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SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

NASA scraps plans for a government-owned “core module,” keeps focus on privately operated commercial LEO stations

NASA has reversed its March approach that contemplated developing a government-owned “core module” to support commercial space stations replacing the ISS later this decade. In a June 1 statement, NASA reaffirmed that it will instead keep backing privately owned and operated low-Earth-orbit platforms, including leaving its CLD program unchanged.

2026-06-02T01:11:19.244339-07:00

Bloomberg

France signs two-mission deal with Vast for ISS and Haven-1 flights, using SpaceX crew capsules

2026-06-01T13:45:26.558627-07:00

Bloomberg

Blue Origin New Glenn explodes during Florida static hot-fire test, damaging LC-36 pad infrastructure

2026-05-28T19:10:16.075507-07:00

Universe Today

Roman Telescope infrared mirror complete for launch-ready flight configuration

2026-05-31T21:26:06.334959-07:00

News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

NASA scraps plans for a government-owned “core module,” keeps focus on privately operated commercial LEO stations NASA has reversed its March approach that contemplated developing a government-owned “core module” to support commercial space stations replacing the ISS later this decade. In a June 1 statement, NASA reaffirmed that it will instead keep backing privately owned and operated low-Earth-orbit platforms, including leaving its CLD program unchanged.

2026-06-02T01:11:19.244339-07:00

NASA scraps plans for a government-owned “core module,” keeps focus on privately operated commercial LEO stations

Bloomberg

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France signs two-mission deal with Vast for ISS and Haven-1 flights, using SpaceX crew capsules Vast has reached a French-government agreement to fly two French astronauts on Vast’s crewed missions, targeting the ISS and Haven-1 using SpaceX capsules. Announced through France’s Choose France Summit, the partnership coincides with Vast opening a Paris headquarters and setting a 2027 crewed-mission plan as NASA narrows station funding.

2026-06-01T13:45:26.558627-07:00

France signs two-mission deal with Vast for ISS and Haven-1 flights, using SpaceX crew capsules

Universe Today

Roman Telescope infrared mirror complete for launch-ready flight configuration Roman Telescope’s massive infrared mirror is reported as ready to fly, marking a key hardware milestone for the mission’s exoplanet and dusty-disk imaging work. The readiness step follows the program’s earlier move into pre-launch assembly and timeline positioning.

2026-05-31T21:26:06.334959-07:00

Roman Telescope infrared mirror complete for launch-ready flight configuration

Universe Today

JWST is “sniffing” alien atmospheres as Habitable Worlds Observatory moves into construction to hunt for extraterrestrial biolog The James Webb Space Telescope is already probing potential signs of life by analyzing alien atmospheres, while the Habitable Worlds Observatory is being built specifically to search for biology beyond Earth. The shift underscores how JWST-era observations will feed into dedicated follow-on missions.

2026-05-31T15:54:27.152834-07:00

JWST is “sniffing” alien atmospheres as Habitable Worlds Observatory moves into construction to hunt for extraterrestrial biolog

Flying Magazine

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NASA and Lockheed Martin X-59 poised for next step toward supersonic flight After an initial series of lower-speed test flights, NASA and Lockheed Martin’s X-59 is reported to be nearly ready to begin supersonic operations. The program’s remaining preparation appears close to completion as the team moves from subsonic validation toward the next flight phase.

2026-05-30T05:11:28.640993-07:00

NASA and Lockheed Martin X-59 poised for next step toward supersonic flight

Bloomberg

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Blue Origin New Glenn explodes during Florida static hot-fire test, damaging LC-36 pad infrastructure Blue Origin’s New Glenn suffered a major anomaly during a planned static hot-fire at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (LC-36), triggering an explosion that destroyed the booster and upper stage and caused substantial pad damage, including a toppled launch tower. All personnel were accounted for; the event raises near-term execution risk for NASA’s Artemis-relevant timeline.

2026-05-28T19:10:16.075507-07:00

Blue Origin New Glenn explodes during Florida static hot-fire test, damaging LC-36 pad infrastructure

Bloomberg

Russia to fly first crewed mission from Baikonur in July with a NASA astronaut aboard Russia plans its first manned launch from Baikonur this year in July, assigning a crew that includes a NASA astronaut. The announcement ties U.S.-Russian crew participation to Russia’s near-term launch cadence from Kazakhstan’s cosmodrome as both sides continue different human-spaceflight roadmaps.

2026-05-28T02:30:53.694730-07:00

Russia to fly first crewed mission from Baikonur in July with a NASA astronaut aboard

SpaceWatch Global

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NASA picks Venturi Astrolab for crewed Artemis lunar rover, selecting one of two providers NASA selected Venturi Astrolab, Inc. as one of two providers to develop a crewed lunar rover for the Artemis campaign. The award brings a new surface-mobility capability into NASA’s Artemis architecture as the agency advances steps toward a sustained return of humans to the Moon.

2026-05-28T01:13:31.661041-07:00

NASA picks Venturi Astrolab for crewed Artemis lunar rover, selecting one of two providers

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NASA News

NASA scraps plans for a government-owned “core module,” keeps focus on privately operated commercial LEO stations

France signs two-mission deal with Vast for ISS and Haven-1 flights, using SpaceX crew capsules

Blue Origin New Glenn explodes during Florida static hot-fire test, damaging LC-36 pad infrastructure

Roman Telescope infrared mirror complete for launch-ready flight configuration

News Timeline