Space Exploration & Science Missions News

Space.com • Tereza Pultarova

German named first European astronaut slated to fly to the Moon

A German has been named the first European astronaut slated to fly to the Moon — a milestone summed up as "No European has ever seen that before." The selection establishes Europe's first scheduled human lunar crewmember and begins mission-specific planning, training and operational preparations.

2025-12-01T12:08:57.835785-08:00

Space Intel Report

ESA secures record €22.1bn at Bremen ministerial, delivering 99% of proposed €22.25bn

2025-11-27T03:42:31.985160-08:00

SpaceNews.com

ESA secures record €22bn ministerial package, but exploration programmes face funding shortfalls

2025-11-27T12:22:30.681208-08:00

New York Times

Perseverance records electrical discharges — 'mini‑lightning' — linked to Martian dust devils

2025-11-26T08:08:37.661314-08:00

Space Exploration & Science Missions News Timeline

Reuters

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Isaacman urges Congress to fund nuclear propulsion and speed commercial Moon push to beat China Billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman, President Trump’s nominee to lead NASA, will tell senators he wants expanded investment in nuclear propulsion and accelerated commercial lunar efforts to return Americans to the Moon before “our great rival” China, according to prepared testimony seen by Reuters.

2025-12-02T10:32:41.907210-08:00

Isaacman urges Congress to fund nuclear propulsion and speed commercial Moon push to beat China

Wall Street Journal

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How Blue Origin Plans to Beat SpaceX to the Moon Blue Origin’s recent successful launches are being used to build mission capabilities to deliver cargo — and ultimately crew — to the lunar surface, positioning the company to compete directly with SpaceX for return-to-Moon business. The campaign stacks suborbital and orbital flight experience toward planned lunar lander operations.

2025-12-02T09:11:48.349909-08:00

How Blue Origin Plans to Beat SpaceX to the Moon

Ars Technica

NASA Considers 'Warm Backup' as Cheap Insurance Ahead of Lunar Rover Decision NASA is evaluating a 'warm backup' option described internally as "a cheap insurance policy" ahead of a pending lunar rover decision, weighing whether to fund a standby vehicle or capability to protect surface science objectives if the primary plan cannot proceed as planned.

2025-12-02T09:02:21.719239-08:00

NASA Considers 'Warm Backup' as Cheap Insurance Ahead of Lunar Rover Decision

SpaceNews.com

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Senate Puts NASA’s 'Athena Plan' on Trial — What It Means for Funding, Programs and Industry The Senate opened a high-profile inquiry into NASA's 'Athena' plan, interrogating Jared Isaacman's blueprint for reshaping agency organization, priorities and budget. Lawmakers warned the proposal could alter program funding and commercial partnerships, intensifying Capitol Hill oversight as Congress reviews NASA's leadership and fiscal direction.

2025-12-02T07:44:16.158450-08:00

Senate Puts NASA’s 'Athena Plan' on Trial — What It Means for Funding, Programs and Industry

Space.com

Australian startup proposes recycling a GEO satellite to photograph asteroid Apophis during 2029 close approach An Australian startup says it will repurpose a geostationary communications satellite to image near‑Earth asteroid Apophis during its record close approach in 2029, offering a low‑cost on‑orbit reconnaissance option to capture high‑resolution observations of the object.

2025-12-02T06:03:33.779533-08:00

Australian startup proposes recycling a GEO satellite to photograph asteroid Apophis during 2029 close approach

ESA

SOHO marks 30 years of continuous solar observation since 1995 launch On 2 December 1995 the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) launched to L1 on a planned two‑year mission. Thirty years later it still operates from 1.5 million km sunward, providing an almost uninterrupted record of solar activity across nearly three 11‑year cycles and transforming solar physics.

2025-12-02T02:03:40.104883-08:00

SOHO marks 30 years of continuous solar observation since 1995 launch

Space.com

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German named first European astronaut slated to fly to the Moon A German has been named the first European astronaut slated to fly to the Moon — a milestone summed up as "No European has ever seen that before." The selection establishes Europe's first scheduled human lunar crewmember and begins mission-specific planning, training and operational preparations.

2025-12-01T12:08:57.835785-08:00

German named first European astronaut slated to fly to the Moon

Space.com

X1.9 solar flare from sunspot AR4299 knocks out HF radio across Australia as giant AR4294 rotates into view A powerful X1.9 solar flare from new sunspot AR4299 produced strong HF radio blackouts across Australia, disrupting high-frequency communications. Giant sunspot AR4294 is now rotating into view, and forecasters warn that additional flaring and radio impacts are likely as the active region becomes geoeffective.

2025-12-01T09:20:34.091418-08:00

X1.9 solar flare from sunspot AR4299 knocks out HF radio across Australia as giant AR4294 rotates into view

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