- Jul 25
SpaceX Starship V3 completes first intact splashdown in 13th test flight, deploys 20 Starlink satellites
SpaceX's Starship V3 lifted off from Boca Chica, Texas, deployed 20 next-generation Starlink satellites, and made history by splashing down intact in the Indian Ocean, a critical step toward orbital tests and NASA's Artemis lunar program.
- Jun 10
NASA names Artemis III crew: three Americans and an Italian will test lunar docking in 2027
Three NASA astronauts and an Italian ESA pilot will fly the Orion capsule in 2027 to test docking with a lunar lander, a critical step toward a permanent human presence on the Moon.
- May 29
Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Florida Test, Threatening NASA's Moon Plans and Bezos' Space Ambitions
A massive New Glenn rocket from Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin erupted into a fireball during a ground test at Cape Canaveral on Thursday night, dealing a severe blow to the company's commercial satellite plans and NASA's lunar return ambitions.
- May 27
NASA Awards Hundreds of Millions to Blue Origin and Others to Build a Permanent Moon Base by the 2030s
Less than two months after a historic crewed flyaround, NASA has awarded contracts to Blue Origin, Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, and Firefly Aerospace to deliver landers, rovers, and drones to the lunar south pole, marking the first phase of a permanent settlement.
