Tag: Artemis
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NASA Awards $300M Johnson Space Center Infrastructure Contract
Why is NASA investing $300M in Johnson Space Center infrastructure now? NASA has awarded a $300 million infrastructure contract to seven companies for construction and revitalization projects at Johnson Space Center, with all funds requiring obligation by September 30, 2026. The Johnson Space Center Multiple Award Construction Contract directly supports mission-critical facilities needed for the…
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NASA Awards First Moon Base Contracts to Four Companies
Which Companies Won NASA’s First Moon Base Development Contracts? NASA awarded the first contracts for lunar base development to four companies on May 26, marking a significant expansion of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program beyond basic payload delivery to permanent infrastructure development. The contracts focus on lander and drone systems that will support…
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Artemis II Crew Briefs Congress on 10-Day Lunar Mission Success
How did NASA’s Artemis II crew perform during their 10-day lunar flyby mission? NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen briefed congressional staff Tuesday on their successful Artemis II mission, which completed a nearly 10-day cislunar space journey. The crew brought “Rise,” their zero gravity indicator from…
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NASA Lunabotics 2026 Competition Tests Student Lunar Mining Tech
What makes NASA’s 2026 Lunabotics Competition critical for lunar operations? NASA’s 2026 Lunabotics Challenge will field over 80 university teams competing May 19-21 at Kennedy Space Center’s Astronauts Memorial Foundation Center for Space Education, testing autonomous robots designed to excavate and transport lunar regolith. The competition directly feeds into NASA’s Artemis Program requirements for In-Situ…
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MDA Space advances Gateway robotic arm despite funding uncertainty
Will MDA Space complete the Gateway robotic arm amid funding uncertainty? MDA Space is pressing forward with development of the Canadarm3 robotic system for NASA’s lunar Gateway station while navigating ongoing discussions with the Canadian Space Agency about program continuity and funding levels. The Toronto-based contractor confirmed work continues on the 8.5-meter manipulator system despite…
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NASA Pushes Beyond Rad-Hard Chips for Next-Gen Space Computing
How is NASA moving beyond radiation-hardened processors for space missions? NASA is partnering with industry to advance high-performance spaceflight computing beyond traditional radiation-hardened processors, marking a fundamental shift from the agency’s decades-long reliance on rad-hard chips that prioritize survival over speed. The initiative addresses a critical performance gap: while commercial processors deliver teraflops of computing…
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Lunar Debris Now Exceeds 200 Pieces as Moon Mission Traffic Surges
How Much Lunar Debris Now Orbits and Litters the Moon? The Moon now harbors over 200 cataloged pieces of human-made debris across its surface and orbital environment, marking the first significant accumulation of space junk beyond Earth orbit. This debris field includes failed landers, spent upper stages, impact craters from intentional crashes, and scattered hardware…
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Janet Petro Steps Down as Kennedy Space Center Director
What does Janet Petro’s retirement mean for Kennedy Space Center operations? Janet Petro, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center since 2021, announced her retirement Friday after a 19-year career with the agency. Her departure comes as KSC manages the most ambitious launch manifest in decades, including multiple Artemis Program missions, Commercial Crew Program flights, and…
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NASA Gateway Modules Show Corrosion After Years in Storage
What’s causing delays with NASA’s Lunar Gateway modules? NASA’s Lunar Gateway faces a significant setback as its primary modules—the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) and Power and Propulsion Element (PPE)—have developed corrosion during extended storage. Originally scheduled to launch in 2022, these critical components for lunar orbit operations have been sitting in storage facilities for…
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NASA Develops On-Demand IV Fluid Production for Deep Space Missions
Can astronauts produce their own IV fluids during deep space missions? NASA has developed technology to produce IV fluids on-demand during crewed missions beyond low Earth orbit, addressing a critical medical supply constraint for Artemis Program lunar missions and eventual Mars expeditions. The agency’s new system can manufacture saline solution using purified water and sodium…