NASA Invites Media to Annual Lunabotics Robotics CompetitionNASA will hold its 2026 Lunabotics Challenge Tuesday, May 19, to Thursday, May 21, at the Astronauts Memorial Foundation’s Center for Space Education at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Links to view the Lunabotics competition live can be found on the agency’s Lunabotics page. The competition is slated to run between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day. Media are invited to attend the […]
NASA Astronaut Jessica MeirNASA Astronaut Jessica Meir sits for a portrait at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on Sept. 23, 2025. This photo was chosen as one of the 2025 NASA Photographer of the Year finalists. Meir launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station in February 2026 with fellow NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway, […]
NASA’s SpaceX 34th Commercial Resupply Mission OverviewNASA and SpaceX are targeting a mid-May launch to deliver scientific investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. Loaded with about 6,500 pounds of supplies, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will lift off aboard the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Following its arrival to the orbital complex, Dragon will dock autonomously to the forward port of […]
Booster 19 completes Static Fire as Ship 39 prepares for rolloutFollowing Booster 19’s successful full-duration, full-thrust 33-engine static fire on May 7, 2026, its partner… The post Booster 19 completes Static Fire as Ship 39 prepares for rollout appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures Mars During Gravity Assist ApproachDescription This colorized image of Mars was captured by NASA’s Psyche mission on May 3, 2026, about 3 million miles (4.8 million kilometers) from the planet. The spacecraft is approaching the planet for a gravity assist on May 15 that will give it a boost in speed and adjust its trajectory toward asteroid Psyche for […]
ESA Begins Developing Replacements for NASA’s Contributions to LISAThe European Space Agency has begun mitigation efforts for key elements of its LISA mission after a White House budget proposal sought, for the second year running, to eliminate most of NASA’s planned support. One of these mitigation efforts was formalised on 5 May, when ESA awarded a €26.1 million contract to Thales Alenia Space […] The post ESA Begins Developing Replacements for NASA’s Contributions to LISA appeared first on European Spaceflight.
Meet the Fleet: NASA Armstrong Continues Legacy of Flight ResearchNASA’s home for experimental flight is welcoming more flyers to its already high-performing fleet as it continues to support science and aeronautics test missions – continuing the legacy of pioneers like Neil Armstrong. NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, added multiple aircraft this year: two F-15s supersonic jets, a Pilatus PC-12 utility plane, […]
Rocket Lab announces five-launch Neutron deal as it continues aiming for late 2026 debutThe company pivoted to a Neutron rocket launch debut no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2026 following a first stage tank test failure earlier this year. The first flight of Neutron won’t be reusable, but aims to recover the first stage during its second flight with a landing barge.
China prepares cargo, crew, and deep space missions, as commercial sector steps towards reusabilityChina is preparing to launch both cargo and crew missions to its Tiangong space station,… The post China prepares cargo, crew, and deep space missions, as commercial sector steps towards reusability appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
The Exploration Company Fires Up Rocket Engine for Moon LanderThe Exploration Company has successfully test fired a prototype of its 15 kN Huracan rocket engine. The engine is designed to enable the company’s future lunar vehicles to land on the surface of the Moon and to be restarted for ascent and orbital rendezvous. While The Exploration Company is currently focused on delivering its Nyx […] The post The Exploration Company Fires Up Rocket Engine for Moon Lander appeared first on European Spaceflight.
A beacon of light in swirls of dustThis latest Picture of the Month from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope features Messier 77 (M77), a barred spiral galaxy famous among astronomers for its combination of relative proximity and spectacular features to study. It is located 45 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus (The Whale). This new image from Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) highlights its swirling spiral arms, the dust in its disc and its piercingly bright core like never before.
Unlocking the Mystery of X-ray DotsA new “X-ray dot” found by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory – which could look like this artist’s illustration released on April 28, 2026 – could explain what the hundreds or potentially thousands of these objects are. Shortly after NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope started its science observations, reports of a new class of mysterious objects […]
LiveEO Secures €28 Million to Accelerate Push into Defence ApplicationsGerman Earth observation data provider LiveEO has closed a €28 million funding round. The company plans to use the funding to accelerate its expansion into dual-use defence and security services, as it positions itself to compete for a share of Germany’s planned €35 billion in spending on space-related defence projects. Founded in 2018, the Berlin-based […] The post LiveEO Secures €28 Million to Accelerate Push into Defence Applications appeared first on European Spaceflight.
NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover Surveys ‘Crocodile Bridge’Description NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera system to capture this 360-degree panorama of a region nicknamed “Crocodile Bridge” on Jezero Crater’s rim. The panorama is made up of 980 images, 971 of which were taken on Dec. 18, 2025, the 1,717th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. An additional nine were […]
Q&A: FanDuel Public Policy SVP Cory Fox Discusses Responsible GamingFanDuel’s Cory Fox talks about his company's partnership with Erin Andrews, responsible gaming tools, and entertainment-focused gambling. FanDuel is expanding its responsible gaming outreach with a ...
Op-Ed: Isaacman’s Actions Threaten Trust and Stability at NASAAdministrator Isaacman’s actions to date have destabilized NASA, damaged its most valued relationships, and jeopardized its future.
LAGEOS: An Earth Science Mission Built for Enduring PrecisionOn May 4, 1976, a spacecraft resembling a disco ball entered orbit almost 3,700 miles (6,000 kilometers) above Earth. This shiny, two‑foot‑wide (60‑centimeter) sphere called the Laser Geodynamics Satellite, or LAGEOS, is covered with 426 retroreflectors—small mirrored prisms designed to bounce laser light directly back to where it came from. Beneath its aluminum exterior sits […]
ESA Considers Shifting Harmony from Vega C to Ariane 6The European Space Agency has published a Request for Information (RFI) that suggests it is considering shifting the launch of its Harmony satellites from Vega C to Ariane 6. In October 2024, ESA awarded OHB a €280 million contract to develop and build a pair of satellites for its Harmony mission, which will monitor shifts […] The post ESA Considers Shifting Harmony from Vega C to Ariane 6 appeared first on European Spaceflight.
SpaceX launches CAS500-2 and 45 other payloads to Sun-synchronous orbitSpaceX successfully launched its third rideshare mission of 2026 aboard Falcon 9. The mission carried… The post SpaceX launches CAS500-2 and 45 other payloads to Sun-synchronous orbit appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
Sentinel-1D goes live: a milestone for Europe’s radar missionThe Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite, launched last November, is now fully operational after successfully completing its critical in-orbit commissioning phase.



















