SpaceNews.com
• Jeff Foust
An agency investigation concluded that a computer glitch and a faulty gyro likely led to the loss of NASA’s MAVEN orbiter nearly a year ago. The finding identifies the probable technical causes of the spacecraft’s loss, though the provided report summary gives no further detail on the failure sequence or mission impact.
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NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said a new experimental aircraft will be announced at the Max Power Airshow. Asked about a “missing” SR-71, he deflected, saying it was “not the one you’re thinking about,” leaving the aircraft’s identity and the details of the announcement unclear.
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An agency investigation concluded that a computer glitch and a faulty gyro likely led to the loss of NASA’s MAVEN orbiter nearly a year ago. The finding identifies the probable technical causes of the spacecraft’s loss, though the provided report summary gives no further detail on the failure sequence or mission impact.
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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope found that interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has ice unlike familiar solar-system comets and more like bodies beyond Neptune. Separate Hubble and Webb observations of faint outer-solar-system objects are revealing clues to the solar system’s earliest history.
A change in party control of Congress after the midterm elections could challenge the longstanding bipartisan consensus behind civil space policy, putting NASA’s legislative and funding environment in focus. The outcome may shape how reliably the agency can pursue priorities across shifting political control.
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Four volunteers emerged from a 160-square-meter habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston after 378 days simulating life on Mars. The experiment was designed to help prepare for future long-duration crewed missions, with the participants living in isolation in a windowless environment.
Former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich has urged Democrats to target Elon Musk after the midterms and called for a future Democratic administration to nationalize SpaceX and Starlink. The proposal could have significant consequences for U.S. space policy and politics, including the Artemis program.
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NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman described the planned architecture and contingencies for Artemis III, a campaign involving multiple vehicles and launches. The outline includes a checkout sequence and prioritizes Blue Origin, but the available account does not specify timing, vehicle roles or contingency details.
NASA is looking to industry for a mission to raise the Hubble Space Telescope’s orbit before it is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere in 2033 or 2034. The effort follows a failed commercial attempt to reboost the smaller Swift observatory, which is now expected to burn up in November 2026.
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