Fast, technically accurate aerospace journalism with deep contextual analysis.
No clickbait. Just facts, context, and what it means for humanity's expansion into space.
The successful completion of NASA"s Artemis 2 mission, which sent the first astronauts around the moon in over 50 years, marks the beginning of a new era in lunar exploration. The mission is part of a broader plan to establish a sustainable presence on the moon, with future missions aiming to achieve a crewed landing and eventually a lunar base.
On April 15, 2026, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, carrying 25 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into orbit. The mission marked the company"s 46th Falcon 9 launch of the year, with the first-stage booster successfully landing on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean.
On April 14, 2026, SpaceX successfully launched two Falcon 9 rockets from opposite coasts of the United States, deploying a total of 54 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the company"s efforts to expand its satellite constellation.
The successful completion of NASA"s Artemis 2 mission, which sent the first astronauts around the moon in over 50 years, marks the beginning of a new era in lunar exploration. The mission is part of a broader plan to establish a sustainable presence on the moon, with future missions aiming to achieve a crewed landing and eventually a lunar base.
The Artemis 2 mission, a pivotal step in NASA"s lunar exploration program, has successfully concluded with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026, and was subsequently featured in a skit on Saturday Night Live, highlighting its significance and broader cultural impact. This milestone marks a crucial step towards returning humans to the lunar surface.
SpaceX successfully launched its 1000th Starlink satellite of 2026 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, marking a significant milestone in the company"s efforts to expand its broadband internet constellation. The launch is part of SpaceX"s ongoing mission to provide global internet coverage through its Starlink network.
Recent studies suggest that water-ice on the moon arrived gradually over time, rather than in a single event, and that permanently shadowed craters may not be as permanent as previously thought. This discovery has significant implications for future astronaut missions to the moon, which could utilize water-ice as a valuable resource.
The newly released FY 2027 budget request for NASA includes a 47% cut to the agency's Science Mission Directorate, reducing funding from $7.25 billion to $3.9 billion. This significant reduction has sparked concern among scientists and critics, who argue that it will have major implications for ongoing and future missions.
On April 13, 2029, the near-Earth asteroid 99942 Apophis will pass within 20,000 miles of our planet, offering a rare opportunity for skywatchers to observe the asteroid with the naked eye. This event is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for astronomers and the general public to witness a potentially hazardous asteroid up close.
The S.S. Steven R. Nagel, a Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft, has arrived at the International Space Station carrying over 5 tons of supplies, including a quantum science module to advance dark matter research. The successful docking marks the 24th flight under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract.
The Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft, launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station on Monday, marking the second flight of the Cygnus XL vehicle. This mission highlights the ongoing collaboration between NASA, Northrop Grumman, and other space agencies in maintaining a reliable supply chain to the ISS.
Fresh off their return to Earth, the Artemis II astronauts will hold a news conference at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss their historic mission around the Moon. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will answer questions about their mission. The crew returned to Earth on April 10, splashing down off the coast of San Diego, and arrived in Houston on April 11, where they are undergoing standard postflight reconditioning, evaluations, and lunar science debriefs.
The Progress MS-32 spacecraft will undock from the Zvezda module of the International Space Station. It will then de-orbit and burn up in the atmosphere.
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope recently completed construction and is wrapping up prelaunch testing. NASA participants in this briefing include: - NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman - Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington - Jamie Dunn, Roman telescope project manager, NASA Goddard - Julie McEnery, Roman telescope senior project scientist, NASA Goddard
Two astronauts will replace a high-definition camera on camera port 3, install a new navigational aid for visiting spacecraft, called a planar reflector, on the Harmony module’s forward port, and relocate an early ammonia servicer jumper — a flexible hose assembly that connects parts of a fluid system — along with other jumpers on the station’s S6 and S4 truss.
As part of its mission extension, JAXA's Hayabusa2 spacecraft will observe S-type asteroid (98943) Torifune during a high-speed fly-by.