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• Jeff Foust
Ahead of an agency update on its Artemis lunar exploration plans, NASA’s safety advisers raised concerns about the maturity of the lunar landing plans. The available report does not specify which elements advisers questioned or how their concerns could affect the program’s schedule.
Space Exploration & Science Missions
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Ahead of an agency update on its Artemis lunar exploration plans, NASA’s safety advisers raised concerns about the maturity of the lunar landing plans. The available report does not specify which elements advisers questioned or how their concerns could affect the program’s schedule.
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed a lopsided exoplanet and blistering winds on its evening side, challenging the familiar image of an evenly illuminated world. The finding shows how observations can expose differences across an exoplanet’s atmosphere.
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A new estimate puts the number of Starship launches needed to support a lunar landing at 22. The figure underscores the scale of the launch and refueling campaign, with repeated fuelings identified as a key requirement for the lander.
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Europe’s €15.6 billion Iris2 constellation depends on shared public-private delivery, while ESA’s Space Rider prototype failed to deploy its parachute in a drop test. In parallel, ClearSpace won the UK’s first national active-debris-removal mission and agreed to work with Eutelsat on GEO life extension; Aerospacelab and KAI signed an MoU for South Korea’s K-LEO constellation.
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ESA Director-General Josef Aschbacher says demand estimates are not yet firm enough for action on a potential late-decade Ariane 6 launcher shortage; decisions are expected early next year. Separately, ESA describes a turbopump issue delaying a planned 2026 launch into 2027 as transitory, not a lasting problem.
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China is seeking payloads for an uncrewed mission of Lanyue, its human lunar landing system, ahead of a planned crewed moon landing before 2030. The mission will provide a flight opportunity for payloads as the country advances its lunar landing effort.
Dr. Sarah Rugheimer joins Judith Delany to discuss LIFE, the study of exoplanets and the search for life beyond Earth. The conversation considers why Europe has the expertise to take a leading role in this field, linking scientific questions about other worlds with the region’s research capabilities.
A study has identified four locations on the moon for future crewed missions, extending consideration beyond the lunar south pole where NASA is focused on establishing a base. The recommendations add potential destinations to the discussion of where human exploration missions could go.
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