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Space.com • Andrew Jones

China to expand Tiangong with three new modules—aiming to double station size as ISS approaches end of service

China plans to add three new modules to its Tiangong space station and introduce a co-orbiting space telescope, effectively doubling Tiangong’s size as the ISS heads toward a Pacific splashdown. The upgrade underscores a transition toward a larger Chinese-led LEO presence.

2026-06-26T11:12:18.743778-07:00

European Spaceflight

NASA delivers first braking engines for ESA Rosalind Franklin Mars mission; RHU procurement remains a gating item

2026-06-26T07:56:36.020069-07:00

Space.com

NASA awards a $30M Swift “rescue” mission ahead of Swift observatory’s atmospheric reentry risk

2026-06-26T05:13:34.708563-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Expedition 74 readies for ISS robotic repair EVA as NASA flags Zvezda air-leak risk

2026-06-26T05:11:38.062640-07:00

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Space.com

China to expand Tiangong with three new modules—aiming to double station size as ISS approaches end of service China plans to add three new modules to its Tiangong space station and introduce a co-orbiting space telescope, effectively doubling Tiangong’s size as the ISS heads toward a Pacific splashdown. The upgrade underscores a transition toward a larger Chinese-led LEO presence.

2026-06-26T11:12:18.743778-07:00

China to expand Tiangong with three new modules—aiming to double station size as ISS approaches end of service

European Spaceflight

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NASA delivers first braking engines for ESA Rosalind Franklin Mars mission; RHU procurement remains a gating item NASA has delivered the first braking engines for ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Mars mission, advancing key hardware needed for the spacecraft’s Mars entry and descent profile. Separate work continues to secure the required RHUs (radioisotope heater units), keeping power-system qualification on the critical path.

2026-06-26T07:56:36.020069-07:00

NASA delivers first braking engines for ESA Rosalind Franklin Mars mission; RHU procurement remains a gating item

Space.com

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NASA awards a $30M Swift “rescue” mission ahead of Swift observatory’s atmospheric reentry risk NASA is launching the Swift Boost rescue mission on June 27 to save the nearly 22-year-old Swift observatory, which is being pulled down by Earth’s atmosphere. The agency will pay $30 million for a first-of-its-kind effort to restore the telescope’s orbit before it falls from space.

2026-06-26T05:13:34.708563-07:00

NASA awards a $30M Swift “rescue” mission ahead of Swift observatory’s atmospheric reentry risk

SpaceNews.com

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Expedition 74 readies for ISS robotic repair EVA as NASA flags Zvezda air-leak risk Expedition 74 crew members take an off-duty day ahead of a next-week robotics repair spacewalk, while NASA continues to assess station habitability risks. The agency says air leakage traced to hairline cracks in Russia’s Zvezda service module—rated the highest open safety risk—underscores the urgency of maintaining ISS systems and long-term crew health.

2026-06-26T05:11:38.062640-07:00

Expedition 74 readies for ISS robotic repair EVA as NASA flags Zvezda air-leak risk

Universe Today

NASA Orion crew training emphasizes lunar reconnaissance skills for Artemis II astronauts Ahead of Artemis II’s far-side Moon flyby, NASA trained four astronauts to interpret and “read” the lunar environment using mission-support information beyond routine spacecraft piloting. The approach underscores how crew-developed situational awareness is being built into Artemis operations as NASA transitions toward sustained lunar work.

2026-06-26T04:13:05.250203-07:00

NASA Orion crew training emphasizes lunar reconnaissance skills for Artemis II astronauts

SpaceNews.com

Weather Stream releases first light imagery from GEMS2 microwave radiometer

2026-06-25T15:13:10.473570-07:00

Weather Stream releases first

SpaceNews.com

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Botswana signs the Artemis Accords, joining NASA’s framework for responsible lunar exploration Botswana has signed the Artemis Accords, committing to the NASA-led set of principles and best practices for responsible space exploration. The move adds another African state to the growing Artemis partnership ecosystem, reinforcing the Accords’ push for transparent and peaceful use of outer space.

2026-06-25T13:56:25.748717-07:00

Botswana signs the Artemis Accords, joining NASA’s framework for responsible lunar exploration

NASA

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Rocket Lab wins NASA contracts for PolSIR and TSIS-2 science missions on Electron from New Zealand NASA selected Rocket Lab to provide three Electron launches covering two separate missions: PolSIR and TSIS-2, planned for early next year. The PolSIR payload will measure polarized submillimetre radiation from polar ice clouds, while TSIS-2 will observe solar irradiance and its spectral impacts, launched from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand.

2026-06-25T13:47:47.624199-07:00

Rocket Lab wins NASA contracts for PolSIR and TSIS-2 science missions on Electron from New Zealand

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Space Exploration & Science Missions News

China to expand Tiangong with three new modules—aiming to double station size as ISS approaches end of service

NASA delivers first braking engines for ESA Rosalind Franklin Mars mission; RHU procurement remains a gating item

NASA awards a $30M Swift “rescue” mission ahead of Swift observatory’s atmospheric reentry risk

Expedition 74 readies for ISS robotic repair EVA as NASA flags Zvezda air-leak risk

News Timeline