Civil
NASA reschedules Ingenuity first flight
NASA now plans to attempt a first flight of the Mars helicopter Ingenuity early April 19 after finding a workaround to a software problem that delayed the flight earlier this month.
NASA selects SpaceX to develop crewed lunar lander
NASA has selected SpaceX as the sole company to win a contract to develop and demonstrate a crewed lunar lander, while keeping the door open for others to compete for future missions.
China to launch a pair of spacecraft towards the edge of the solar system
China is developing a mission to send a pair of spacecraft to study the far reaches of the solar system and reach interstellar space by mid-century.
NASA delays starting contract with SpaceX for Gateway cargo services
More than a year after selecting SpaceX to deliver cargo to the lunar Gateway, NASA has yet to formally start that contract as it performs a broader review of its Artemis program.
LeoLabs adding new services to support growing space activity in low Earth orbit
LeoLabs is adding more sensors and data processing capacity to its network in preparation for a surge in satellites launches.
Consortium unveils greenhouse gas monitoring constellation Carbon Mapper
A consortium led by the State of California, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Planet announced plans April 15 for a constellation of hyperspectral satellites to pinpoint, quantify and track point sources of methane and carbon dioxide.
China preparing Tianzhou-2 cargo mission to follow upcoming space station launch
A Long March 7 rocket has arrived at China’s coastal Wenchang spaceport to facilitate the Tianzhou-2 supply mission to a soon-to-launch space station module.
Atlantic Council calls for U.S. and allies to lead global efforts on space security
The Atlantic Council released a new report that calls on the United States and allies to advocate for new global rules for safe operations in outer space.
UAE selects new astronauts, including first woman
The United Arab Emirates doubled the size of its astronaut corps April 10 with the selection of two new astronauts, including the first woman, who will train at NASA starting later this year.
NASA delays first flight of Mars helicopter
NASA announced April 10 it was postponing the first flight attempt of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars by at least three days after detecting a problem during a final pre-flight test.
General Atomics wins DARPA contract to develop nuclear reactor to power missions to the moon
DARPA awarded a $22 million contract to General Atomics to design a small nuclear reactor for space propulsion.
Biden administration proposes $24.7 billion budget for NASA in 2022
The White House released a first look at its budget proposal for fiscal year 2022 that includes an increase in funding for NASA, particularly Earth science and space technology programs.
Soyuz launches new crew to International Space Station
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying two Russian cosmonauts and one American astronaut arrived at the International Space Station April 9, a few hours after its launch from Kazakhstan.
U.S. intelligence report predicts heightened space competition between U.S. and China
A new report by ODNI projects that by 2040 China will be the most significant rival to the United States in space, competing on commercial, civil and military fronts.
New ESA director general outlines priorities
The new head of the European Space Agency has outlined his priorities for the next several years, ranging from improving relations with the European Union to increasing commercialization activities.
Bruno: The next big thing for ULA is a long-endurance upper stage
ULA is still betting on long-endurance upper stages and believes the technology has a bright future.
