SpaceWatch Global
• Joshua Faleti
NASA has selected PRIMA as the inaugural mission in its new Probe Explorers class, advancing development of a far-infrared space telescope. The mission is planned for launch in 2033, establishing the first operational path for the agency’s new class of space science probes.
Space Exploration & Science Missions
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NASA has selected PRIMA as the inaugural mission in its new Probe Explorers class, advancing development of a far-infrared space telescope. The mission is planned for launch in 2033, establishing the first operational path for the agency’s new class of space science probes.
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NASA has announced four crew members from three space agencies for SpaceX’s Crew-14 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for no earlier than spring 2027. The long-duration expedition will conduct scientific research and support ongoing station operations, following the current crew’s work and preparations for new arrivals.
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Belgian company Space Applications Services has secured a flight opportunity for its LUVMI-M lunar rover aboard an upcoming Blue Origin Blue Moon lander mission. The agreement advances European participation in commercial lunar exploration and adds another payload to Blue Origin’s developing lunar transportation offering.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency benefited strategically from an unexpected delay affecting a Chinese lunar mission, framing the development within intensifying US-China competition in lunar exploration. His comments underscore the importance Washington places on schedule and execution as both nations pursue ambitious Moon programs.
NASA has selected a far-infrared space telescope to become the first mission in a new line of billion-dollar astrophysics observatories. The decision establishes the agency’s initial project under the program and advances a major space-based effort focused on far-infrared astronomy.
The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer will pass close to Earth on September 28, using the encounter to change its speed and trajectory as it continues toward Jupiter. The maneuver is a key step in the spacecraft’s ongoing interplanetary journey.
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A former NASA chief is raising concerns that Beijing’s lunar exploration plans extend beyond scientific discovery, describing them as an intended strategy to dominate the “high ground of the twenty-first century.” The warning frames lunar activity as a strategic and geopolitical competition.
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AstroForge plans to launch what it describes as the first fully autonomous asteroid-mining mission in 2027. The mission could mark a significant step for commercial space exploration by demonstrating whether spacecraft can independently conduct an asteroid-focused operation without direct human control.
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