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Universe Today • Mark Thompson

Artemis II’s laser link shows what “calling home” from cislunar space requires

During Artemis II’s April lunar flyby, NASA’s breakthrough laser communications system enabled unusually detailed downlink coverage—showing the technical demands of high-rate optical links when the spacecraft is far from Earth and radio alternatives are constrained.

2026-04-30T14:15:22.762399-07:00

Space.com

Exploration Labs pitches “Apophis EX” commercial deep-space ride-share to rendezvous with potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis

2026-04-30T05:49:47.599162-07:00

Universe Today

Flexible 3D-Printable Shielding enables autonomous Artemis lunar rover operations near the south pole

2026-04-29T20:02:30.984920-07:00

SpaceNews.com

ISS module cracking mystery persists after air leaks stop

2026-04-29T17:30:54.334719-07:00

News Timeline

Universe Today

Artemis II’s laser link shows what “calling home” from cislunar space requires During Artemis II’s April lunar flyby, NASA’s breakthrough laser communications system enabled unusually detailed downlink coverage—showing the technical demands of high-rate optical links when the spacecraft is far from Earth and radio alternatives are constrained.

2026-04-30T14:15:22.762399-07:00

Artemis II’s laser link shows what “calling home” from cislunar space requires

Universe Today

New trajectory-planning methods and JWST detections broaden the near-Earth asteroid target set Two studies highlight progress in both identifying and modeling near-Earth objects: a new approach for planning trajectories to asteroids, and JWST observations of decametre main-belt asteroids that connect observational signatures to meteorite sources. Together, they improve mission design inputs for exploration and resource/potential hazard work.

2026-04-30T09:09:56.716111-07:00

New trajectory-planning methods and JWST detections broaden the near-Earth asteroid target set

Space.com

Exploration Labs pitches “Apophis EX” commercial deep-space ride-share to rendezvous with potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis Exploration Labs has proposed a first commercial deep-space ride-share mission, “Apophis EX,” aimed at rendezvousing with potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis. The concept positions a commercial capability to support near-Earth asteroid operations, aligning mission design around a specific hazard target.

2026-04-30T05:49:47.599162-07:00

Exploration Labs pitches “Apophis EX” commercial deep-space ride-share to rendezvous with potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis

Universe Today

Flexible 3D-Printable Shielding enables autonomous Artemis lunar rover operations near the south pole Based from Artemis Station at the Moon’s south pole, teams will monitor 12 autonomous rovers searching for water ice and other essential minerals. The cluster centers on flexible, 3D-printable shielding designed to protect rover systems in extreme environments across this mission profile.

2026-04-29T20:02:30.984920-07:00

Flexible 3D-Printable Shielding enables autonomous Artemis lunar rover operations near the south pole

SpaceNews.com

ISS module cracking mystery persists after air leaks stop Cracks in a Russian segment of the International Space Station remain unexplained even after leaks in the area have stopped, leaving engineers without a clear cause for how the damage formed. The unresolved issue adds to ongoing structural-health monitoring demands for the orbiting outpost.

2026-04-29T17:30:54.334719-07:00

ISS module cracking mystery persists after air leaks stop

Universe Today

Researchers outline “laser-swarm” laser-sail concept for interstellar craft at Proxima Centauri Work discussed by researchers argues that a swarm of tiny, laser-sail–powered spacecraft is among the only plausible approaches for reaching another solar system within this century. The concept is positioned as feasible but requires overcoming major technical hurdles in propulsion, staging, and system complexity.

2026-04-29T14:21:41.574531-07:00

Researchers outline “laser-swarm” laser-sail concept for interstellar craft at Proxima Centauri

Universe Today

ESA’s Proba-3 coronagraph begins solar-wind tracking, enabling source-linked space-weather observations ESA says its Proba-3 formation-flying coronagraph is tracking space weather back to its origin, a first for the mission architecture. The system’s eclipse-style observations are aimed at improving how solar wind features are observed and attributed to their source regions.

2026-04-29T14:21:41.492217-07:00

ESA’s Proba-3 coronagraph begins solar-wind tracking, enabling source-linked space-weather observations

Space.com

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage expected to impact the Moon in August Astronomers project a spent Falcon 9 stage—leftover from a Falcon 9 launch last year—will strike the Moon’s near side in early August, with one report pointing to the Einstein crater. The predicted impact is assessed as posing no danger, but it underscores persistent space-debris delivery to other worlds.

2026-04-29T09:38:43.118238-07:00

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage expected to impact the Moon in August

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Space Exploration & Science Missions News

Artemis II’s laser link shows what “calling home” from cislunar space requires

Exploration Labs pitches “Apophis EX” commercial deep-space ride-share to rendezvous with potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis

Flexible 3D-Printable Shielding enables autonomous Artemis lunar rover operations near the south pole

ISS module cracking mystery persists after air leaks stop

News Timeline