Mars Exploration News

NASA • Jessica Taveau

NASA selects 10 new astronaut candidates for Artemis‑era training, stresses return to the Moon ahead of China

NASA named a 10‑member astronaut class Sept. 22 — six women and four men — chosen from more than 8,000 applicants. The group, which includes a former SpaceX crew member and launch director, will report in January for two‑year training as NASA advances Artemis lunar plans.

2025-09-22T09:59:41.759729-07:00

Wall Street Journal

Starship’s 10th Test Flight Largely Successful — Deploys Eight Mock Starlink Sats and Validates Heat‑Shield Tiles

2025-08-26T18:23:49.861540-07:00

New York Times

Perseverance sample from Martian lakebed shows potential biosignatures; Earth return and confirmation in doubt

2025-09-10T08:03:52.240286-07:00

Space.com

SpaceX calls off 10th Starship test flight after ground‑systems glitch, delaying Mars timeline

2025-08-24T16:53:27.853236-07:00

Mars Exploration News Timeline

Live Science

Mars Express flyover visualizes 1,000-mile 'maze' in high-resolution video A new public video assembled from Mars Express orbiter data stitches high-resolution imagery into a flyover of a roughly 1,000-mile-long maze on Mars, revealing striking surface detail and regional context that could inform geological interpretation, landing-site selection, and downstream mission planning.

2025-10-07T05:43:03.125240-07:00

Mars Express flyover visualizes 1,000-mile 'maze' in high-resolution video

skyandtelescope.org

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Mars orbiters, led by MRO/HiRISE, will image interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS during Oct. 3 flyby Comet 3I/ATLAS — the third confirmed interstellar object — will pass roughly 30 million kilometres from Mars on Oct. 3, and a fleet of Mars orbiters will aim instruments at the visitor. NASA's MRO/HiRISE will attempt high-resolution images while European and other orbiters collect complementary remote-sensing data.

2025-10-02T11:36:41.404875-07:00

Mars orbiters, led by MRO/HiRISE, will image interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS during Oct. 3 flyby

Space.com

How Perseverance’s instruments identified a possible sign of ancient life on Mars Perseverance's onboard instruments have detected features in a Jezero Crater rock that scientists say could be a biosignature, but remote measurements are ambiguous and unable to provide definitive proof. Confirming ancient life will require returned samples and laboratory analysis on Earth, with procedural hurdles ahead.

2025-09-30T07:06:00.601702-07:00

How Perseverance’s instruments identified a possible sign of ancient life on Mars

Space.com

Ball-shaped 'tumbleweed' rovers proposed to drift across Mars powered solely by wind A proposed fleet of ball-shaped rovers could drift across the Martian surface like terrestrial tumbleweeds, using local winds as their sole means of propulsion. The passive, wind-driven concept would permit broad-area traversal without wheels or powered locomotion, potentially reducing system complexity for surface exploration.

2025-09-30T03:08:27.997615-07:00

Ball-shaped 'tumbleweed' rovers proposed to drift across Mars powered solely by wind

Space.com

Global space leaders push for a continuous lunar presence and coordinated path to Mars World space leaders outlined plans for a sustained lunar presence and coordinated pathways to crewed missions to Mars, saying "The exploration of the moon is going to be a continuous activity." They framed the Moon as an enduring platform to support long‑term operations and future human missions to Mars.

2025-09-29T14:04:29.785457-07:00

Global space leaders push for a continuous lunar presence and coordinated path to Mars

orbitaltoday.com

Raptor Engine Revolution: How SpaceX’s Methalox Engine Powers Starship’s Reusability and Mars Ambitions SpaceX's Raptor methalox engine — developed through rapid, iterative test-fail cycles — is the technical linchpin for Starship's reusable architecture and Mars ambitions. The engine's methane fuel, high performance and evolving Raptor 3 design have delivered breakthroughs, but recent failures expose development and operational risks ahead.

2025-09-27T04:03:58.432041-07:00

Raptor Engine Revolution: How SpaceX’s Methalox Engine Powers Starship’s Reusability and Mars Ambitions

Los Angeles Times

Starship’s test-flight success advances Mars push as Musk confronts terrestrial hurdles SpaceX's Starship recently completed a successful test flight, advancing Elon Musk’s plan to reach Mars. But the program faces significant terrestrial challenges that could slow the move from prototype milestones to regular operations and shape Starship’s wider industry role.

2025-09-27T03:13:12.592024-07:00

Starship’s test-flight success advances Mars push as Musk confronts terrestrial hurdles

Leonard David

Rocket Lab delivers two Mars‑bound ESCAPADE Explorer spacecraft to Kennedy Space Center ahead of New Glenn launch Rocket Lab delivered two Explorer‑class spacecraft — NASA’s Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) — to Kennedy Space Center for integration ahead of a Mars‑bound launch on Blue Origin’s New Glenn slated this fall. UC Berkeley’s probes were built and tested by Rocket Lab under NASA’s SIMPLEx program.

2025-09-22T14:52:24.747051-07:00

Rocket Lab delivers two Mars‑bound ESCAPADE Explorer spacecraft to Kennedy Space Center ahead of New Glenn launch

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Our Mars Exploration news feed is the go-to source for the latest discoveries, mission updates, and technological advancements related to the Red Planet. With a focus on the international efforts to explore Mars, from robotic rovers to plans for human colonization, our coverage tracks humanity's progress in uncovering the secrets of our celestial neighbor.