Tag: Orion
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‘Let’s go!’ NASA launches humanity’s first moon voyage in nearly 54 years
NASA’s Space Launch System rises from its Florida launch pad, sending the Artemis 2 crew into orbit. (NASA via YouTube) After years of postponements and close to $100 billion in spending, NASA has launched the first mission to send astronauts around the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. The 10-day Artemis 2 mission began today…
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This is my third Orion launch, but it feels totally different
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla.—This will be the third time I have observed NASA’s Orion spacecraft take flight. But with this one, for the first time, am I genuinely hopeful about the future of the space agency and its plans to build a station on the surface of the Moon. The two previous flights, in 2014…
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Artemis II returns humanity to the Moon with launch on Wednesday evening
At 23:35 UTC on Dec. 16, 1972, the Apollo 17 command module, America, successfully completed its trans-Earth injection burn, sending it and its crew of NASA astronauts Gene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt, and Ronald Evans on a return trajectory back to Earth. The moment marked the final time a crewed Apollo spacecraft was in orbit around…
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NASA outlines Moon Base plans, pivots on Gateway
In a major shift announced during its “Ignition” event this week, NASA unveiled a detailed roadmap for establishing the first sustained crewed outpost on the lunar surface. The plan effectively pauses the long-planned Lunar Gateway orbiting station and redirects its resources toward infrastructure that supports long-term presence on the Moon itself. The announcement marks a…
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NASA returns its SLS rocket back to the launch pad ahead of planned April flight of Artemis 2
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft photographed during the final hour of its four-mile journey to the launch pad on Friday, March 20, 2026. Image: John Pisani/Spaceflight Now Update March 20, 12 p.m. EDT (1600 UTC): NASA confirmed completion of the Space Launch System rocket’s rollout. NASA’s Moon rocket returned to the launch…
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NASA ready for another shot at launching Artemis 2 moon mission
Technicians and engineers perform prelaunch work on the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft inside the Vehicle Assembly Building on Feb. 26, 2026. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now NASA plans to haul its Artemis 2 moon rocket back out to its seaside launch pad next week to ready the huge booster for blastoff as early…
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SLS rocket hauled back to VAB for repairs
NASA’s crawler-transporter 2, carrying NASA’s Artemis 2 SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft secured to mobile launcher 1, rolls back Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to troubleshoot the flow of helium to the rocket’s upper stage, the interim cryogenic propulsion stage.…
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NASA rolls back SLS, fixes aiming for April launch
NASA has rolled back the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The roll began around 9:45am local time on Wednesday and was completed by the evening. The decision follows an unexpected interruption in helium flow within the rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion…
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NASA completes a smooth rehearsal for historic Artemis 2 moon launch
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket stands on its Florida launch pad. (NASA Photo / Aubrey Gemignani) NASA counted down to T-minus 29 seconds during a smooth rehearsal for a historic launch that could send astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than half a century. The run-through at Launch Complex 39B, at…
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House Panel Advances NASA Authorization Bill Backing Moon-to-Mars Program
The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee unanimously approved a new NASA authorization bill on Thursday, reaffirming congressional backing for U.S. leadership in space and the agency’s Moon-to-Mars exploration program. The legislation, introduced as H.R. 7273, emphasizes continued investment in human exploration, science, aeronautics and technology while endorsing an expanded role for commercial partnerships. Authorization…