NASA News

Payload • Victoria Woodburn

NASA awards SpaceX Starlink contract for Artemis III laser communications in LEO

NASA has selected SpaceX to deliver laser communications capabilities for the Artemis III mission using Starlink. The contract supports ship-to-ship communications in low Earth orbit, aiming to improve how Earth-based observers view and monitor planned in-orbit activity in the 2027 timeframe.

2 Sources

2026-07-17T05:58:32.578049-07:00

NASA

Serbia signs the Artemis Accords, becoming the 69th signatory

4 Sources

2026-07-16T15:50:51.949598-07:00

AeroTime

Soyuz MS-29 delivers NASA’s Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov, Anna Kikina to ISS (Expedition 75)

5 Sources

2026-07-15T14:15:52.240838-07:00

Associated Press

Soyuz MS-29 launches Anil Menon with two cosmonauts to the ISS, marking Russia’s return to crewed flights and a rare NASA-Roscos

26 Sources

2026-07-14T04:46:53.408861-07:00

NASA News Timeline

Payload

2 sources

NASA awards SpaceX Starlink contract for Artemis III laser communications in LEO NASA has selected SpaceX to deliver laser communications capabilities for the Artemis III mission using Starlink. The contract supports ship-to-ship communications in low Earth orbit, aiming to improve how Earth-based observers view and monitor planned in-orbit activity in the 2027 timeframe.

2026-07-17T05:58:32.578049-07:00

NASA awards SpaceX Starlink contract for Artemis III laser communications in LEO

NASA

4 sources

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Serbia signs the Artemis Accords, becoming the 69th signatory Serbia signed the U.S.-led Artemis Accords on July 16 at a NASA-hosted ceremony in Washington, joining the agreement’s community of “like-minded nations” committed to peaceful, transparent, responsible space exploration. Serbia signed more than two years after initial U.S. participation and becomes the third country involved in both Artemis Accords and ILRS.

2026-07-16T15:50:51.949598-07:00

Serbia signs the Artemis Accords, becoming the 69th signatory

Space.com

1 source

NASA accelerates Artemis III preparations for 2027 crewed lunar launch on SLS NASA is ramping up preparations for Artemis III, targeting a 2027 launch of its next crewed moon mission. The flight is planned to ride atop the Space Launch System (SLS), and the agency is stepping up work ahead of the astronaut launch next year.

2026-07-15T15:17:08.358902-07:00

NASA accelerates Artemis III preparations for 2027 crewed lunar launch on SLS

AeroTime

5 sources

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Soyuz MS-29 delivers NASA’s Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov, Anna Kikina to ISS (Expedition 75) Three new crew members—NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina—arrived at the International Space Station aboard Soyuz MS-29 on Tuesday, bringing the station to a complement of 10. The arrivals begin mission-life adjustments ahead of the next scheduled crew departure.

2026-07-15T14:15:52.240838-07:00

Soyuz MS-29 delivers NASA’s Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov, Anna Kikina to ISS (Expedition 75)

Flying Magazine

2 sources

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NASA Ames simulations: autonomous aircraft could reach scale NASA’s Ames Research Center simulations suggest autonomous aircraft can achieve operational scale. The work—done in collaboration with Boeing’s partner Wisk Aero—focuses on self-flying aircraft performance in simulated conditions, advancing the case for scalable autonomy beyond early prototypes.

2026-07-15T08:13:42.476427-07:00

NASA Ames simulations: autonomous aircraft could reach scale

SpaceNews.com

4 sources

Isaacman attends Soyuz MS-29 launch as two Russians and one US crewmember reach the ISS A Soyuz MS-29 mission launched from Russia-leased Baikonur in Kazakhstan and successfully docked with the International Space Station on July 14/15, bringing three new crew members aboard. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman witnessed the launch in person despite ongoing US-Russia tensions driven by the Ukraine war.

2026-07-15T02:32:06.464207-07:00

Isaacman attends Soyuz MS-29 launch as two Russians and one US crewmember reach the ISS

SpaceWatch Global

1 source

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NASA launches draft RFP seeking industry feedback for the second phase of its commercial space stations strategy NASA has released a draft request for proposal (RFP) to solicit feedback from U.S. industry on the next phase of its commercial space stations strategy. The input process is intended to shape the follow-on procurement approach for developing and operating commercial space station capabilities.

2026-07-15T01:52:59.476539-07:00

NASA launches draft RFP seeking industry feedback for the second phase of its commercial space stations strategy

Associated Press

26 sources

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Soyuz MS-29 launches Anil Menon with two cosmonauts to the ISS, marking Russia’s return to crewed flights and a rare NASA-Roscos Russia resumed crewed launches to the International Space Station with the Soyuz MS-29 liftoff from Baikonur at 14:47 UTC on July 14. NASA astronaut Anil Menon flew alongside Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina (a former SpaceX Dragon passenger), with docking occurring a few hours later amid a high-profile NASA-Roscosmos leadership presence.

2026-07-14T04:46:53.408861-07:00

Soyuz MS-29 launches Anil Menon with two cosmonauts to the ISS, marking Russia’s return to crewed flights and a rare NASA-Roscos