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NASA Spaceflight • Martijn Luinstra

Space science in 2026: a crowded manifest of lunar explorers, Mars missions and next‑gen telescopes

2026's space‑science calendar features a dense launch manifest — multiple lunar landers and orbiters, at least one Mars mission and several next‑generation space telescopes — promising intensive scientific returns and a sustained high operational tempo for agencies, commercial launch providers and international partners.

2026-01-18T13:00:23.040662-08:00

Associated Press

NASA's new lunar rocket rolls to Cape Canaveral launch pad ahead of scheduled February crewed lunar flight

2026-01-17T10:03:07.688403-08:00

Bloomberg

Artemis II rolls to LC‑39B as NASA advances first crewed lunar flyby since 1972; Canada aboard

2026-01-16T04:53:03.590998-08:00

Ars Technica

Managers warn of 'launch fever' as pressure mounts on NASA's Moon mission

2026-01-16T22:12:34.103233-08:00

News Timeline

NASA Spaceflight

Space science in 2026: a crowded manifest of lunar explorers, Mars missions and next‑gen telescopes 2026's space‑science calendar features a dense launch manifest — multiple lunar landers and orbiters, at least one Mars mission and several next‑generation space telescopes — promising intensive scientific returns and a sustained high operational tempo for agencies, commercial launch providers and international partners.

2026-01-18T13:00:23.040662-08:00

Space science in 2026: a crowded manifest of lunar explorers, Mars missions and next‑gen telescopes

Associated Press

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NASA's new lunar rocket rolls to Cape Canaveral launch pad ahead of scheduled February crewed lunar flight NASA's new giant lunar rocket rolled to the launch pad at Cape Canaveral on Saturday as teams prepare for the agency's first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years. The move advances a scheduled February launch attempt for the lunar crewed flight.

2026-01-17T10:03:07.688403-08:00

NASA's new lunar rocket rolls to Cape Canaveral launch pad ahead of scheduled February crewed lunar flight

Ars Technica

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Managers warn of 'launch fever' as pressure mounts on NASA's Moon mission NASA managers are warning of 'launch fever' as schedule and external pressures mount around the agency's Moon mission, urging caution and emphasis on crew safety. Agency officials stressed, "I've got one job, and it's the safe return of Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy."

2026-01-16T22:12:34.103233-08:00

Managers warn of 'launch fever' as pressure mounts on NASA's Moon mission

Universe Today

Chang'e-6 sample analysis sheds light on Moon's far-side asymmetry Laboratory analysis of Chang'e-6 lunar samples provides new chemical and geological evidence that helps explain the Moon's nearside–farside dichotomy — the concentration of dark volcanic maria on the near side and the thicker, heavily cratered crust on the far side.

2026-01-16T16:12:40.876136-08:00

Chang'e-6 sample analysis sheds light on Moon's far-side asymmetry

Universe Today

Study: Iron-rich asteroids far more resilient than expected, complicating planetary-defence plans A new study, with contributions from University of Oxford physicists, finds iron‑rich asteroids can absorb far more energy before fragmenting than previously believed. That resilience undermines assumptions behind kinetic‑impact and disruption mitigation concepts and forces a reassessment of planetary‑defence modelling and response options.

2026-01-16T14:27:12.334384-08:00

Study: Iron-rich asteroids far more resilient than expected, complicating planetary-defence plans

Universe Today

Using Mars' thin atmosphere to 3D-print metal parts could cut mission costs by millions A University of Arkansas preprint by Zane Mebruer and Wan Shou shows that additive manufacturing on Mars can leverage the planet's thin CO2‑rich atmosphere to assist metal 3D‑printing, potentially reducing launch mass and cutting mission costs by millions of dollars. The paper examines the underlying chemistry and practical implications.

2026-01-16T04:53:15.673114-08:00

Using Mars' thin atmosphere to 3D-print metal parts could cut mission costs by millions

Bloomberg

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Artemis II rolls to LC‑39B as NASA advances first crewed lunar flyby since 1972; Canada aboard NASA’s Artemis II SLS‑Orion stack rolled from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B on Jan. 16–17, completing a major prelaunch milestone ahead of the agency’s first crewed lunar flyby since 1972. The four‑person mission includes Canada's first astronaut assigned to a lunar flight.

2026-01-16T04:53:03.590998-08:00

Artemis II rolls to LC‑39B as NASA advances first crewed lunar flyby since 1972; Canada aboard

SpaceNews.com

China nears approval for twin probes to the solar system’s edge China has published coordinated technical papers describing two probes to the solar system’s boundary, a procedural step suggesting the long‑studied dual‑probe program is approaching formal approval. The papers outline mission concepts and coordination that could enable Chinese spacecraft to reach the solar system’s edge.

2026-01-16T03:47:37.266523-08:00

China nears approval for twin probes to the solar system’s edge

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Space Exploration & Science Missions News

Space science in 2026: a crowded manifest of lunar explorers, Mars missions and next‑gen telescopes

NASA's new lunar rocket rolls to Cape Canaveral launch pad ahead of scheduled February crewed lunar flight

Artemis II rolls to LC‑39B as NASA advances first crewed lunar flyby since 1972; Canada aboard

Managers warn of 'launch fever' as pressure mounts on NASA's Moon mission

News Timeline