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• Jeff Foust
The agency’s safety advisers say NASA risks losing human access to low Earth orbit as Crew Dragon approaches retirement and concerns persist about commercial space stations. The warning puts continuity of crewed operations in orbit at issue, though the available report provides no timetable or details of the advisers’ recommendations.
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A new estimate puts the number of Starship launches needed to support a lunar landing at 22. The figure underscores the scale of the launch and refueling campaign, with repeated fuelings identified as a key requirement for the lander.
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The agency’s safety advisers say NASA risks losing human access to low Earth orbit as Crew Dragon approaches retirement and concerns persist about commercial space stations. The warning puts continuity of crewed operations in orbit at issue, though the available report provides no timetable or details of the advisers’ recommendations.
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ESA Director-General Josef Aschbacher says demand estimates are not yet firm enough for action on a potential late-decade Ariane 6 launcher shortage; decisions are expected early next year. Separately, ESA describes a turbopump issue delaying a planned 2026 launch into 2027 as transitory, not a lasting problem.
A study has identified four locations on the moon for future crewed missions, extending consideration beyond the lunar south pole where NASA is focused on establishing a base. The recommendations add potential destinations to the discussion of where human exploration missions could go.
NASA plans to provide an update on Artemis III and its plans to land astronauts on the moon during a press conference on Friday, Oct. 23. The agency says the event will be available to watch live; the announcement provides no further mission details.
NASA is changing how it selects science missions, aiming to make the process faster and simpler. The changes affect how future missions are chosen, but the available report does not detail the specific revisions, schedule or programs involved.
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