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Ars Technica • Stephen Clark

NASA conducts controlled methalox rocket explosions to quantify blast hazards

NASA detonated methalox‑fueled rocket hardware at a remote test site, intentionally exploding stages while recording blast overpressure, acoustic signatures and physical damage to quantify explosion hazards. It aims to produce empirical blast metrics for launch and range safety.

2026-03-20T10:29:26.358347-07:00

Space.com

NASA holds out hope for silent MAVEN Mars orbiter: 'We're still looking for it'

2026-03-20T06:01:03.961296-07:00

Bloomberg

NASA shifts lunar-orbit propulsion to SpaceX Starship, trims Boeing's role in Artemis

2026-03-19T11:38:50.690926-07:00

Space Intel Report

NASA to convene Artemis international partners in Washington as ESA updates cooperation and ISS plans

2026-03-19T11:38:52.482394-07:00

News Timeline

Ars Technica

NASA conducts controlled methalox rocket explosions to quantify blast hazards NASA detonated methalox‑fueled rocket hardware at a remote test site, intentionally exploding stages while recording blast overpressure, acoustic signatures and physical damage to quantify explosion hazards. It aims to produce empirical blast metrics for launch and range safety.

2026-03-20T10:29:26.358347-07:00

NASA conducts controlled methalox rocket explosions to quantify blast hazards

Space.com

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NASA holds out hope for silent MAVEN Mars orbiter: 'We're still looking for it' NASA says it has not officially declared the MAVEN Mars orbiter lost and continues efforts to reestablish contact, despite a prolonged outage; mission managers say "we're still looking for it." The agency's search will determine whether MAVEN can resume its role in Mars science and communications relay.

2026-03-20T06:01:03.961296-07:00

NASA holds out hope for silent MAVEN Mars orbiter: 'We're still looking for it'

Space Intel Report

NASA to convene Artemis international partners in Washington as ESA updates cooperation and ISS plans NASA will convene international Artemis partners in Washington next week to discuss the agency's new Artemis plan, ESA Director General Josef Aschacher said. The meeting follows ESA Council endorsements of a new crewed ISS mission concept and intensified NASA–ESA coordination after the Mars Earth Return Orbiter shutdown.

2026-03-19T11:38:52.482394-07:00

NASA to convene Artemis international partners in Washington as ESA updates cooperation and ISS plans

Bloomberg

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NASA shifts lunar-orbit propulsion to SpaceX Starship, trims Boeing's role in Artemis NASA is revising its Artemis lunar-landing architecture, cutting Boeing's role and elevating SpaceX's Starship to perform the lunar-orbit propulsion task previously assigned to Boeing systems, according to people familiar with the agency's plans — a significant reshuffle of contractor responsibilities for upcoming crewed Moon missions.

2026-03-19T11:38:50.690926-07:00

NASA shifts lunar-orbit propulsion to SpaceX Starship, trims Boeing's role in Artemis

Universe Today

As 100+ lunar missions loom, experts urge protection of human-made heritage on the Moon A Smithsonian–AIAA summit paper warns that protecting lunar heritage is urgent: more than 100 metric tons of human-made material already rests on the Moon and NASA predicts 100+ new lunar missions this decade. The paper catalogs risks to historic sites and proposes policy and operational safeguards.

2026-03-19T07:20:11.986724-07:00

As 100+ lunar missions loom, experts urge protection of human-made heritage on the Moon

SpaceNews.com

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NASA proposes sharp increase in robotic lunar-lander cadence, opening market for commercial providers NASA has proposed a sharp increase in the cadence of robotic lunar lander missions, a move that has energized commercial providers while puzzling parts of the space community. The proposal signals expanded procurement and operational demand for landers and related services as NASA reshapes Artemis-era plans.

2026-03-19T05:12:23.169591-07:00

NASA proposes sharp increase in robotic lunar-lander cadence, opening market for commercial providers

Space.com

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Artemis II SLS and Orion roll to Pad 39B after VAB repairs ahead of planned April crewed lunar flyby NASA began rolling the 322‑foot Space Launch System and Orion, atop the 400‑foot Mobile Launcher, to Launch Complex‑39B on the night of March 19, resuming final launch preparations after repairs in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The four‑person Artemis II mission remains targeted for an April lunar flyby window.

2026-03-19T03:09:44.789352-07:00

Artemis II SLS and Orion roll to Pad 39B after VAB repairs ahead of planned April crewed lunar flyby

Reuters

Perseverance detects buried ancient river delta in Jezero — some of the oldest evidence of flowing water on Mars Using ground-penetrating radar in Jezero Crater, NASA's Perseverance rover has detected a buried ancient river delta that predates surface deposits seen from orbit. The discovery provides some of the oldest direct evidence that liquid water flowed on Mars billions of years ago and reveals deeper fluvial architecture for future sampling.

2026-03-18T15:09:26.934756-07:00

Perseverance detects buried ancient river delta in Jezero — some of the oldest evidence of flowing water on Mars

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NASA conducts controlled methalox rocket explosions to quantify blast hazards

NASA holds out hope for silent MAVEN Mars orbiter: 'We're still looking for it'

NASA shifts lunar-orbit propulsion to SpaceX Starship, trims Boeing's role in Artemis

NASA to convene Artemis international partners in Washington as ESA updates cooperation and ISS plans

News Timeline