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Space.com • Elizabeth Howell

NASA to unveil the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope April 21, setting out next-generation mission milestones

NASA will unveil the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on April 21, with a live-streamed event to preview what’s next for the observatory. The reveal follows the program’s focus on enabling large-scale space astronomy beyond current survey capabilities.

2026-04-21T07:55:45.678464-07:00

Space.com

Curiosity rover detects >20 organic molecules in Gale Crater clays, including some never seen before on Mars

2026-04-21T04:25:36.472414-07:00

Payload

NASA to start monthly uncrewed Moon missions under CLPS beginning next year

2026-04-21T07:50:14.811777-07:00

SpaceNews.com

NASA inspector general: Artemis lunar spacesuits and ISS xEMU upgrades face delays into the 2031 window

2026-04-20T20:02:21.781111-07:00

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Space.com

NASA to unveil the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope April 21, setting out next-generation mission milestones NASA will unveil the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on April 21, with a live-streamed event to preview what’s next for the observatory. The reveal follows the program’s focus on enabling large-scale space astronomy beyond current survey capabilities.

2026-04-21T07:55:45.678464-07:00

NASA to unveil the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope April 21, setting out next-generation mission milestones

Payload

NASA to start monthly uncrewed Moon missions under CLPS beginning next year NASA says it plans to conduct monthly uncrewed lunar missions using CLPS starting next year, scaling how often payloads can be delivered to the Moon. The move is a major cadence change for commercial lunar services as NASA’s broader lunar architecture and lander options remain in flux.

2026-04-21T07:50:14.811777-07:00

NASA to start monthly uncrewed Moon missions under CLPS beginning next year

Space.com

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Curiosity rover detects >20 organic molecules in Gale Crater clays, including some never seen before on Mars NASA’s Curiosity rover says its Sample Analysis at Mars instrument has identified more than 20 organic molecules from clay-bearing sandstones in Glen Torridon, Gale crater. The finding is based on three drill samples and represents the most diverse set of organics reported from the Red Planet to date—advancing astrobiology targets while leaving biology unproven.

2026-04-21T04:25:36.472414-07:00

Curiosity rover detects >20 organic molecules in Gale Crater clays, including some never seen before on Mars

SpaceNews.com

NASA inspector general: Artemis lunar spacesuits and ISS xEMU upgrades face delays into the 2031 window NASA’s inspector general warns that new spacesuits required for Artemis lunar missions—and related suits supporting International Space Station operations—may not be ready until 2031. The assessment flags further schedule risk as NASA’s human lunar program continues to reshape architectures and milestones for the near term.

2026-04-20T20:02:21.781111-07:00

NASA inspector general: Artemis lunar spacesuits and ISS xEMU upgrades face delays into the 2031 window

Space.com

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NASA powers down Voyager 1’s LECP instrument to conserve energy and extend interstellar mission life On April 17, engineers at NASA’s JPL sent commands to deactivate the Low-energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment aboard Voyager 1 to preserve power. The 48-year-old spacecraft is now about 24 billion kilometers from Earth and is continuing its interstellar journey by turning off additional systems as batteries fade.

2026-04-20T15:00:02.164662-07:00

NASA powers down Voyager 1’s LECP instrument to conserve energy and extend interstellar mission life

Universe Today

NASA SPHEREx begins first data delivery, mapping the sky to track cosmic ices that inform future planet formation NASA’s SPHEREx medium-class survey telescope is now operating, with initial data starting to flow. The mission is mapping the entire sky on a six-month cadence, aiming to characterize “cosmic ices” whose composition and distribution are linked to the inputs for planet formation.

2026-04-20T08:52:45.989909-07:00

NASA SPHEREx begins first data delivery, mapping the sky to track cosmic ices that inform future planet formation

Payload

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Latvia signs on as 62nd Artemis Accords signatory, pledging peaceful, sustainable lunar cooperation Latvia has officially signed the Artemis Accords in Washington, becoming the framework’s 62nd participating nation. NASA welcomed Latvia’s formal subscription as part of a broader push to use the Accords to guide transparent, peaceful cooperation supporting NASA’s lunar exploration ambitions.

2026-04-20T07:02:10.092194-07:00

Latvia signs on as 62nd Artemis Accords signatory, pledging peaceful, sustainable lunar cooperation

Payload

SpaceX tasked to fly ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover by late-2028 as US FY2027 NASA budget request flags possible Mars cuts SpaceX has been assigned the job of launching ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover as soon as late-2028, reportedly for $175.7M. However, the White House’s FY2027 NASA budget request indicates potential cancellation of NASA’s participation in the broader Mars mission, leaving downstream roles and program continuity uncertain.

2026-04-19T19:56:04.984050-07:00

SpaceX tasked to fly ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover by late-2028 as US FY2027 NASA budget request flags possible Mars cuts

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NASA News

NASA to unveil the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope April 21, setting out next-generation mission milestones

Curiosity rover detects >20 organic molecules in Gale Crater clays, including some never seen before on Mars

NASA to start monthly uncrewed Moon missions under CLPS beginning next year

NASA inspector general: Artemis lunar spacesuits and ISS xEMU upgrades face delays into the 2031 window

News Timeline