National Space Society Blog
Non-profit advocacy blog highlighting space development news, space settlement concepts, and policy commentary.
Beyond the Fireball: My Reflections on the New Glenn Explosion
Blue Origin’s New Glenn suffered a catastrophic explosion during a hot‑fire test at Space Launch Complex 36, though no one was injured. The blast destroyed the vehicle and heavily damaged the launch pad, prompting a thorough investigation into engines, propellant systems, avionics and ground support equipment. Federal regulators have grounded the rocket while Blue Origin works to repair the infrastructure and rebuild the launch vehicle. The setback could ripple into NASA’s Artemis lunar‑landing schedule, where New Glenn is slated to provide heavy‑lift capability.
Moon Base: America’s Plan to Establish a Permanent Outpost on the Lunar South Pole
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the Moon Base program, a $30 billion effort to build a permanent U.S. outpost at the lunar South Pole. The plan unfolds in three phases starting in 2026, with Phase 3 delivering up to 150,000 kg of cargo...
The National Space Society Congratulates SpaceX on Successful Starship Flight 12 Test
SpaceX successfully completed Starship Flight 12, the first integrated test of the next‑generation Version 3 Starship and Super Heavy booster, launching from the newly built Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. The vehicle achieved lift‑off, ascent, stage separation and deployed 22 Starlink simulator payloads,...
Apollo Flight Director and Former Director of Johnson Space Center Gerry Griffin to Keynote at ISDC
The National Space Society announced that former NASA Flight Director Gerry Griffin will deliver the keynote at the 44th International Space Development Conference in McLean, Virginia, June 4‑7, 2026. Griffin, who guided every Apollo mission from Apollo 7 through Apollo 17 and...
SETI Institute President and CEO Bill Diamond to Speak at the National Space Society ISDC
Bill Diamond, president and CEO of the SETI Institute, will deliver the keynote address at the 44th International Space Development Conference (ISDC) in McLean, Virginia, June 4-7, 2026. The conference, organized by the National Space Society, is adding an interstellar...
Firefly Aerospace to Receive Space Pioneer Award at the National Space Society’s ISDC Conference
Firefly Aerospace will receive the National Space Society’s Space Pioneer Award at the 44th International Space Development Conference in June 2026, recognizing its Blue Ghost Mission 1. The mission marked the first commercial soft landing on the Moon and operated...
One (More) Small Step for Mankind
The Artemis II mission launched on April 1, carrying four astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion capsule, marking the first crewed flight of the program. The essay reflects on how the rise of New Space companies—SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic—has democratized access to space, turning...
Book Review: Space Ace
"Space Ace: A Combat Pilot’s Journey from Vietnam to Beyond Earth" is the 2026 memoir of veteran astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson, chronicling his five Space Shuttle flights and earlier Navy career. The 288‑page hardcover, priced at $29.95, presents a factual,...
Apollo 17 Astronaut Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt to Receive the Inaugural NSS Apollo Legacy Award at the NSS ISDC Conference
The National Space Society announced its inaugural Apollo Legacy Award, presented to Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt, the last Apollo astronaut to walk on the Moon. The award will be given at the 44th International Space Development Conference in McLean, Virginia,...
The New Glenn 3 Anomaly in Historical Perspective
Blue Origin’s New Glenn 3 (NG‑3) mission saw its first-stage booster land successfully, marking a milestone in reusability, but the upper stage failed to deliver the payload to orbit, leaving the satellite stranded. The anomaly has sparked social‑media speculation about...
The National Space Society Welcomes the Crew of Artemis 2 Home
Artemis 2 returned to Southern California on April 10 after a flawless nine‑day flight that included launch, high‑Earth orbit, trans‑lunar injection, a lunar flyby and safe splashdown. The mission proved Orion’s systems operated as planned, earning praise from NASA veterans and the...
Artemis II Mission Day 7 Recap April 7
On Flight Day 7, Artemis II’s Orion capsule left the Moon’s sphere of influence at 41,072 miles and began its return to Earth. The crew debriefed the historic lunar flyby, conducted a 15‑second trajectory‑correction burn that added 1.6 ft/s, and held a 15‑minute audio...
Artemis II Mission Day 5 Recap April 5
On Flight Day 5, Artemis II astronauts completed the first deep‑space test of Orion’s Crew Survival System emergency suits, performed a 17.5‑second trajectory correction burn, and entered the Moon’s sphere of influence. The crew also photographed the entire Orientale Basin, marking humanity’s...
NSS Responds to OMB’s Proposed FY27 NASA Budget
The National Space Society (NSS) welcomed the OMB’s FY27 NASA budget proposal for its shift away from the Lunar Gateway and a planned phase‑out of the Space Launch System in favor of commercial heavy‑lift services. It also praised the repurposing...
NSS Position Paper: Lunar Bases Should Be the Focus of Artemis
The National Space Society released a position paper urging NASA’s Artemis program to shift focus from brief lunar landings to establishing permanent, commercially operated lunar bases. The paper recommends NASA act as an anchor tenant while private firms own and...