China   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Space Exploration & Science Missions  
SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

China advances Mars science: Tianwen-3 enters construction; Tianwen-1 images interstellar visitor from Mars

China's Tianwen‑3 Mars sample‑return mission has moved into spacecraft construction, targeting a late‑2028 launch to retrieve Martian material and search for biosignatures. Separately, Tianwen‑1's HiRIC camera imaged interstellar object 3I/ATLAS from Mars, showing a coma dominated by large (hundreds of μm) grains and dust speeds of 3–10 m/s.

2026-03-12T16:09:07.996102-07:00
Space Exploration & Science Missions   Commercial Space   Space Policy & International Cooperation   Space Debris & Traffic Management  
New York Times • Kenneth Chang

Collision Close Call in Lunar Orbit Threatened Blue Ghost Mission — Raises Broader Concerns for Commercial Moon Operations

By New York Times: A “red alert” involving the private Blue Ghost mission in lunar orbit a year ago highlights a growing number of incidents above Earth’s neighbor.

2026-03-12T07:58:07.814316-07:00
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Space Exploration & Science Missions   Human Spaceflight & Space Stations   Commercial Space   Space Debris & Traffic Management   NASA  
Space.com • Brett Tingley

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL departs ISS carrying disposable cargo for destructive reentry

By Space.com: A photo captures Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL freighter being jettisoned away from the International Space Station carrying thousands of pounds of garbage, headed for a fiery demise.

Also: NASA
2026-03-12T10:08:58.238840-07:00