Tag: ISS
-
Vast and Axiom awarded new private missions to ISS, continue work on commercial space stations
With NASA awarding back-to-back Private Astronaut Missions to aerospace companies Vast Space and Axiom Space in early 2026, NASA continues to foster and accelerate growth in commercial low-Earth orbit. The new missions are expected to launch in 2027, with NASA and SpaceX partnering with the companies to train, launch, and return four-person crews to and…
-
Boeing insists NASA criticism will reinforce efforts on Starliner
Following NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s stark assessment of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner program’s troubled history—pinning the blame not just on technical flaws but on systemic failures in decision-making and leadership that he warned could erode the agency’s culture of safety in human spaceflight—Boeing reacted by saying the report will reinforce ongoing efforts to improve its…
-
Axiom Space Secures $350 Million to Advance Commercial Space Station and Lunar Spacesuits
Axiom Space said on Thursday it had raised $350 million in new financing to support construction of a commercial space station intended to succeed the International Space Station (ISS) and to advance development of next-generation spacesuits for future U.S. lunar missions. The funding round was co-led by Type One Ventures and the Qatar Investment Authority,…
-
Crew-12 arrives at the ISS
SpaceX and NASA launched the 12th operational crew rotation mission to the International Space Station under the Commercial Crew Program, Crew-12. Launching atop a Falcon 9 from Florida, Crew-12 is carried four new NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos crew members to the orbiting laboratory for an eight-month mission as part of Expedition 74/75. Liftoff occurred at…
-
Former SpaceX astronaut discusses training as a NASA astronaut candidate
Training is underway for NASA’s newest class of astronaut candidates at the Johnson Space Center in Texas. The nearly two-year long process began this past September for the four men and six women of Astronaut Group 24. One of those ‘ASCAN’s, as they’re known, is Anna Menon, who previously flew on the SpaceX Polaris Dawn…
-
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Splashes Down in Pacific After Five-Month ISS Mission
NASA said its SpaceX Crew-11 mission safely returned to Earth early Thursday, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego and concluding a more than five-month stay aboard the International Space Station. The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kimiya Yui,…
-
Aerospacelab to Build Eight More Satellites for Xona’s Pulsar Navigation Constellation
Aerospacelab has been selected by U.S.-based Xona Space Systems to manufacture eight additional satellites for Pulsar, a low Earth orbit (LEO) navigation constellation aimed at providing high-performance positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services, the companies said. Under the agreement, the Belgian satellite manufacturer will serve as Xona’s transition manufacturing partner for the initial phase of…
-
Crew-11 lands after medical situation forces early return
The Crew-11 mission has left the International Space Station and have arrived back on Earth. Crew Dragon Endeavour and its crew of four — comprised of two NASA astronauts, one Japanese astronaut, and one Russian cosmonaut — splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 12:40 AM PST (08:40 UTC) on Thursday, Jan. 15. Crew-11 launched to…
-
ESA Revises ISS Barter Plan With NASA After Cancelling Cargo Transport Call
The European Space Agency (ESA) has outlined a revised barter arrangement with the United States that would allow it to meet its International Space Station (ISS) cost-sharing obligations without commissioning a dedicated commercial cargo delivery mission, senior officials said this month. The move follows ESA’s decision in December to cancel a call for proposals for…
-
Japan Defence Ministry Awards Astroscale Contract to Develop Satellite Gripping Technology
Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) has awarded Astroscale Japan a contract valued at 1 billion yen ($6.4 million) to develop a gripping mechanism designed for use with national satellites, the company said. Under the contract, Astroscale Japan will design the mechanism and conduct ground-based demonstrations to test its ability to grip national security satellites under…