Artemis Missions
- All
- News
-
Moon Or Mars? NASA's Future At A Crossroads Under Trump 2.0
Speculation is mounting that the Trump administration may scale back or cancel NASA's Artemis missions following the departure of a key official and Boeing's plans to lay off hundreds of employees working on its lunar rocket.
-
Blue Ghost Lander Lowers Orbit, Prepares for Lunar Touchdown on March 2
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has successfully lowered its orbit to 120 km in preparation for a lunar touchdown on March 2. The spacecraft, which launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Mission teams are monitoring its orbit and finalizing descent plans, though commun...
-
Blue Ghost Lunar Lander Set for Historic Moon Landing on March 2, 2025
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander will make its descent to the Moon on March 2, 2025, near Mare Crisium. This mission, supported by NASA’s CLPS initiative, will carry key scientific payloads to test new technologies for future crewed missions to the Moon and Mars. It aims to collect critical lunar surface data and demonstrate advancemen...
-
NASA's SLS Block 1B Brings Enhanced Payload Capacity for Artemis IV
NASA’s Artemis IV mission will deploy the SLS Block 1B, featuring an upgraded upper stage and an adaptive payload adapter designed using structured light scanning. Engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center have tested the adapter to handle three times the expected load. The structured light technique reduces manufacturing costs and allows rapid d...
-
SpaceX Starship Prepares for Next Flight After Successful Static Fire Tests
SpaceX has successfully completed static fire tests for both the Super Heavy booster and Starship second stage at its Texas facility. The tests simulated real launch conditions, validating the engines ahead of the next integrated flight test (IFT-8), which could take place by the end of February, pending FAA approval. The previous test flight in Ja...
-
NASA’s PRIME-1 Mission to Study Lunar Ice and Advance Moon Exploration
NASA’s PRIME-1 mission, set to launch on Intuitive Machines’ Athena lander, will explore lunar ice and subsurface materials at Mons Mouton near the Moon’s South Pole. The mission features the TRIDENT drill, which will extract soil samples up to one meter deep, and the MSOLO spectrometer, which will analyze gases released from these samples to...
-
NASA Looks for Private Partners To Revive VIPER Moon Rover Mission
NASA is inviting private companies to collaborate on deploying the VIPER moon rover, initially halted due to budget constraints. The rover, designed to locate lunar water ice, was previously set to launch aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin lander. Companies must submit proposals by February 20, 2025, with final selections expected mid-year. Chosen firms...
-
Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 Conducts First Lunar Gravity Simulation
Blue Origin successfully launched its NS-29 mission, marking the first lunar gravity simulation on its New Shepard vehicle. The capsule rotated mid-flight to replicate Moon gravity for research payloads, including NASA-supported experiments on lunar dust behaviour and fire safety. Over half of the 30 payloads focused on Moon-related technologies. T...
-
Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 Mission to Test Lunar Gravity Simulation
Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 mission, scheduled for Jan. 28, 2025, will simulate lunar gravity during its suborbital flight. The uncrewed mission, launching from West Texas, carries 30 experiments, with 17 contributed by NASA. These experiments aim to advance lunar exploration technologies, including studying moon dust behaviour, fire dynamics...
-
Bill Nelson Retires as NASA Chief; Janet Petro Named Acting Administrator
Bill Nelson has retired as NASA administrator, with Janet Petro named as acting chief as Donald Trump begins his second term as president. Nelson's tenure saw the launch of landmark missions, including the James Webb Space Telescope and Artemis 1. Jared Isaacman has been nominated as the permanent NASA chief, awaiting Senate confirmation. Nelson ca...
-
NASA Reschedules Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 Missions to Ensure Astronaut Safety
NASA has pushed back its Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 lunar missions to 2026 and 2027, respectively. The delays are attributed to issues with the Orion spacecraft, particularly its heat shield, which experienced damage during the Artemis 1 mission. Safety concerns and technical adjustments are being prioritised. The rescheduling could influence NASA’s...
-
SpaceX and Firefly Team Up to Launch Firefly Blue Ghost with 10 NASA Payloads
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander will launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 in mid-January with 10 NASA payloads designed to test cutting-edge technologies. The mission includes tools like a radiation-resistant computer system, a GPS-like navigation system for lunar use, and dust-repelling technology for equipment maintenance. These payloads aim t...
-
SpaceX Starship Flight 7 Test Gets FAA Launch Licence, Preparing for 2025
SpaceX has received the FAA’s launch licence for Starship Flight 7, marking another milestone in their quest for a fully reusable rocket system. After extensive engine tests, SpaceX is preparing for the test in early 2025. The flight will aim to improve key systems such as booster recovery and ocean splashdown. Designed for lunar and Martian miss...
-
Trump Nominates Jared Isaacman as Next NASA Administrator
Jared Isaacman, billionaire entrepreneur and private astronaut, has been nominated by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump as the next NASA administrator. Isaacman, who founded Shift4 Payments and commanded SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission and Polaris Dawn, brings a unique mix of business success and space exploration experience. His nomination reflect...
-
NASA Delays Artemis 2 Mission to 2026, Artemis 3 Crewed Moon Landing For Mid-2027
NASA has announced delays in the Artemis missions, citing the need for additional technical preparations. Artemis 2, the first crewed Moon mission since the Apollo era, will now launch in 2026. Artemis 3, the programme's lunar landing mission, has been moved to mid-2027 due to Orion spacecraft readiness and other challenges. Adjustments to the spac...
-
Moon Or Mars? NASA's Future At A Crossroads Under Trump 2.0
Speculation is mounting that the Trump administration may scale back or cancel NASA's Artemis missions following the departure of a key official and Boeing's plans to lay off hundreds of employees working on its lunar rocket.
-
Blue Ghost Lander Lowers Orbit, Prepares for Lunar Touchdown on March 2
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has successfully lowered its orbit to 120 km in preparation for a lunar touchdown on March 2. The spacecraft, which launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Mission teams are monitoring its orbit and finalizing descent plans, though commun...
-
Blue Ghost Lunar Lander Set for Historic Moon Landing on March 2, 2025
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander will make its descent to the Moon on March 2, 2025, near Mare Crisium. This mission, supported by NASA’s CLPS initiative, will carry key scientific payloads to test new technologies for future crewed missions to the Moon and Mars. It aims to collect critical lunar surface data and demonstrate advancemen...
-
NASA's SLS Block 1B Brings Enhanced Payload Capacity for Artemis IV
NASA’s Artemis IV mission will deploy the SLS Block 1B, featuring an upgraded upper stage and an adaptive payload adapter designed using structured light scanning. Engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center have tested the adapter to handle three times the expected load. The structured light technique reduces manufacturing costs and allows rapid d...
-
SpaceX Starship Prepares for Next Flight After Successful Static Fire Tests
SpaceX has successfully completed static fire tests for both the Super Heavy booster and Starship second stage at its Texas facility. The tests simulated real launch conditions, validating the engines ahead of the next integrated flight test (IFT-8), which could take place by the end of February, pending FAA approval. The previous test flight in Ja...
-
NASA’s PRIME-1 Mission to Study Lunar Ice and Advance Moon Exploration
NASA’s PRIME-1 mission, set to launch on Intuitive Machines’ Athena lander, will explore lunar ice and subsurface materials at Mons Mouton near the Moon’s South Pole. The mission features the TRIDENT drill, which will extract soil samples up to one meter deep, and the MSOLO spectrometer, which will analyze gases released from these samples to...
-
NASA Looks for Private Partners To Revive VIPER Moon Rover Mission
NASA is inviting private companies to collaborate on deploying the VIPER moon rover, initially halted due to budget constraints. The rover, designed to locate lunar water ice, was previously set to launch aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin lander. Companies must submit proposals by February 20, 2025, with final selections expected mid-year. Chosen firms...
-
Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 Conducts First Lunar Gravity Simulation
Blue Origin successfully launched its NS-29 mission, marking the first lunar gravity simulation on its New Shepard vehicle. The capsule rotated mid-flight to replicate Moon gravity for research payloads, including NASA-supported experiments on lunar dust behaviour and fire safety. Over half of the 30 payloads focused on Moon-related technologies. T...
-
Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 Mission to Test Lunar Gravity Simulation
Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 mission, scheduled for Jan. 28, 2025, will simulate lunar gravity during its suborbital flight. The uncrewed mission, launching from West Texas, carries 30 experiments, with 17 contributed by NASA. These experiments aim to advance lunar exploration technologies, including studying moon dust behaviour, fire dynamics...
-
Bill Nelson Retires as NASA Chief; Janet Petro Named Acting Administrator
Bill Nelson has retired as NASA administrator, with Janet Petro named as acting chief as Donald Trump begins his second term as president. Nelson's tenure saw the launch of landmark missions, including the James Webb Space Telescope and Artemis 1. Jared Isaacman has been nominated as the permanent NASA chief, awaiting Senate confirmation. Nelson ca...
-
NASA Reschedules Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 Missions to Ensure Astronaut Safety
NASA has pushed back its Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 lunar missions to 2026 and 2027, respectively. The delays are attributed to issues with the Orion spacecraft, particularly its heat shield, which experienced damage during the Artemis 1 mission. Safety concerns and technical adjustments are being prioritised. The rescheduling could influence NASA’s...
-
SpaceX and Firefly Team Up to Launch Firefly Blue Ghost with 10 NASA Payloads
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander will launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 in mid-January with 10 NASA payloads designed to test cutting-edge technologies. The mission includes tools like a radiation-resistant computer system, a GPS-like navigation system for lunar use, and dust-repelling technology for equipment maintenance. These payloads aim t...
-
SpaceX Starship Flight 7 Test Gets FAA Launch Licence, Preparing for 2025
SpaceX has received the FAA’s launch licence for Starship Flight 7, marking another milestone in their quest for a fully reusable rocket system. After extensive engine tests, SpaceX is preparing for the test in early 2025. The flight will aim to improve key systems such as booster recovery and ocean splashdown. Designed for lunar and Martian miss...
-
Trump Nominates Jared Isaacman as Next NASA Administrator
Jared Isaacman, billionaire entrepreneur and private astronaut, has been nominated by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump as the next NASA administrator. Isaacman, who founded Shift4 Payments and commanded SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission and Polaris Dawn, brings a unique mix of business success and space exploration experience. His nomination reflect...
-
NASA Delays Artemis 2 Mission to 2026, Artemis 3 Crewed Moon Landing For Mid-2027
NASA has announced delays in the Artemis missions, citing the need for additional technical preparations. Artemis 2, the first crewed Moon mission since the Apollo era, will now launch in 2026. Artemis 3, the programme's lunar landing mission, has been moved to mid-2027 due to Orion spacecraft readiness and other challenges. Adjustments to the spac...
