Artemis
NASA’s inspector general criticizes Orion cost accounting
NASA’s inspector general criticized the agency for its accounting of Orion program costs in a new report, arguing it has “hindered the overall transparency” of the program amid growing costs and schedule slips.
NASA signs agreement with Japan on lunar exploration
NASA has signed an agreement with the Japanese government that brings the agencies closer to finalizing Japan’s roles in the Artemis program.
Artemis Accords: A Model for Space Settlement International Protocols?
A new Beyond Earth Institute survey report recommends that the U.S. should establish a whole-of-government sectoral trade and exploration agreement with like-minded allies focused on space commercial development and the eventual establishment of p…
House bill offers flat funding for NASA
A House appropriations bill released July 7 rejected the administration’s proposed major budget increase for NASA, instead offering the agency a flat budget for 2021 that takes particular aim at the agency’s efforts to develop lunar landers.
NASA’s next giant leaps
Blue Origin, SpaceX and Dynetics have NASA’s trust, but not a lot of time, to meet a 2024 goal for landing on the moon.
Senator seeks to restore proposed cuts in NASA science programs
A U.S. senator said June 15 he will work with colleagues to restore cuts to several NASA programs in the agency’s fiscal year 2021 budget request, which would put more strain on NASA’s efforts to return humans to the moon by 2024.
Webinar Replay | Back to the Moon: Private Partnerships for Lunar Landers
SpaceNews Senior Staff Writer Jeff Foust and Editor-in-Chief Brian Berger lead a live panel discussion about NASA's use of public-private partnerships to develop lunar landers that could return astronauts to the surface of the moon as soon as 2024. Featuring Draper, Dynetics and the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.
Op-ed | Toward a coherent Artemis plan
NASA should forget about using Starship as a lunar lander (at least for now) and instead use it as an in-orbit refueling station for much smaller landing and ascent vehicles.
Bridenstine criticizes China for uncontrolled rocket reentry
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine criticized China May 15 for the “really dangerous” reentry of a large rocket stage earlier in the week that led to debris landing in Africa.
NASA announces Artemis Accords for international cooperation in lunar exploration
NASA will ask countries that seek to cooperate on the agency’s Artemis lunar exploration program to follow a series of principles that the agency says is intended to support a “safe, prosperous and peaceful” future in space.
NASA advisers skeptical of agency’s ability to meet 2024 lunar landing goal
Members of a NASA advisory committee expressed doubts that the agency can return humans to the moon by 2024 as currently planned, as well as concerns about the approach the agency is using to develop lunar landers.
NASA refines plans for launching Gateway and other Artemis elements
NASA is making several changes to its plans to return humans to the surface of the moon by 2024, including launching the first two elements of the lunar Gateway together and adding a critical demonstration to the first crewed Orion flight.
Bridenstine ties international cooperation on Artemis to norms of behavior in space
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine wants the space agency to play a bigger role in national strategy, including requiring countries interested in participating in the Artemis program to accept “norms of behavior” for safe space operations.
Op-ed | Securing America’s small business space sector
The most recent data from the Small Business Administration reveals that NASA provides $2.8 billion per year directly to small businesses, with another $3 billion subcontracted through larger companies.
NASA evaluation sees SpaceX lunar lander as innovative but risky
A NASA evaluation suggests that the agency selected SpaceX for one of the three human lunar lander awards as a high-risk, high-reward option that could provide significant capability but may not be ready in time for a 2024 landing.
