Her reporting on environmental and space topics has garnered eight Emmy Awards and two Awards of Excellence in Science Reporting from the American Meteorological Society. Her passion for space led her to participate in a 2007 microgravity flight with NASA, extensively cover Puerto Rican astronauts Joe Acabá and Marcos Berríos, and report on missions including STS-119, Artemis 1 and the launch of Puerto Rico's first nanosatellite, CuNARD-2.

Deborah was selected for the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences’ project PoSSUM, and is also a Solar System Ambassador for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Lionel Pitchford

Lionel is an Englishman who has spent the last four decades in Spain working as a teacher, translator and tour guide as a means to travel the world. In 1992, following a plane crash with his sister and her family onboard, Lionel founded a nonprofit in Nepal dedicated to serving disadvantaged children and girls. He’s also run an orphanage in Kathmandu for over 30 years.

Lionel has dreamed of flying to space since catching the travel bug and is astonished that it's now possible for ordinary people. He aims to inspire others by letting them know that they can do the same.

James (J.D.) Russell

J.D. is a serial entrepreneur and founder of Alpha Funds, a technology-focused venture capital company, and Alpha Aerospace, an aerospace consulting and solutions company. He founded the Victoria Russell Foundation to honor the memory of his deceased daughter. The foundation is dedicated to supporting children’s education and assisting the families of first responders.

The foundation is a proud partner with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to bring the love of reading to children by gifting books free of charge to children. J.D. first flew to space on NS-28 on November 22, 2024.

H.E. Justin Sun

H.E. Justin Sun is the Ambassador and former Permanent Representative of Grenada to the WTO, Prime Minister of Liberland, Founder of TRON, a world-leading blockchain and DAO, and Advisor to HTX, one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges. A protege of Alibaba's Jack Ma, Sun was featured on the cover of Forbes Magazine in April 2025, where he was recognized as one of the most dynamic and outspoken figures in crypto and earning the moniker 'Crypto’s Billionaire Barker' for his bold approach to innovation, advocacy and industry leadership. He’s been named on Forbes' 30 under 30 list in the Consumer Technology category several times, among other global recognitions.

Justin is an avid art collector, gamer, investor, philanthropist and space enthusiast. In 2021, he placed the winning bid for the first seat on New Shepard. The $28 million in proceeds were donated to Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, which selected 19 space-focused nonprofits to each receive a $1 million grant to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEAM and help invent the future of life in space.

Source: Blue Origin

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Blue Origin

On This Day in 2005: Discovery Launches on the First Post-Columbia Shuttle Mission...

NASA

It was 20 years ago today that Discovery lifted off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex (LC)-39B on flight STS-114...the first space shuttle mission to fly since the 2003 Columbia disaster.

STS-114 didn't go exactly as planned—with a large bird colliding with Discovery's external tank (ET) as the vehicle was rising from its mobile launch platform at LC-39B during liftoff, and two incidents occurring where debris broke off from the ET during ascent to low-Earth orbit...with one piece hitting Discovery's starboard wing. Fortunately, the impact was not strong enough to cause any damage to the orbiter.

Also, an extra-vehicular activity (EVA) was required to remove two gap fillers that were protruding from the heat shield tiles on the belly of Discovery. Even though these fillers did not pose a threat to the orbiter during re-entry, NASA erred on the side of caution and conducted this EVA anyway.

On July 27, one day after launch, NASA additionally erred on the side of caution by postponing future space shuttle flights as the agency continued to examine why pieces of debris were still being liberated from the external tank during launch. It wasn't till Discovery embarked on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121 (on July 4, 2006), that NASA enjoyed an issue-free shuttle mission to the International Space Station.

Discovery completed STS-114 by landing at Edwards Air Force Base's Runway 22 in California...on August 9, 2005.

The Latest Update on the Planned SLS Block 2 Variant...

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Tests Most Powerful Segmented Solid Rocket Booster Ever Built (News Release - June 26)

PROMONTORY, Utah – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) conducted a full-scale static fire of NASA’s Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) solid rocket booster. This was the first demonstration test of the enhanced five-segment solid rocket motor, the world’s largest and most powerful segmented solid rocket motor built for human spaceflight.

-- Over 700 data channels assessed the 156-foot-long solid rocket motor as it fired for just over two minutes, producing more than 4 million pounds of thrust from a single booster.

-- Leveraging Northrop Grumman’s industry-leading experience in solid rocket motor manufacturing, BOLE improves on previous designs by replacing key components no longer in production. The booster features a composite case design, updated propellant formulation and advanced components to increase booster performance by more than 10 percent compared with the current five-segment Space Launch System (SLS) booster design.

-- The carbon fiber composite case enables better booster performance, faster manufacturing and aligns with commercial standards by providing commonality among our infrastructure, supply chain and manufacturing operations. Other aspects of the BOLE design, including metallic components, allows the company to support a U.S.-based supply chain of American manufacturers.

-- Compared with its predecessor, this evolved booster provides another five metric tons of payload to lunar orbit, a capability critical to supporting deep space missions.

Expert:

Jim Kalberer, vice president, propulsion systems, Northrop Grumman: “Today’s test pushed the boundaries of large solid rocket motor design to meet rigorous performance requirements. While the motor appeared to perform well through the most harsh environments of the test, we observed an anomaly near the end of the two-plus minute burn. As a new design, and the largest segmented solid rocket booster ever built, this test provides us with valuable data to iterate our design for future developments."

Details:

Northrop Grumman supplied rocket propulsion for NASA’s Apollo and Space Shuttle Programs and developed the five-segment SLS solid rocket booster based on the flight-proven design of the space shuttle boosters. The five-segment booster, BOLE’s predecessor, generates 25 percent more power than its space shuttle predecessor, and provided over 75 percent of the SLS rocket’s initial thrust during the Artemis I mission on November 15, 2022.

The BOLE booster development, awarded in 2017, represents a significant step towards more sustainable commercial practices and incorporates commonality in design and construction standards from across all of Northrop Grumman’s production programs.

With nearly 100,000 employees and over 30 million square feet of manufacturing space – more than 500 football fields – Northrop Grumman has the capacity, scale and agility to drive innovation at unprecedented speeds. The company’s manufacturing approaches do more than just produce; they accelerate and enhance the entire process from design and development to production and testing. Northrop Grumman has invested in U.S. infrastructure, R&D, its workforce and its supply chain to deliver today and tomorrow’s national security needs.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities that they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.

Source: Northrop Grumman

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NASA / MSFC

IGNITION! BOLE: Five Segment SRB test for Artemis 9 onwards.

Overview:https://t.co/SJyxcLTCqf

Live:https://t.co/oDqHuQTgZx pic.twitter.com/esQhWxqk2j

— NSF - NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) June 26, 2025

Close up slow motion footage of the unexpected event(s) during Northrop Grumman’s BOLE DM-1 stb test today. @NASASpaceflight

Rewatch the livestream here: https://t.co/c3mHSLrzV2 pic.twitter.com/FcrZXjwLVD

— Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer) June 26, 2025

The Latest Updates on the Third Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and the Next SLS Rocket...

NASA / Cory Huston

Orion Roars to Life: Successful Power On Paves Way for Artemis III (News Release)

In a major milestone for NASA's Artemis campaign, the Orion team recently powered on the Artemis III spacecraft’s computers for the very first time.

This activity was the initial time that the two vehicle management computers and the six power and data units were installed in the crew module, loaded with flight software, powered on and tested.

These core avionic systems, known as the “brain and heart” of the Orion capsule, are essential to testing to ensure that crew module subsystems are safe and reliable for flight.

Unprecedented Power

Each of Orion’s redundant flight computers are 20,000 times faster than the one on Apollo, and are substantially faster than flight computers on the space shuttle and the International Space Station. Its triple-redundant data network and gigabit ethernet technology enable rapid communication between systems, making it an ideal platform for deep space exploration.

“Over the next few months, our team will continue integrating the 70 components that make up the spacecraft avionics suite, connecting them with nearly 400 harnesses,” said Nathan Varn, director of Orion assembly at Lockheed Martin. “We’ll then put the vehicle through a series of functional tests to ensure all components are ready to move on to environmental testing, where the spacecraft is pushed to its limits.”

A New Era of Space Exploration

Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the Orion spacecraft, has been working closely with NASA to bring the spacecraft to life. The power-on milestone is a testament to the strength of this partnership and the dedication of the teams involved. Within days of the power on for Artemis III, the team also powered down the Orion vehicle for Artemis II and delivered it to NASA for launch processing.

The success of the Orion spacecraft is a critical step towards establishing a sustainable presence on the lunar surface. The Artemis III mission will mark a lunar landing with a crew of four in 2027 – a milestone that will eventually help send humans on to Mars.

"As we bring the Artemis III Orion spacecraft to life, we're not just powering on a machine – we're igniting a new era of deep space exploration we haven’t seen since Apollo," said Kim Fleming, Artemis III mission manager at Lockheed Martin. “We're excited to see the incredible feats Orion will achieve as it takes humans farther than ever before."

Source: Lockheed Martin

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🔌Powered up!⚡

Last week, Exploration Ground Systems teams powered up the @NASAArtemis II @NASA_SLS core stage and solid rocket boosters for the first time. Teams in @NASAKennedy’s Launch Control Center verified the systems and interfaces function between the flight hardware… pic.twitter.com/H2YkacbWcP

— NASA's Exploration Ground Systems (@NASAGroundSys) May 27, 2025

Blue Origin Looks Ahead to Its Next Suborbital Passenger Flight...

Blue Origin

Blue Origin Announces Crew for New Shepard’s 32nd Mission (News Release)

Blue Origin today announced the six people flying on its NS-32 mission. The crew includes Aymette Medina Jorge, Dr. Gretchen Green, Jaime Alemán, Jesse Williams, Mark Rocket and Paul Jeris.

This mission is the 12th human flight for the New Shepard program and the 32nd overall. The live webcast on BlueOrigin.com will start at T-30 minutes. The flight date will be announced soon.

Meet the Crew:

Aymette (Amy) Medina Jorge

Amy is a high school and middle school STEM teacher at Odyssey Academy in Galveston, Texas. She has led more than 60 space experiments and Zero-Gravity projects, including flying biometric sensors developed by her students and performing in-flight 3D printing as part of a parabolic Zero-G flight. Born in Puerto Rico, Amy’s mission is to boost Hispanic representation in STEM fields and push for greater inclusion in science for underrepresented communities.

Amy is the 2023 AIAA and Challenger Center Trailblazing STEM Educator Award recipient, which celebrates educators who go above and beyond to inspire the next generation of explorers and innovators in STEM. Her seat is sponsored by Farmacias Similares, a Mexican company committed to social impact and accessible healthcare across Latin America.

Dr. Gretchen Green

Dr. Green is a radiologist specializing in women’s imaging with over 20 years of clinical experience. An educator, explorer and lifelong space enthusiast, she first attended Space Camp in 1986, later worked as a Crew Trainer, chaired the Space Camp Alumni Association, and now serves on the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation Board. Nationally recognized as a medicolegal expert witness and entrepreneur, she founded The Expert Resource to help physicians build expert witness businesses and improve patient care.

A certified life coach, Dr. Green empowers others to pursue their highest purpose. At 16, she bicycled across the U.S. to fight hunger and, in 2022, reached the North Pole. Dr. Green trained at Harvard, Yale, and Brown, earning degrees in neuroscience, history of medicine, and medicine from Brown, and is a proud graduate of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.

Jaime Alemán

Jaime is a Panamanian attorney, businessman and former ambassador to the United States. A Notre Dame and Duke Law School graduate, Jaime serves as a Senior Partner at Alemán, Cordero, Galindo & Lee, a law firm that he co-founded in 1985, and sits on the board of directors of one of Panama’s largest private banks. He serves on Special Olympics International’s Board of Directors, Duke Law School's Board of Visitors, and the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Latin America Board.

A lifelong adventurer, Jaime will become the first person to travel to all 193 U.N.-recognized countries, the North and South Poles, and space.

Jesse Williams

Jesse is a Canadian entrepreneur and adventurer. He started his first digital marketing business at age 16 and currently serves as CEO of Car History Group, which he founded in 2012. A competitive cyclist and avid mountaineer, Jesse has summited six of the seven highest peaks on Earth, including Mt. Everest and Antarctica’s Mt. Vinson.

Mark Rocket

Mark is an entrepreneur and technology leader from Christchurch, New Zealand. He is CEO of Kea Aerospace, which develops solar-powered, stratospheric UAVs for aerial imaging and monitoring, and President of Aerospace New Zealand, whose mission is to promote the interests of the New Zealand aerospace community. He was a seed investor in Rocket Lab, where he served as co-Director until 2011.

Paul Jeris

Paul is a real estate developer and entrepreneur. Inspired by his NASA engineer father, Paul grew fascinated with space at a young age. He spent his childhood summers on Florida’s Space Coast, watching historic Apollo, Shuttle, Mariner, Voyager and Viking launches.

Driven by a passion for exploration, Jeris has visited more than 149 countries, aiming to see every nation. Despite his many adventures, Jeris' lifelong dream is to journey to space and witness Earth’s fragile beauty from above. In addition to his professional ventures, Paul actively serves on several local and regional tourism boards, giving back to the travel industry that has helped shape his life.

Source: Blue Origin

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Blue Origin

Photos of the Day: Endeavour's Permanent Home Continues to Take Shape in Los Angeles...

Earlier today, I drove down to the California Science Center near downtown Los Angeles to check on the status of Endeavour's permanent home, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.

As shown in these images, the diagrid structure that enshrouds Endeavour and her Space Shuttle Stack is close to being fully assembled; the only task that needs to be done now is install all of the stainless-steel skin panels around the structure's exterior. The steel panels are also being attached to the rest of the building that will house scores of aerospace exhibits once the Air and Space Center is complete.

The "Work in Progress (WIP)" exhibit, shown at the very bottom of this entry, displays flight artifacts that will eventually be moved into the Air and Space Center after the WIP exhibit permanently closes this Sunday, May 18. The artifacts include a flown SpaceX Dragon freighter (designated C108), a Rocket Lab Electron booster, a Space Shuttle Main Engine as well as a Gemini capsule and Apollo-Soyuz Command Module.

I look forward to visiting the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center for another status check later this year!


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par

The Work in Progress exhibit on video#SpaceX #Apollo #DTLA pic.twitter.com/j1Y5cUwkZn

— Rich Par (@AstroPnoy) May 16, 2025

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

NASA

NASA Shares SpaceX Crew-11 Assignments for Space Station Mission (News Release)

As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, four crew members from three space agencies will launch in the coming months to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory.

NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov will join crew members aboard the space station no earlier than July 2025.

The flight is the 11th crew rotation with SpaceX to the station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The crew will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare humans for future missions to the Moon, as well as benefit people on Earth.

Cardman was previously assigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, and Fincke was previously assigned to NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission. NASA decided to reassign the astronauts to Crew-11 in overall support of planned activities aboard the International Space Station. Cardman carries her experience training as a commander on Dragon spacecraft, and Fincke brings long-duration spaceflight experience to this crew complement.

Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017, Cardman will conduct her first spaceflight. The Williamsburg, Virginia, native holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s in Marine Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At the time of selection, she had begun pursuing a doctorate in Geosciences.

Cardman’s research in geobiology and geochemical cycling focused on subsurface environments, from caves to deep-sea sediments. Since completing initial training, Cardman has supported real-time station operations and lunar surface exploration planning.

This will be Fincke’s fourth trip to the space station, having logged 382 days in space and nine spacewalks during Expedition 9 in 2004, Expedition 18 in 2008, and STS-134 in 2011, the final flight of space shuttle Endeavour. Throughout the past decade, Fincke has applied his expertise to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, advancing the development and testing of the SpaceX Dragon and Boeing Starliner toward operational certification. The Emsworth, Pennsylvania, native is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School and holds bachelors’ degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, in both Aeronautics and Astronautics, as well as Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences.

Fincke also has a master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in California. He is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.

With 142 days in space, this will be Yui’s second trip to the space station. After his selection as a JAXA astronaut in 2009, Yui flew as a flight engineer for Expedition 44/45 and became the first Japanese astronaut to capture JAXA’s H-II Transfer Vehicle. In addition to constructing a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, he conducted a total of 21 experiments for JAXA.

In November 2016, Yui was assigned as chief of the JAXA Astronaut Group. He graduated from the School of Science and Engineering at the National Defense Academy of Japan in 1992. He later joined the Air Self-Defense Force at the Japan Defense Agency (currently Ministry of Defense).

In 2008, Yui joined the Air Staff Office at the Ministry of Defense as a lieutenant colonel.

The Crew-11 mission will be Platonov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, Platonov earned a degree in Engineering from Krasnodar Air Force Academy in Aircraft Operations and Air Traffic Management. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in State and Municipal Management in 2016 from the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia.

Assigned as a test cosmonaut in 2021, Platonov has experience in piloting aircraft, zero gravity training, scuba diving and wilderness survival.

For more than two decades, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low-Earth orbit. As commercial companies focus on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a robust low-Earth orbit economy, NASA’s Artemis campaign is underway at the Moon, where the agency is preparing for future human exploration of Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

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

Happy First Day of Winter! The Latest Update on the Second SLS Booster...

NASA / Kim Shiflett

Artemis II Core Stage Vertical Integration Begins at NASA Kennedy (News Release - December 19)

NASA has taken a big step forward in how engineers will assemble and stack future SLS (Space Launch System) rockets for Artemis Moon missions inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The VAB’s High Bay 2 has been outfitted with new tooling to facilitate the vertical integration of the SLS core stage. That progress was on full display in mid-December when teams suspended the fully-assembled core stage 225 feet in the air inside the high bay to complete vertical work before it is stacked on Mobile Launcher 1, allowing teams to continue solid rocket booster stacking simultaneously inside High Bay 3 for Artemis II.

With the move to High Bay 2, technicians with NASA and Boeing now have 360-degree tip-to-tail access to the core stage, both internally and externally. Michigan-based supplier Futuramic Tool and Engineering led the design and build of the Core Stage Vertical Integration Center tool that will hold the core stage in a vertical position.

“High Bay 2 tooling was originally scheduled to be complete for Artemis III. We had an opportunity to get it done earlier and that will put us in a good posture to complete work earlier than planned prior to moving the core stage for Artemis II into the full integrated stack over in High Bay 3,” said Chad Bryant, deputy manager of the NASA SLS Stages Office. “This gives us an opportunity to go in and learn how to rotate, lift and move the core stage into the high bay.”

This move also doubles the footprint of useable space within the VAB, giving engineers access to both High Bay 2 and High Bay 3 simultaneously, while also freeing up space at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to continue work on the individual elements for future SLS core stages.

High Bay 2 has a long history of supporting NASA exploration programs: during Apollo, High Bay 2, one of four high bays inside the VAB, was used to stack the Saturn V rocket. During the Space Shuttle Program, the high bay was used for external tank checkout and storage and as an extra storage area for the shuttle.

Under the new assembly model beginning with Artemis III, all of the major structures for the SLS core stage will continue to be fully produced and manufactured at NASA Michoud. Upon completion of manufacturing and thermal protection system application, the engine section will be shipped to Kennedy for final outfitting.

“Core stage 3 marks a significant change in the way we build core stages,” said Steve Wofford, manager of the SLS Stages Office. “The vertical capability in High Bay 2 allows us to perform parallel processing from the top to bottom of the stage. It’s a much more efficient way to build core stages. This new capability will streamline final production efforts, allowing our team to have 360-degree access to the stage, both internally and externally.”

The fully-assembled core stage for Artemis II arrived on July 23, 2024, at Kennedy, where it remained horizontal inside the VAB transfer aisle until its recent lift into the newly-outfitted high bay.

Teams at NASA Michoud are outfitting the remaining core stage elements for Artemis III and preparing to horizontally join them. The four RS-25 engines for the Artemis III mission are complete at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and will be transported to NASA Kennedy in 2025. Major core stage and Exploration Upper Stage structures are in work at NASA Michoud for Artemis IV and beyond.

NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, advanced spacesuits and rovers, the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

Source: NASA.Gov

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The Main Booster for the Next SLS Rocket Continues to Undergo Pre-Launch Preps at KSC...

NASA / Adeline Morgan

Artemis II Core Stage Goes Vertical (News Release - December 11)

NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) Moon rocket core stage is vertical in High Bay 2 on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The core stage arrived on July 23 at NASA Kennedy, where it remained horizontal inside the facility’s transfer aisle. With the move to High Bay 2, technicians with NASA and Boeing now have 360-degree access to the core stage both internally and externally. The move also frees up more space in the transfer aisle to allow technicians to continue transporting and integrating two solid rocket boosters onto Mobile Launcher 1 in High Bay 3 for the Artemis II mission.

Boeing and their sub-contractor Futuramic refurbished High Bay 2 to increase efficiencies while processing core stages for Artemis II and beyond.

During Apollo, technicians stacked the Saturn V rocket in High Bay 2. During the Space Shuttle Program, the high bay was used for external tank checkout and storage and as a contingency storage area for the shuttle. The Artemis II test flight will be NASA’s first mission with crew under the Artemis campaign, sending NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Reid Wiseman, as well as CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Kim Shiflett