Space.com
• Josh Dinner
SpaceX and NASA launched four astronauts from Florida aboard a Crew Dragon on Thursday, sending a U.S., Canadian and Russian crew on a fast-track trip to the International Space Station. The mission is scheduled to continue through the spring after weather cleared for liftoff.
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SpaceX and NASA launched four astronauts from Florida aboard a Crew Dragon on Thursday, sending a U.S., Canadian and Russian crew on a fast-track trip to the International Space Station. The mission is scheduled to continue through the spring after weather cleared for liftoff.
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NASA is preparing three lunar investigations to assess environmental hazards, locate potential lava-tube shelters and search for water ice, while a 16-member team develops robots for dangerous deep-space work. Separately, Honda and Redwire are pursuing robotic arms to automate laboratory tasks aboard future commercial space stations.
NASA pursued an unconventional effort to preserve Swift, combining pressure on the Treasury and rapid, AI-assisted software development. The attempt produced notable technical work but ultimately could not take the observatory further, according to comments from a participant described as “absolutely gutted.”
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NASA and SpaceX have cleared Crew-13 for a planned Oct. 1 launch to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon, targeting 11:10 a.m. ET, weather permitting. The six-month mission includes one veteran astronaut and three first-time flyers; Jessica Watkins is set for her second Dragon flight.
An SR-71 Blackbird that has not flown in nearly 27 years was quietly removed from outdoor display at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. Reports that former program members have been contacted have prompted speculation that NASA may be evaluating the iconic aircraft for a return as an experimental platform.
The JUICE spacecraft made a brief return to Earth on Sept. 28, using the planet’s gravity to accelerate by roughly 8,000 mph. The maneuver provides a critical boost for the spacecraft’s continuing voyage to Jupiter and supports its science mission.
The ESA-JAXA planetary defense mission is advancing ahead of a rare astronomical opportunity expected in roughly three years. Space agencies are accelerating preparations to ensure they can take advantage of the event, which could provide an important opportunity for planetary-defense research and mission operations.
The European Space Agency’s JUICE spacecraft is using Earth flybys as it continues its journey toward the outer solar system. The mission will investigate conditions on Jupiter’s moons, where environments may be capable of supporting life, after completing two additional passes of Earth.
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