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On Episode 234 of This Week In Space, hosts Tariq Malik and Mike Wall speak with Planetary Science Institute researcher Than Putzig about a NASA-backed payload headed for the Marius Hills Pit on the moon. The article provides no further details about the payload or its mission.
Space Exploration & Science Missions
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On Episode 234 of This Week In Space, hosts Tariq Malik and Mike Wall speak with Planetary Science Institute researcher Than Putzig about a NASA-backed payload headed for the Marius Hills Pit on the moon. The article provides no further details about the payload or its mission.
The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft has captured the two asteroids in the Didymos system as distinct objects for the first time. The observation comes amid efforts to develop planetary-defense missions capable of deflecting potentially hazardous asteroids before they threaten Earth.
NASA issued a Request for Information on Oct. 29 to assess industry capabilities for in-space servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope. The inquiry signals an exploration of commercial options, but the available information does not specify a mission, procurement timeline or selected provider.
Astronomers at Queen’s University Belfast led an international team studying small bodies near Neptune, including elusive Trojan asteroids. The research aims to improve understanding of the solar system’s evolution; the supplied report does not provide further details on the findings or the team’s methods.
NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detected a gamma-ray burst in March 2026 with an unusual light signature: initially faint gamma radiation followed by delayed, atypical peaks in its afterglow. The event’s apparent dimness was misleading, underscoring the importance of tracking how transient signals evolve over time.
Turkey plans to launch an orbiter carrying several scientific instruments in 2027, marking the first of two planned lunar missions. A second mission is intended to land on the Moon, though no timing or further mission details were provided.
The solar storm that produced auroras as far south as Florida and Mexico also breached Earth’s so-called “impenetrable” space radiation shield from within, according to the article. The finding highlights how a major solar event can affect the space environment around Earth.
High activity
NASA officials say the SR-1 nuclear electric propulsion mission is still expected to launch in late 2028. The agency has provided limited detail on the mission’s cost and schedule, leaving key program parameters unclear despite the stated launch outlook.
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