Human Spaceflight & Space Stations News

SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

Lockheed Martin Delivers Flight-Ready Orion Capsule for Artemis II Moon Mission

Lockheed Martin has handed over the fully tested and assembled Orion spacecraft to NASA ahead of its Artemis II mission, set to carry four astronauts around the Moon in early 2026. The delivery marks the completion of Orion development and transitions the program into launch preparations.

2025-05-02T04:56:48.280553-07:00

NASA Spaceflight

Expedition 73 Kicks Off on ISS with Seven-Person Crew and First EVA

2025-05-02T13:54:43.294517-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Jared Isaacman's NASA Administrator Nomination Advances to Full Senate

2025-04-30T08:32:17.533564-07:00

sinodaily.com

Shenzhou-19 Astronauts Conclude Six-Month Mission on China's Tiangong

2025-04-29T23:13:11.073626-07:00

Human Spaceflight & Space Stations News Timeline

Ars Technica

Trump budget forces NASA to slash ISS crew and research NASA is scrambling to scale back International Space Station operations after the Trump administration's budget proposal cuts the station’s crew size and slashes onboard research funding. With fewer astronauts on orbit and reduced resources, NASA must prioritize essential maintenance and defer dozens of planned experiments and upgrades.

2025-05-07T09:09:36.791997-07:00

Trump budget forces NASA to slash ISS crew and research

stories.tamu.edu

Sweating Spacecraft Could Enable Reusable Atmospheric Reentry As reusable space missions increase, engineers are testing a ‘sweating’ heat shield that releases coolant through micro-pores to shed reentry heat loads. This active thermal management approach could replace ablative and ceramic shields, potentially cutting refurbishment cycles and costs for future spacecraft reuse.

2025-05-05T06:29:25.448224-07:00

Sweating Spacecraft Could Enable Reusable Atmospheric Reentry

South China Morning Post

Chinese Engineering Expert Li Licheng, 84, Signs Up for Three Spaceflights Before 89 Li Licheng, an 84-year-old Chinese engineering veteran, has registered for three orbital space missions before his 89th birthday, underscoring China’s growing commercial space tourism sector and expanding accessibility of crewed spaceflights to senior participants.

2025-05-04T06:11:11.785549-07:00

Chinese Engineering Expert Li Licheng, 84, Signs Up for Three Spaceflights Before 89

collectSPACE

Paul Van Hoeydonck, sculptor of Apollo 15’s ‘Fallen Astronaut,’ dies at 99 Belgian artist Paul Van Hoeydonck, creator of the ‘Fallen Astronaut’ figurine left on the moon by Apollo 15 in 1971 to honor fallen space explorers, died on May 3 at his home in Antwerp. He was 99.

2025-05-03T18:14:34.323580-07:00

Paul Van Hoeydonck, sculptor of Apollo 15’s ‘Fallen Astronaut,’ dies at 99

The Conversation

Defining the Astronaut: Private Space Tourism Sparks Debate Over Prestigious Title A surge in private suborbital and orbital flights has reignited questions about who merits the “astronaut” designation. As companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic expand commercial access, regulators, space agencies and industry experts are wrestling with training criteria, mission roles and the prestige attached to the title.

2025-05-03T10:35:09.129806-07:00

Defining the Astronaut: Private Space Tourism Sparks Debate Over Prestigious Title

NASA Spaceflight

❗️

Expedition 73 Kicks Off on ISS with Seven-Person Crew and First EVA Expedition 73 is now underway aboard the International Space Station with seven crew members restoring full-capacity operations. On Thursday, the team conducted its first spacewalk of the mission, carrying out essential maintenance tasks on station hardware.

2025-05-02T13:54:43.294517-07:00

Expedition 73 Kicks Off on ISS with Seven-Person Crew and First EVA

SpaceNews.com

❗️

Lockheed Martin Delivers Flight-Ready Orion Capsule for Artemis II Moon Mission Lockheed Martin has handed over the fully tested and assembled Orion spacecraft to NASA ahead of its Artemis II mission, set to carry four astronauts around the Moon in early 2026. The delivery marks the completion of Orion development and transitions the program into launch preparations.

2025-05-02T04:56:48.280553-07:00

Lockheed Martin Delivers Flight-Ready Orion Capsule for Artemis II Moon Mission

Associated Press

❗️

McClain and Ayers Complete 5th All-Female EVA to Prep ISS for New Solar Arrays NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers successfully completed a 5-hour, 44-minute spacewalk on May 1, the fifth all-female EVA in ISS history, during which they installed a mounting bracket for future rollout solar arrays and relocated a station communications antenna.

2025-05-01T07:16:00.304528-07:00

McClain and Ayers Complete 5th All-Female EVA to Prep ISS for New Solar Arrays

Create a free account to see more recent Human Spaceflight & Space Stations stories.