Space.com
• Josh Dinner
Northrop Grumman plans to adapt technology developed for HALO, the habitation and logistics module originally intended for NASA’s canceled lunar space station, to support development of the Artemis moon base. The move preserves existing hardware and design work within NASA’s evolving lunar architecture.
Human Spaceflight & Space Stations
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Northrop Grumman plans to adapt technology developed for HALO, the habitation and logistics module originally intended for NASA’s canceled lunar space station, to support development of the Artemis moon base. The move preserves existing hardware and design work within NASA’s evolving lunar architecture.
A radiation-blocking vest has flown to the Moon and back, demonstrating an alternative to shielding an entire spacecraft. The approach could help protect astronauts from space radiation while reducing the mass and complexity associated with spacecraft-wide shielding, though the article provides no performance metrics or mission details.
Paragon Space Development Corp. has laid off 70 employees after NASA halted work on a module being developed for the lunar Gateway, underscoring the workforce and supplier impact of program-level changes. The company was a subcontractor on the affected module.
Virgin Galactic says it will postpone the start of commercial flights on its new suborbital spaceplane until early 2027, extending the development timeline by several months. The delay pushes back the company’s planned return to revenue-generating passenger operations.
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Virgin Galactic has pushed the Delta-class spaceplane’s first full-power flight and commercial debut to early 2027, while systems testing continues and the company seeks public input on the vehicle’s name. The company has also raised per-seat pricing, with $750,000 expeditions selling out early despite $134,000 in Q2 revenue.
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A 26-kilogram radiation-shielding vest flown on a model human torso during NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I mission reduced exposure during simulated severe solar storms, a new study suggests. The result supports further development of wearable protection for astronauts on extended lunar and Mars missions.
COSPAR has re-elected Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund as president following its 2026 assembly in Florence, which drew approximately 3,000 attendees. The event covered a broad range of space research and operations, from planetary science to human spaceflight, underscoring the organization’s role as a convening forum for the sector.
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MDA Space plans to adapt technology developed for Canadarm3, the robotic arm intended for NASA’s Gateway lunar-orbit station, for operations on the Moon’s surface after NASA put Gateway plans on hold. The shift preserves a role for the technology in lunar exploration despite changes to the station program.
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