News

NASA • Tiernan P Doyle

Suni Williams retires after 27 years; final mission became a 286‑day ISS odyssey amid Starliner failure

Sunita “Suni” Williams retired from NASA after a 27-year career that included three missions and 608 days in space. Her final flight became a 286‑day odyssey on the International Space Station after Boeing’s Starliner malfunctioned; Williams returned in March 2025 aboard a SpaceX crew vehicle.

2026-01-20T14:16:10.540192-08:00

Space.com

Damaged Shenzhou‑20 returns uncrewed after unplanned 270‑day mission; crew later honoured

2026-01-21T08:22:45.362551-08:00

Ars Technica

Vast's Haven-1 enters assembly and integration as first commercial space station nears launch

2026-01-20T07:11:51.884967-08:00

Space.com

NASA and SpaceX execute first in‑flight medical evacuation from ISS; Crew‑11 to undock early Jan. 14

2026-01-14T03:11:20.387316-08:00

News Timeline

Space.com

❗️

Damaged Shenzhou‑20 returns uncrewed after unplanned 270‑day mission; crew later honoured China’s Shenzhou‑20 return capsule parachuted into Dongfeng, Inner Mongolia on Jan. 19 after an unplanned 270‑day mission docked nine months to the Tiangong station following a suspected orbital‑debris strike that left the crew’s original return vehicle unfit; the three taikonauts received aerospace medals two days later.

2026-01-21T08:22:45.362551-08:00

Damaged Shenzhou‑20 returns uncrewed after unplanned 270‑day mission; crew later honoured

Space.com

Crew‑11 to brief today after medical evacuation and shortened ISS mission A public briefing with the medically evacuated Crew‑11 astronauts begins at 2:15 p.m. EST today (Jan. 21). The crew will discuss the circumstances and implications of their shortened International Space Station mission; a live stream will be available.

2026-01-21T05:06:30.062250-08:00

Crew‑11 to brief today after medical evacuation and shortened ISS mission

NASA

❗️

Suni Williams retires after 27 years; final mission became a 286‑day ISS odyssey amid Starliner failure Sunita “Suni” Williams retired from NASA after a 27-year career that included three missions and 608 days in space. Her final flight became a 286‑day odyssey on the International Space Station after Boeing’s Starliner malfunctioned; Williams returned in March 2025 aboard a SpaceX crew vehicle.

2026-01-20T14:16:10.540192-08:00

Suni Williams retires after 27 years; final mission became a 286‑day ISS odyssey amid Starliner failure

Space.com

Blue Origin targets Jan. 22 NS-38 New Shepard crewed suborbital flight with six passengers Blue Origin has set Jan. 22 for NS-38, the 17th crewed New Shepard flight, carrying six announced passengers on a short suborbital hop. The launch is the company's first crewed flight of 2026 and continues its commercial suborbital passenger operations.

2026-01-20T12:04:26.147354-08:00

Blue Origin targets Jan. 22 NS-38 New Shepard crewed suborbital flight with six passengers

Ars Technica

❗️

Vast's Haven-1 enters assembly and integration as first commercial space station nears launch Vast's Haven-1, promoted as the world's first commercial space station, has entered assembly and integration ahead of a planned launch. The company says it has “a very strong incentive” to fly a crew as soon as it can be done safely, positioning Haven-1 as a step toward continuous human presence in LEO.

2026-01-20T07:11:51.884967-08:00

Vast's Haven-1 enters assembly and integration as first commercial space station nears launch

Ars Technica

❗️

Managers warn of 'launch fever' as pressure mounts on NASA's Moon mission NASA managers are warning of 'launch fever' as schedule and external pressures mount around the agency's Moon mission, urging caution and emphasis on crew safety. Agency officials stressed, "I've got one job, and it's the safe return of Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy."

2026-01-16T22:12:34.103233-08:00

Managers warn of 'launch fever' as pressure mounts on NASA's Moon mission

Bloomberg

❗️

Artemis II rolls to LC‑39B as NASA advances first crewed lunar flyby since 1972; Canada aboard NASA’s Artemis II SLS‑Orion stack rolled from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B on Jan. 16–17, completing a major prelaunch milestone ahead of the agency’s first crewed lunar flyby since 1972. The four‑person mission includes Canada's first astronaut assigned to a lunar flight.

2026-01-16T04:53:03.590998-08:00

Artemis II rolls to LC‑39B as NASA advances first crewed lunar flyby since 1972; Canada aboard

Space.com

❗️

NASA and SpaceX execute first in‑flight medical evacuation from ISS; Crew‑11 to undock early Jan. 14 NASA and SpaceX will undock the Crew‑11 Dragon early on Jan. 14 after an undisclosed, serious medical issue aboard the International Space Station. Four astronauts are returning approximately a month ahead of schedule in the agency’s first in‑flight medical evacuation; splashdown is planned off California.

2026-01-14T03:11:20.387316-08:00

NASA and SpaceX execute first in‑flight medical evacuation from ISS; Crew‑11 to undock early Jan. 14

Menu

Human Spaceflight & Space Stations News

Suni Williams retires after 27 years; final mission became a 286‑day ISS odyssey amid Starliner failure

Damaged Shenzhou‑20 returns uncrewed after unplanned 270‑day mission; crew later honoured

Vast's Haven-1 enters assembly and integration as first commercial space station nears launch

NASA and SpaceX execute first in‑flight medical evacuation from ISS; Crew‑11 to undock early Jan. 14

News Timeline