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NASA disqualifies X-ray telescope proposal from Probe-class astrophysics competition

NASA disqualified one of two proposals competing to become the agency's next Probe-class X‑ray telescope, a move the mission's principal investigator blamed on last year's internal upheaval at the agency. The decision leaves a single remaining bidder in the competition and tightens NASA's selection options.

Discovered 2026-03-11T05:52:23.180456-07:00 | 2026-03-11T05:52:23.180456-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The disqualification removes one of two proposals, leaving a single remaining bid for the Probe-class X‑ray telescope competition and narrowing NASA's options for this mid-scale astrophysics program.
  • The mission lead attributes the decision to last year's internal upheaval at the agency; this follows recent agency reorganizations and program shifts [source:95211eae-5a31-452a-8006-4c77b9f6f20d] and broader changes in mission priorities and staffing [source:a1d3284e-5d17-4d8a-a01f-cf4c85936aa1].
  • The move arrives amid questions about NASA's transparency and prioritization of science missions, as highlighted by a leaked internal memo and previous critiques of science funding [source:ad9ae820-6ee3-43b4-b83e-d01c4c371cb5] and organizational pressure on science programs [source:bae85b36-8b60-4771-98af-e7aed3250427].

Reported By

Space.com astrospace.it SpaceNews.com
Sources Tracked
3
First Seen
2026-03-11T05:52:23.180456-07:00
Latest Update
2026-03-12T09:09:49.027279-07:00
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Space

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