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Ars Technica • Eric Berger

Orion cleared for Artemis launch as NASA reshuffles rockets; lunar lander question remains

NASA has reorganized its Artemis launch vehicles and confirms Orion is ready to fly on the upcoming Artemis mission, but the agency has not resolved who will provide a crewed lunar lander. The move advances the flight schedule while leaving surface access and contractor selection unsettled.

2026-03-06T07:58:27.800025-08:00

rocketlabcorp.com

Rocket Lab launches single 470 km LEO commercial satellite; payload widely reported as BlackSky

2026-03-05T17:21:28.784579-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Matt Anderson sails through Senate hearing for NASA deputy administrator; committee vote set for March 12

2026-03-05T15:15:28.851667-08:00

Ars Technica

Congress extends ISS funding, tells NASA to accelerate transition to commercial LEO stations

2026-03-05T11:33:18.844222-08:00

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Ars Technica

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Orion cleared for Artemis launch as NASA reshuffles rockets; lunar lander question remains NASA has reorganized its Artemis launch vehicles and confirms Orion is ready to fly on the upcoming Artemis mission, but the agency has not resolved who will provide a crewed lunar lander. The move advances the flight schedule while leaving surface access and contractor selection unsettled.

2026-03-06T07:58:27.800025-08:00

Orion cleared for Artemis launch as NASA reshuffles rockets; lunar lander question remains

Universe Today

Century-long solar records reveal patterns to sharpen near-term solar-activity forecasts A new study reanalyzed more than a century of solar observations to uncover connections in sunspot and magnetic behavior that improve short-term predictions of solar activity. The work aims to reduce uncertainty in when solar storms and coronal mass ejections will occur, enhancing near-term space‑weather forecasting skill.

2026-03-06T07:40:49.504508-08:00

Century-long solar records reveal patterns to sharpen near-term solar-activity forecasts

Ars Technica

United Launch Alliance to build additional upper stages for NASA's SLS United Launch Alliance will build additional upper stages for NASA's Space Launch System, increasing ULA's production role in SLS sustainment. The decision adds hardware capacity for upcoming Artemis-class missions and shifts near-term workload and supplier demand onto ULA's manufacturing lines.

2026-03-06T04:57:37.101570-08:00

United Launch Alliance to build additional upper stages for NASA's SLS

rocketlabcorp.com

Rocket Lab launches single 470 km LEO commercial satellite; payload widely reported as BlackSky On March 5–6 Rocket Lab’s Electron successfully inserted a single commercial satellite into a 470 km low‑Earth orbit on a mission named “Insight at Speed is a Friend Indeed” for a confidential customer widely reported to be Earth‑observation operator BlackSky. The flight — Rocket Lab’s 83rd mission and the company’s fourth launch this year — reinforces its high small‑launcher cadence.

2026-03-05T17:21:28.784579-08:00

Rocket Lab launches single 470 km LEO commercial satellite; payload widely reported as BlackSky

SpaceNews.com

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Matt Anderson sails through Senate hearing for NASA deputy administrator; committee vote set for March 12 Matt Anderson, the White House nominee for NASA deputy administrator, received bipartisan support and faced little pushback at his March 5 Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing. The committee is scheduled to vote on his nomination March 12, advancing a key senior post under Administrator Jared Isaacman.

2026-03-05T15:15:28.851667-08:00

Matt Anderson sails through Senate hearing for NASA deputy administrator; committee vote set for March 12

Space.com

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Rocket Lab HASTE to launch 'Insight at Speed is a Friend Indeed' from Wallops tonight Rocket Lab's HASTE vehicle is set to lift off from NASA Wallops Flight Facility at 6:53 p.m. ET today (March 5), carrying a mystery payload for a confidential customer under the mission name "Insight at Speed is a Friend Indeed." NASA has confirmed Wallops support for the flight.

2026-03-05T12:32:04.857998-08:00

Rocket Lab HASTE to launch 'Insight at Speed is a Friend Indeed' from Wallops tonight

Flying Magazine

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NASA launches 'NASA Force' to recruit top aerospace, software and systems engineers NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman this week unveiled "NASA Force," a public–private partnership to recruit leading aerospace, software and systems engineers from private industry. The program was announced earlier this week and targets senior technical talent across engineering disciplines to join NASA.

2026-03-05T12:07:16.276022-08:00

NASA launches 'NASA Force' to recruit top aerospace, software and systems engineers

Ars Technica

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Congress extends ISS funding, tells NASA to accelerate transition to commercial LEO stations Congress extended funding for the International Space Station and directed NASA to accelerate the transition to commercially operated low‑Earth‑orbit stations, signalling renewed legislative commitment to post‑ISS commercialization. The move provides near‑term program certainty for NASA and commercial station developers as the agency shifts responsibilities to industry.

2026-03-05T11:33:18.844222-08:00

Congress extends ISS funding, tells NASA to accelerate transition to commercial LEO stations

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NASA News

Orion cleared for Artemis launch as NASA reshuffles rockets; lunar lander question remains

Rocket Lab launches single 470 km LEO commercial satellite; payload widely reported as BlackSky

Matt Anderson sails through Senate hearing for NASA deputy administrator; committee vote set for March 12

Congress extends ISS funding, tells NASA to accelerate transition to commercial LEO stations

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