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NASA's Mars Sample Return mission, long intended to bring rock samples collected by the Perseverance rover back to Earth, has been cancelled, according to a Science news report. The mission had faced years of cost overruns and schedule delays, with independent reviews estimating its price tag had ballooned well beyond initial projections. Commenters are debating what the decision means for planetary science and for Europe's role in Mars exploration.
- 2SpaceX prepares Starship for first orbital launch attemptβSpaceX prepares Starship rocket for first orbital launch (SPCX:NASDAQ)
SpaceX is readying its Starship rocket for its first attempt at reaching orbit. The test flight from the company's Starbase facility in Texas would mark a major milestone for the most powerful rocket ever built, a key part of NASA's plans to return astronauts to the Moon and of Elon Musk's long-term ambitions for Mars missions.
- 3NASA Assigns New Mission to Moon CrewβThey Flew Around the Moon. Now NASA Has a New Mission for Them
NASA has reportedly given a new mission to astronauts who previously flew around the Moon. The announcement has drawn attention from space watchers, coming as the agency continues preparations for its Artemis lunar exploration program. Further details about the crew and the specifics of the assignment were not provided in the reporting.
- 4Perseverance finds Mars crater held more than an ancient lakeβPerseverance discovers Mars crater was more than just an ancient lake
NASA's Perseverance rover has uncovered evidence that Jezero Crater on Mars was more complex than previously thought, indicating it was not simply an ancient lake. The finding suggests the crater experienced a richer and more varied geological history, with implications for understanding Mars' past water activity and its potential to have once supported life.
- 5Odds of Being Hit by Falling Space Junk Are Rising, Experts Warnβ"For now, people are more likely to be struck by lightning than by falling space junk. But those odds are shifting. Sean
Experts including former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe warn that while a person is currently more likely to be struck by lightning than by falling space debris, those odds are shifting as launches and satellite deployments increase. O'Keefe and other specialists argue governments and companies should be required to use materials that fully burn up on re-entry to reduce the growing risk of debris reaching the ground.
- 6Hidden Valleys Beneath Greenland's Ice Sheet RevealedβUncovering the Valleys Hidden Below Greenlandβs Ice
NASA scientists are mapping vast hidden valleys buried beneath Greenland's ice sheet, using radar and other remote-sensing techniques to reveal the dramatic landscape below. The work helps researchers understand how meltwater drains under the ice and how this may influence ice sheet behaviour and sea-level rise. The findings highlight how much of Greenland's geography remains unseen beneath kilometres of ice.
- 7Crew-13 Arrives at Kennedy Space Center for October LaunchβCrew-13 Arrives at KSC for Oct. 1 ISS Launch
The Crew-13 astronauts have arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of a planned October 1 launch to the International Space Station. Their arrival begins final training and quarantine procedures before liftoff. It is the next rotation of crew heading to the orbiting laboratory under NASA's commercial crew program.
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NASA astronaut Kayla Barron, originally from Richland, Washington, has been named to command her second space mission. Barron, a former Navy submarine officer who previously flew to the International Space Station in 2021, now takes on a leadership role for her next flight, a notable milestone for the astronaut from eastern Washington.
- 9University of Maine partners with NASA on new space grantβUMaine Partners with NASA to create Maine Space Grant
The University of Maine is partnering with NASA to establish the Maine Space Grant, a program expected to support space-related research and education in the state. Details on funding amounts and specific projects have not yet been announced, but the collaboration is being presented as a significant step for Maine's growing aerospace sector.