Loss of Blue Origin’s New Glenn Booster: Update
Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy‑lift booster was destroyed during a static‑fire test at Launch Complex 36, prompting a rapid response from NASA. Administrator Jared Isaacman visited the blast site at Kennedy Space Center, meeting with Jeff Bezos, Dave Limp and engineers to assess damage. Blue Origin reported regained access to the pad and outlined a rebuild plan, emphasizing a swift, safe return to flight. The incident highlights the risks of on‑pad testing and the close partnership between NASA and commercial launch providers.
Take a Look at a Bio-Inspired Mars Robot
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) unveiled the Valles Marineris Explorer (VaMEx), a bio‑inspired robot swarm designed to scout Mars’ deepest canyon. The concept blends driving, walking and flying units, each equipped with curved wheels that let the rover "swim" through loose...
FAA Review: SpaceX “Starfall” Reentry Missions
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a Final Environmental Assessment for SpaceX’s Starfall reentry vehicle, evaluating impacts from launch, splashdown and recovery. The assessment clears the way for SpaceX to request a license that would permit up to ten reentries...
“We Will Spare No Effort”– China Blueprints Integration Plan for Human Moon Landing by 2030
China announced an integrated Lunar Exploration Program that merges its Chang'e robotic probes with the China Manned Space Agency’s human spaceflight efforts. The plan, unveiled by CMSA spokesman Zhang Jingbo at the Shenzhou‑23 pre‑launch event, sets a target of a...
Blue Origin’s Moon Lander Update
Blue Origin announced its Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) lunar lander series will support NASA’s Moon Base at the lunar South Pole, beginning with the MK1‑101 Endurance mission slated for launch no earlier than fall 2026. The lander will touch down on...
Tumbleweed Mars Testing: Harnessing Wind Energy
The Tumbleweed Mars prototype, a wind‑driven rover without wheels or fuel, completed the first day of a ten‑day desert test in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Developed over a decade by TU Delft, ESA and Europlanet, the lightweight 8‑lb (3.5‑kg) elliptical device can...
Dealing with Lunar Dust: What Works Best?
An Australian research team led by RMIT and CSIRO evaluated over 30 passive surface technologies to mitigate lunar dust, scoring them on five criteria including durability and dust interaction. The highest‑scoring solutions were a graphene‑enhanced perfluorosilane coating and a graphene/polyamide‑imide...
SpaceX, Blue Origin Human Moon Landers – What’s the Status?
NASA has committed nearly $7 billion to the Human Landing System (HLS) program since its 2019 launch and expects total spending to surpass $18 billion by fiscal year 2030. SpaceX and Blue Origin will each design, build and own a lunar lander,...
Small Spacecraft: State-of-the-Art Report
NASA’s Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute (S3VI) has published the 2026 Small Spacecraft Technology State‑of‑the‑Art report, cataloguing every publicly available small‑sat capability as of April 2026. The analysis highlights a rapid acceleration in SmallSat development, shifting from low‑cost experimental platforms to...
Eyeing Space Junk Re-Entries: Repercussions for Earth’s Atmosphere
LiDAR technology has begun detecting metal clouds generated by re‑entering space debris, marking a new frontier in atmospheric monitoring. In February 2025, a lithium‑rich plume linked to a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage was observed, revealing that artificial debris contributes measurable mass...
China Space Station: Docking of New Supply Ship
China’s Tianzhou‑10 cargo spacecraft successfully docked with the Tiangong space station on May 11, after Tianzhou‑9 departed. The uncrewed vehicle delivered nearly 6.2 tons of supplies, including food, water, 700 kg of propellant, a new space treadmill, and three upgraded extravehicular activity...
UFO Files Released by U.S. Department of War (Updated)
The U.S. Department of War (DOW) has posted 162 declassified documents, photos and videos on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) at President Donald Trump’s request. The archive, part of the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE), includes files...
Artemis II Crew Eyes Meteoroid Impact Flashes
During its lunar flyby, NASA’s Artemis II crew observed brief meteoroid impact flashes on the Moon’s far side, a phenomenon that onboard cameras struggled to capture. The Orion spacecraft carried 31 cameras to document the mission, yet rapid flashes evaded imaging...
Curiosity Mars Rover: Struggle at Atacama
NASA’s Curiosity rover successfully freed its drill bit after it became lodged in the Atacama rock target on Mars. The rock, a 1.5‑ft‑wide, 28.6‑lb block, lifted with the drill sleeve, forcing engineers to re‑orient, vibrate, and percussion‑drive the arm over...
China Space Breakthroughs Forecast
China’s aerospace giant CASC announced an aggressive rollout of missions through 2025, including the Chang’e‑7 lunar probe to scout the Moon’s south pole, the Hubble‑class Xuntian space telescope, and a massive Guowang broadband satellite constellation. The Tiangong space station will...