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Reuters • Joey Roulette

Artemis II heads home after lunar flyby, set to splash down off San Diego April 10

Following a successful lunar flyby that returned more than 175 GB of data, the four‑person Artemis II crew is on an Earth‑return trajectory and due to splash down off San Diego on April 10. NASA and recovery teams are finalizing Pacific retrieval operations as the crew conducts Earth observations.

2026-04-08T15:12:04.671164-07:00

Universe Today

Sticking to the Terminator: A Solar‑Powered Rover Concept for Exploring Mercury

2026-04-08T14:56:24.846089-07:00

Ars Technica

NASA nears Artemis III orbit decision as it readies third SLS core-stage rollout

2026-04-08T08:40:27.976695-07:00

The Atlantic

NASA’s Artemis Crew Sets a New Standard for Lunar Missions

2026-04-08T13:18:20.928551-07:00

News Timeline

Reuters

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Artemis II heads home after lunar flyby, set to splash down off San Diego April 10 Following a successful lunar flyby that returned more than 175 GB of data, the four‑person Artemis II crew is on an Earth‑return trajectory and due to splash down off San Diego on April 10. NASA and recovery teams are finalizing Pacific retrieval operations as the crew conducts Earth observations.

2026-04-08T15:12:04.671164-07:00

Artemis II heads home after lunar flyby, set to splash down off San Diego April 10

Universe Today

Sticking to the Terminator: A Solar‑Powered Rover Concept for Exploring Mercury A proposed solar-powered rover would operate in Mercury’s narrow terminator zone—where day meets night—to exploit temperate conditions that avoid the planet’s extreme surface heat. Operating there allows a solar-run rover to collect surface samples and geological data without large thermal-protection systems.

2026-04-08T14:56:24.846089-07:00

Sticking to the Terminator: A Solar‑Powered Rover Concept for Exploring Mercury

The Atlantic

NASA’s Artemis Crew Sets a New Standard for Lunar Missions NASA’s Artemis crew delivered a mission defined by strength, courage, expertise and wonder, resetting expectations for human lunar operations. Their disciplined performance and mission execution provide a clear demonstration of SLS/Orion operational readiness and influence near-term planning for Artemis milestones and contractor roles.

2026-04-08T13:18:20.928551-07:00

NASA’s Artemis Crew Sets a New Standard for Lunar Missions

Ars Technica

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NASA nears Artemis III orbit decision as it readies third SLS core-stage rollout NASA is finalizing Artemis III mission decisions — notably the spacecraft’s initial lunar orbit and overall mission profile — even as Orion continues flight operations. The agency has opened public registration to watch the rollout of the third SLS core stage as hardware and timelines are finalized.

2026-04-08T08:40:27.976695-07:00

NASA nears Artemis III orbit decision as it readies third SLS core-stage rollout

Universe Today

Orpheus: a VTOL hopper to hunt for extant life beneath Martian volcanoes Presented at the 57th LPSC by Connor Bunn and Pascal Lee of the SETI Institute, Orpheus is a proposed Mars vertical-takeoff/landing hopper designed to access subsurface volcanic terrains. It targets sheltered, lower-radiation environments beneath volcanoes—sites more likely to host extant life than Mars’ irradiated, perchlorate-rich surface.

2026-04-08T06:59:02.807616-07:00

Orpheus: a VTOL hopper to hunt for extant life beneath Martian volcanoes

SpaceNews.com

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Lunar base vs. lunar economy: rethinking industry and policy priorities As national programs and private firms scale lunar plans, leaders must decide whether to prioritize a government-built permanent surface base or to foster a market-driven lunar economy of services, logistics and resource development. The piece examines trade-offs for contractors, funding allocation, and policy levers that will shape industrial winners.

2026-04-08T06:06:46.191913-07:00

Lunar base vs. lunar economy: rethinking industry and policy priorities

Payload

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Czech HERA Radiation Chips on Artemis II Provide ISS‑Style Solar‑Flare Early Warning Czech-developed HERA radiation-detection chips flying on Artemis II will act as an onboard, ISS‑style early-warning system for solar flares, providing immediate alerts during the Sun's current maximum to help mission teams protect crew and systems from sudden solar particle events.

2026-04-08T05:40:30.269218-07:00

Czech HERA Radiation Chips on Artemis II Provide ISS‑Style Solar‑Flare Early Warning

SpaceNews.com

LRO delivers most detailed high‑resolution view of the Moon's far side NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has produced the most detailed view yet of the Moon's far side, delivering high-resolution photos that reveal small-scale surface textures and features previously unresolved. The imagery creates a new observational baseline for scientific study and future mission planning.

2026-04-07T22:06:04.120457-07:00

LRO delivers most detailed high‑resolution view of the Moon's far side

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Space Exploration & Science Missions News

Artemis II heads home after lunar flyby, set to splash down off San Diego April 10

Sticking to the Terminator: A Solar‑Powered Rover Concept for Exploring Mercury

NASA nears Artemis III orbit decision as it readies third SLS core-stage rollout

NASA’s Artemis Crew Sets a New Standard for Lunar Missions

News Timeline