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Universe Today • Matthew Williams

ESA's JUICE uses five instruments to probe activity and composition of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS

In November 2025 ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) targeted interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS with five science instruments, collecting remote‑sensing data on the object’s activity, coma chemistry and dust to characterise its behaviour and composition during the visitor’s inner‑solar‑system passage.

2025-12-21T12:07:40.370229-08:00

The Hill

SpaceX IPO, space-based AI and the commercialisation of Mars

2025-12-21T08:58:22.337170-08:00

Universe Today

Purdue study: Building reusable lunar launchpads from local regolith with minimal material data

2025-12-21T04:46:04.963408-08:00

Spaceflight Now

Artemis II crew rehearse launch‑day countdown, ride rewrapped Astrovan II to launch pad

2025-12-20T16:24:07.495409-08:00

News Timeline

Universe Today

ESA's JUICE uses five instruments to probe activity and composition of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS In November 2025 ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) targeted interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS with five science instruments, collecting remote‑sensing data on the object’s activity, coma chemistry and dust to characterise its behaviour and composition during the visitor’s inner‑solar‑system passage.

2025-12-21T12:07:40.370229-08:00

ESA's JUICE uses five instruments to probe activity and composition of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS

NASA

The real story of the Skylab 4 “strike” in space An enduring urban legend says Skylab 4 astronauts, frustrated by micromanaged daily timelines, staged a 'strike' in orbit — turning off communications and refusing tasks. This piece examines what actually happened aboard Skylab 4, separating myth from mission logs and first‑hand accounts.

2025-12-21T10:05:05.547806-08:00

The real story of the Skylab 4 “strike” in space

The Hill

SpaceX IPO, space-based AI and the commercialisation of Mars A potential SpaceX IPO, coupled with fast-developing space-based AI capabilities, is accelerating the commercialisation of off‑Earth activity — from expanded orbital services to ambitions for Mars. The opening of space to human commercial activity, the article argues, is a prospect to be welcomed eagerly.

2025-12-21T08:58:22.337170-08:00

SpaceX IPO, space-based AI and the commercialisation of Mars

Universe Today

Purdue study: Building reusable lunar launchpads from local regolith with minimal material data A Purdue team led by Shirley Dyke publishes a method in Acta Astronautica to construct lunar landing pads from local regolith using minimal prior knowledge of material properties. The approach targets pads robust enough to support landing and ascent of heavy rockets needed for sustained resupply operations.

2025-12-21T04:46:04.963408-08:00

Purdue study: Building reusable lunar launchpads from local regolith with minimal material data

Spaceflight Now

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Artemis II crew rehearse launch‑day countdown, ride rewrapped Astrovan II to launch pad NASA’s four Artemis II astronauts completed a launch‑day countdown demonstration at Kennedy Space Center on Dec. 20, boarding Orion inside the Vehicle Assembly Building and taking a rewrapped Boeing Starliner “Astrovan II” to the launch pad. The rehearsal advances preparations ahead of a February lunar flyby mission.

2025-12-20T16:24:07.495409-08:00

Artemis II crew rehearse launch‑day countdown, ride rewrapped Astrovan II to launch pad

Universe Today

JWST detects chemical signatures of primordial 'monster' stars in the early universe Using the James Webb Space Telescope, an international team identified chemical fingerprints of enormous primordial 'monster' stars — among the first stars to form after the Big Bang. These detections provide the first spectroscopic evidence of their existence and constrain early chemical‑enrichment models.

2025-12-20T16:06:11.314655-08:00

JWST detects chemical signatures of primordial 'monster' stars in the early universe

Universe Today

IMAP achieves first light on all 10 instruments, confirms instrument functionality NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe has captured first light across its ten primary instruments, with the Southwest Research Institute reporting all systems functioning as expected. The milestone validates instrument delivery and commissioning, clearing the way for routine science operations and data collection.

2025-12-20T04:43:56.587700-08:00

IMAP achieves first light on all 10 instruments, confirms instrument functionality

SpaceNews.com

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Safety panel urges NASA to reassess Artemis lunar-landing architecture and review Starliner response NASA’s safety advisers recommend the agency reconsider its Artemis lunar-landing architecture and formally review how it handled the Starliner incident. The panel said both issues raise programmatic and crew-safety questions that could affect near-term Artemis schedules and crewed spaceflight operations.

2025-12-19T16:03:57.784172-08:00

Safety panel urges NASA to reassess Artemis lunar-landing architecture and review Starliner response

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Space Exploration & Science Missions News

ESA's JUICE uses five instruments to probe activity and composition of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS

SpaceX IPO, space-based AI and the commercialisation of Mars

Purdue study: Building reusable lunar launchpads from local regolith with minimal material data

Artemis II crew rehearse launch‑day countdown, ride rewrapped Astrovan II to launch pad

News Timeline