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Bloomberg • Loren Grush

Blue Origin New Glenn explodes during Florida static hot-fire test, damaging LC-36 pad infrastructure

Blue Origin’s New Glenn suffered a major anomaly during a planned static hot-fire at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (LC-36), triggering an explosion that destroyed the booster and upper stage and caused substantial pad damage, including a toppled launch tower. All personnel were accounted for; the event raises near-term execution risk for NASA’s Artemis-relevant timeline.

2026-05-28T19:10:16.075507-07:00

SpaceWatch Global

NASA picks Venturi Astrolab for crewed Artemis lunar rover, selecting one of two providers

2026-05-28T01:13:31.661041-07:00

Bloomberg

NASA awards lunar transport and surface robotics contracts to Blue Origin and other firms as it formalizes a moon-base buildout

2026-05-26T12:54:36.648420-07:00

Space.com

China integrates robotic Chang’e lunar activities into human spaceflight for Moon landings by 2030; NASA arms Artemis with crewe

2026-05-27T11:13:00.583858-07:00

News Timeline

Bloomberg

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Blue Origin New Glenn explodes during Florida static hot-fire test, damaging LC-36 pad infrastructure Blue Origin’s New Glenn suffered a major anomaly during a planned static hot-fire at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (LC-36), triggering an explosion that destroyed the booster and upper stage and caused substantial pad damage, including a toppled launch tower. All personnel were accounted for; the event raises near-term execution risk for NASA’s Artemis-relevant timeline.

2026-05-28T19:10:16.075507-07:00

Blue Origin New Glenn explodes during Florida static hot-fire test, damaging LC-36 pad infrastructure

Bloomberg

Russia to fly first crewed mission from Baikonur in July with a NASA astronaut aboard Russia plans its first manned launch from Baikonur this year in July, assigning a crew that includes a NASA astronaut. The announcement ties U.S.-Russian crew participation to Russia’s near-term launch cadence from Kazakhstan’s cosmodrome as both sides continue different human-spaceflight roadmaps.

2026-05-28T02:30:53.694730-07:00

Russia to fly first crewed mission from Baikonur in July with a NASA astronaut aboard

SpaceWatch Global

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NASA picks Venturi Astrolab for crewed Artemis lunar rover, selecting one of two providers NASA selected Venturi Astrolab, Inc. as one of two providers to develop a crewed lunar rover for the Artemis campaign. The award brings a new surface-mobility capability into NASA’s Artemis architecture as the agency advances steps toward a sustained return of humans to the Moon.

2026-05-28T01:13:31.661041-07:00

NASA picks Venturi Astrolab for crewed Artemis lunar rover, selecting one of two providers

Space.com

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China integrates robotic Chang’e lunar activities into human spaceflight for Moon landings by 2030; NASA arms Artemis with crewe China is reshaping its lunar program by merging Chang’e robotic probe work with its human spaceflight plans to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030. Separately, NASA has selected Venturi Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to supply Artemis crewed lunar terrain vehicles (LTVs), with student teams developing lunar robotics for 2026.

2026-05-27T11:13:00.583858-07:00

China integrates robotic Chang’e lunar activities into human spaceflight for Moon landings by 2030; NASA arms Artemis with crewe

SpaceNews.com

Artemis 2 spotlights supply-chain realities behind NASA’s return to the Moon As Artemis 2 draws global attention for its first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo, the mission also functions as a stress test for deep-space supply chains. Recent Artemis II updates underscore the operational readiness signals that suppliers, hardware integration, and partner delivery timelines will have to sustain.

2026-05-27T06:18:11.106885-07:00

Artemis 2 spotlights supply-chain realities behind NASA’s return to the Moon

Space.com

NASA to name Artemis 3 astronauts on June 9 NASA says it will reveal the astronauts selected to fly the Artemis 3 docking mission in Earth orbit next year on June 9. The announcement caps ongoing Artemis III planning as NASA continues to firm up mission architecture and crew roles.

2026-05-27T06:12:22.773351-07:00

NASA to name Artemis 3 astronauts on June 9

Bloomberg

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NASA awards lunar transport and surface robotics contracts to Blue Origin and other firms as it formalizes a moon-base buildout NASA has begun contracting for elements of its moon-base effort, including agreements for robotic landers, rovers and drones, plus delivery of crew-carrying rovers/“moon buggies” to support planned surface operations near the south pole. NASA also signaled that “perimeter” planning and operational safeguards are part of the program’s direction.

2026-05-26T12:54:36.648420-07:00

NASA awards lunar transport and surface robotics contracts to Blue Origin and other firms as it formalizes a moon-base buildout

European Spaceflight

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Italy’s MPH lunar-habitat module clears NASA system requirements review, enabling Thales Alenia Space to move toward a 2027 Prel Italy’s Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) module has cleared a NASA System Requirements Review, allowing the ASI-led team and Thales Alenia Space to begin preparing for a Preliminary Design Review in 2027. The milestone keeps the European lunar-habitat work on track for upcoming Artemis-era surface systems integration.

2026-05-26T07:56:44.080661-07:00

Italy’s MPH lunar-habitat module clears NASA system requirements review, enabling Thales Alenia Space to move toward a 2027 Prel

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NASA News

Blue Origin New Glenn explodes during Florida static hot-fire test, damaging LC-36 pad infrastructure

NASA picks Venturi Astrolab for crewed Artemis lunar rover, selecting one of two providers

NASA awards lunar transport and surface robotics contracts to Blue Origin and other firms as it formalizes a moon-base buildout

China integrates robotic Chang’e lunar activities into human spaceflight for Moon landings by 2030; NASA arms Artemis with crewe

News Timeline