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SpaceX wins NASA commercial cargo contract for lunar Gateway
NASA announced March 27 it has selected SpaceX to provide cargo transportation services for the agency’s planned lunar Gateway.
French space agency donates 90,000 face masks to hospitals
Hospitals in Toulouse, France, received 90,000 face masks from the French space agency CNES this week in an effort to help limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the agency’s president.
NASA requesting proposals for Orion engine
NASA is seeking bids to develop a new engine for its Orion spacecraft that will effectively be a plug-in replacement for the shuttle-era engine used on the spacecraft’s initial missions.
ESA puts four science missions on hold during pandemic
The European Space Agency announced March 24 it is suspending regular operations of four of its missions, including one recently launched spacecraft, to reduce staffing needs during the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. government aims for better coordination in space weather campaign
After decades of fighting to be taken seriously, meteorologists say space weather is beginning to get the attention it deserves.
NASA to hand off spacecraft communications to industry
NASA is preparing to hand off to the private sector much of the work of communicating with spacecraft in Earth and lunar orbit.
Starliner flight raises profile of Space Network
The Space Network continues to offer reliable global coverage 24-hours a day for missions led by NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other government agencies, said Ted Sobchak, NASA Space Network project manager.
NASA to participate in SpaceX engine anomaly investigation
NASA representatives will be part of an ongoing SpaceX investigation into an engine anomaly on a recent Falcon 9 launch as the company prepares for a Crew Dragon mission carrying two NASA astronauts.
Venezuela’s flagship communications satellite out of service and tumbling
Venezuela’s first and only state-owned communications satellite has been out of service since March 13 when a series of maneuvers left it tumbling in an unusable orbit.
Chinese new-generation spacecraft mission proceeding despite coronavirus, Long March 7A failure
The launch of a Long March 5B heavy-lift rocket carrying a Chinese new-generation spacecraft is going ahead despite the coronavirus outbreak.
Study recommends minimizing elements for Artemis lunar lander
A study by a space propulsion company concludes that a human return to the moon by 2024 will require minimizing the launches needed for the lunar lander and also using storable, rather than cryogenic, propellants.
Coronavirus pauses work on JWST
NASA has suspended work on the James Webb Space Telescope as it prioritizes what agency missions require people to be on site during the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus pandemic to halt SLS testing
NASA has elevated two centers to the highest level of its pandemic response plan, halting preparations for a major test of the Space Launch System.
“Overstressed” NASA Mars exploration budget threatens missions
Cost overruns on a major rover mission and proposals for both sample return missions and a new orbiter are straining NASA’s Mars exploration program and threatening the future of two ongoing missions.
Students integrate cubesat before coronavirus shuts school
Boston University students and professors spent a decade developing what they affectionately call the Toaster. It’s a six-unit cubesat to detect changes in Earth’s magnetic field caused by space weather.
NASA targets May for Crew Dragon test flight
NASA announced March 18 it plans to perform a crewed flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, with two NASA astronauts on board, as soon as the latter half of May.
