Ars Technica
• Eric Berger
Independent safety officials found that NASA’s Orion spacecraft heat shield performed well, despite earlier criticism of its behavior during testing or flight. The assessment also praised changes made by NASA leadership, providing support for the agency’s approach to addressing concerns surrounding the crewed exploration vehicle.
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Independent safety officials found that NASA’s Orion spacecraft heat shield performed well, despite earlier criticism of its behavior during testing or flight. The assessment also praised changes made by NASA leadership, providing support for the agency’s approach to addressing concerns surrounding the crewed exploration vehicle.
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir and French astronaut Sophie Adenot are scheduled to conduct the sixth all-female spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Sept. 1. The extravehicular activity will be streamed live, highlighting continued international participation in ISS operations and human spaceflight.
President Donald Trump honored the Artemis II astronauts—the first humans to travel beyond the Moon in more than 50 years—with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and signed an executive order directing NASA to establish the nation’s first U.S. Space Academy at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
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NASA and its contractors are increasing activity ahead of next year’s Artemis III mission, with continued Solid Rocket Booster stacking and RS-25 engine installation on the SLS Core Stage 3. The agency says four SLS vehicles are now in production, signaling a broader production ramp-up for Artemis missions.
NASA and SpaceX have delayed a planned International Space Station mission after identifying an oxidizer leak in the Dragon spacecraft’s propulsion system. The postponement underscores an additional prelaunch technical issue requiring resolution before the spacecraft can safely proceed to the station.
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the creation—or further study—of a U.S. Space Academy modeled on institutions serving the Air Force and Coast Guard. The proposed school would train personnel for the Space Force, NASA and the expanding civilian spaceflight industry.
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President Donald Trump presented NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor at Johnson Space Center. The award recognizes the crew’s successful Artemis II mission, including its crewed flight around the moon earlier this year.
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NASA has begun examining options to replace its fleet of T-38 Talon jets, which have trained astronauts for decades. The effort comes as the U.S. Air Force prepares to retire its own aging Talon fleet, creating potential challenges for sustaining astronaut training capabilities.
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