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Space.com • Elizabeth Howell

40 years after Challenger: lessons learned, but human spaceflight remains hard

On the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, industry reflection underscores that despite decades of technical and procedural advances intended to codify 'lessons learned,' crewed spaceflight remains complex and high-risk. The 1986 breakup that killed seven astronauts still shapes safety culture and program decisions today.

2026-01-27T21:14:59.991165-08:00

The War Zone

NASA WB-57F Canberra Gear‑Up Belly Landing at Ellington Field; Crew Uninjured

2026-01-27T12:31:11.539587-08:00

NASA Spaceflight

NASA moves Artemis II SLS wet dress rehearsal to Jan. 31 ahead of potential Feb. 6 launch

2026-01-27T05:56:21.902866-08:00

SpaceNews.com

NASA lauds quality of PlanetiQ radio occultation data

2026-01-27T06:24:05.333815-08:00

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Space.com

40 years after Challenger: lessons learned, but human spaceflight remains hard On the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, industry reflection underscores that despite decades of technical and procedural advances intended to codify 'lessons learned,' crewed spaceflight remains complex and high-risk. The 1986 breakup that killed seven astronauts still shapes safety culture and program decisions today.

2026-01-27T21:14:59.991165-08:00

40 years after Challenger: lessons learned, but human spaceflight remains hard

The War Zone

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NASA WB-57F Canberra Gear‑Up Belly Landing at Ellington Field; Crew Uninjured A NASA WB‑57F Canberra high‑altitude research aircraft made a gear‑up “belly” emergency landing at Ellington Field, Houston on Jan. 27, 2026 after a reported landing‑gear failure. The crew escaped unharmed; the aircraft slid on its belly amid visible flames. NASA has opened a formal investigation.

2026-01-27T12:31:11.539587-08:00

NASA WB-57F Canberra Gear‑Up Belly Landing at Ellington Field; Crew Uninjured

SpaceNews.com

NASA lauds quality of PlanetiQ radio occultation data NASA's evaluation has lauded the quality of radio occultation data produced by PlanetiQ, finding the measurements consistent and reliable for atmospheric profiling. The assessment represents an external validation of PlanetiQ's radio occultation dataset and its suitability for scientific and operational use.

2026-01-27T06:24:05.333815-08:00

NASA lauds quality of PlanetiQ radio occultation data

Universe Today

Habitable Worlds Observatory pre-print: picometer‑level precision and tech maturation needed to find an Earth 2.0 NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory, the agency’s flagship 2040s space‑telescope concept, will need picometer‑level precision in stability and measurements to directly image Earth‑like planets, according to a new arXiv pre‑print from the HWO Technology Maturation Project Office that maps required technology maturation and the mission trade space.

2026-01-27T06:23:30.260772-08:00

Habitable Worlds Observatory pre-print: picometer‑level precision and tech maturation needed to find an Earth 2.0

NASA Spaceflight

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NASA moves Artemis II SLS wet dress rehearsal to Jan. 31 ahead of potential Feb. 6 launch NASA advanced the Artemis II campaign by moving the SLS wet dress rehearsal fueling test to Jan. 31 — a final, full-up countdown and propellant loading simulation — ahead of a potential Feb. 6 launch; the four Artemis II astronauts have entered quarantine and NASA is livestreaming pad activities.

2026-01-27T05:56:21.902866-08:00

NASA moves Artemis II SLS wet dress rehearsal to Jan. 31 ahead of potential Feb. 6 launch

Space.com

JWST 'Little Red Dots' flagged as candidate nurseries for direct-collapse supermassive black holes JWST has detected compact sources dubbed 'Little Red Dots' that researchers say may be the first direct observational evidence of direct-collapse supermassive black hole formation. If confirmed, these objects would pinpoint the birth sites of the universe's most massive black holes and reshape early-galaxy assembly models.

2026-01-27T05:14:50.448267-08:00

JWST 'Little Red Dots' flagged as candidate nurseries for direct-collapse supermassive black holes

SpaceNews.com

NASA seeks partners for Earth Science extended missions, updates INNOVATE solicitation NASA has issued solicitations to find partners for Earth Science extended missions and published Amendment 41 updating the A.10 INNOVATE solicitation, inviting proposals that apply NASA Earth observations and models to value‑added technologies, applications and societal benefits. The actions aim to accelerate operational use of satellite data.

2026-01-26T18:59:56.679315-08:00

NASA seeks partners for Earth Science extended missions, updates INNOVATE solicitation

FlightGlobal

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GE Aerospace, NASA demonstrate turbine‑based hybrid‑electric integration on Passport high‑bypass turbofan in ground test GE Aerospace, with NASA researchers, completed ground tests of a turbine‑based hybrid‑electric system using a modified Passport high‑bypass turbofan at Peebles, Ohio. Tests demonstrated power transfer, extraction and injection capabilities that exceeded NASA technical benchmarks and could enable hybrid propulsion for narrowbody aircraft in the 2030s.

2026-01-26T13:54:44.631447-08:00

GE Aerospace, NASA demonstrate turbine‑based hybrid‑electric integration on Passport high‑bypass turbofan in ground test

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NASA News

40 years after Challenger: lessons learned, but human spaceflight remains hard

NASA WB-57F Canberra Gear‑Up Belly Landing at Ellington Field; Crew Uninjured

NASA moves Artemis II SLS wet dress rehearsal to Jan. 31 ahead of potential Feb. 6 launch

NASA lauds quality of PlanetiQ radio occultation data

News Timeline