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NASA • Charles G. Hatfield

L3Harris delivers modified Boeing 777 research aircraft to NASA, five weeks ahead of schedule

L3Harris, with Yulista, delivered a heavily modified Boeing 777 research aircraft to NASA five weeks early. NASA says the returned airframe is back in the agency fleet after major structural modifications, positioning it for its first science mission flight in January.

2026-04-22T13:39:18.717768-07:00

Space.com

JWST delivers first detailed images of planetary nebula Tc 1, revealing post–sun-like star “buckyball” structures

2026-04-23T10:07:19.384841-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Jordan becomes Artemis Accords’ 63rd signatory as NASA expands its lunar partner roster

2026-04-23T08:25:57.651642-07:00

Space.com

Japan’s MMX mission to Mars’ moon Phobos reaches launch pad ahead of 2031 sample return

2026-04-23T06:06:00.960977-07:00

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Space.com

JWST delivers first detailed images of planetary nebula Tc 1, revealing post–sun-like star “buckyball” structures The James Webb Space Telescope has captured its first detailed images of the planetary nebula Tc 1, showing new features of what happens after a sun-like star dies. The observations highlight “buckyball” structures and provide fresh clues about the chemistry and morphology of late stellar evolution.

2026-04-23T10:07:19.384841-07:00

JWST delivers first detailed images of planetary nebula Tc 1, revealing post–sun-like star “buckyball” structures

SpaceNews.com

Jordan becomes Artemis Accords’ 63rd signatory as NASA expands its lunar partner roster The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan signed the Artemis Accords at NASA headquarters in Washington, becoming the 63rd participating country in the US-led framework for responsible lunar exploration. NASA said the move is part of its effort to attract more nations to Artemis.

2026-04-23T08:25:57.651642-07:00

Jordan becomes Artemis Accords’ 63rd signatory as NASA expands its lunar partner roster

Space.com

Japan’s MMX mission to Mars’ moon Phobos reaches launch pad ahead of 2031 sample return JAXA’s Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) has arrived at the launch pad for its Phobos sample-return mission. The complex endeavor targets return of Phobos material to Earth in 2031, aiming to clarify the origins of Mars’ two small moons, Phobos and Deimos.

2026-04-23T06:06:00.960977-07:00

Japan’s MMX mission to Mars’ moon Phobos reaches launch pad ahead of 2031 sample return

Payload

Astrobotic conducts NASA Marshall hot-fire tests of Chakram engine prototype for lunar lander power Astrobotic tested one of its two Chakram engine prototypes with a continuous 300-second hot-fire at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The run is part of a broader prototype test campaign intended to validate power-plant performance for future Moon missions.

2026-04-23T05:20:30.703779-07:00

Astrobotic conducts NASA Marshall hot-fire tests of Chakram engine prototype for lunar lander power

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin puts $25M into Fortem to scale airspace security against counter-UAS demand Lockheed Martin announced a $25 million investment in Fortem Technologies, positioning the company for what it described as urgent demand for airspace security and counter-UAS capabilities. The investment underscores continued prime-level funding of specialized detection/defeat solutions aimed at protecting contested and high-traffic airspace.

2026-04-23T03:35:01.360735-07:00

Lockheed Martin puts $25M into Fortem to scale airspace security against counter-UAS demand

New York Times

Elon Musk recasts SpaceX’s roadmap—moon ambitions, Mars delay and AI-driven priorities As SpaceX prepares for an IPO, Elon Musk is proposing “moonshots” that move away from the company’s original Mars-centric framing. The shift adds AI as a central theme, signaling a changing long-term strategy even as SpaceX’s public-market push accelerates attention on its next investment narrative.

2026-04-22T17:57:39.994931-07:00

Elon Musk recasts SpaceX’s roadmap—moon ambitions, Mars delay and AI-driven priorities

NASA

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L3Harris delivers modified Boeing 777 research aircraft to NASA, five weeks ahead of schedule L3Harris, with Yulista, delivered a heavily modified Boeing 777 research aircraft to NASA five weeks early. NASA says the returned airframe is back in the agency fleet after major structural modifications, positioning it for its first science mission flight in January.

2026-04-22T13:39:18.717768-07:00

L3Harris delivers modified Boeing 777 research aircraft to NASA, five weeks ahead of schedule

Ars Technica

NASA’s photon-counting approach targets HDTV-quality sensing for Moon landings NASA is working toward Moon landing imaging that can deliver HDTV-class video by “pushing a button” to initiate an automated capture pipeline over roughly three hours. The method emphasizes counting photons—an approach designed to turn faint light into usable onboard imagery for landing workflows.

2026-04-22T12:49:37.136072-07:00

NASA’s photon-counting approach targets HDTV-quality sensing for Moon landings

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Space Exploration & Science Missions News

L3Harris delivers modified Boeing 777 research aircraft to NASA, five weeks ahead of schedule

JWST delivers first detailed images of planetary nebula Tc 1, revealing post–sun-like star “buckyball” structures

Jordan becomes Artemis Accords’ 63rd signatory as NASA expands its lunar partner roster

Japan’s MMX mission to Mars’ moon Phobos reaches launch pad ahead of 2031 sample return

News Timeline