The 2020 Humans to Mars Summit

Are missions to the Moon by 2024 and Mars by 2033 achievable?
How will the 2020 Mars Rover advance the goal of getting humans to Mars?
If we find life on Mars, what next?

These are just a few of the questions that will be explor…

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.

“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.

Mars 2020 instrument survives termination review

The five-week partial government shutdown earlier this year that delayed elements of other NASA missions may have provided a reprieve of sorts for a troubled instrument on the agency’s next Mars mission.

NASA dealing with cost growth on planetary science flagship missions

While NASA’s overall planetary sciences program is enjoying record funding levels, the agency is grappling with cost growth in two of its largest missions.

NASA selects landing site for Mars 2020 rover

NASA has chosen a Martian crater that once hosted a lake and river delta as the landing site for a mission that will collect samples for eventual return to Earth.

Committee praises NASA’s planetary science program but raises some concerns

NASA has done a good job implementing the recommendations of its latest planetary science decadal survey despite past budget problems, but needs to improve some programs, a recent report concluded.

Report recommends NASA revise its planetary protection policies

NASA’s approaches to planetary protection are outdated in an era of more ambitious missions and emergence of private space exploration ventures and thus need to be revised, a new report concludes.

NASA agrees to fly helicopter demo on Mars 2020

NASA announced May 11 that it will fly a small helicopter as a technology demonstration on its next Mars rover, despite concerns from some on the project that it could be a distraction.

Decision expected soon on adding helicopter to Mars 2020

NASA is expected to make a decision later this month on whether to include a small helicopter as a technology demonstration on the Mars 2020 rover despite concerns by scientists that it might distract from the rover’s science mission.

GAO warns of worsening cost and schedule performance on NASA programs

NASA’s cost and performance on major programs has “deteriorated” significantly in the last year according to a report May 1 by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Cracked heat shield won’t delay Mars 2020 mission

Development of a NASA mission to collect samples on Mars for later return to Earth has suffered a setback, although one that project officials said should not affect its 2020 launch date.

NASA Mars exploration efforts turn to operating existing missions and planning sample return

With few new missions in development, NASA's Mars Exploration Program is shifting towards operations of ongoing missions as well as technology development to support an eventual sample return effort.

NASA planning August release of Mars robotic exploration architecture

With time running out to start work on a 2022 Mars orbiter, a NASA official said July 10 the agency plans to have a “coherent Mars architecture” for future robotic Mars missions ready for presentation an at August committee meeting.

ESA selects a second potential landing site for ExoMars 2020 rover

The agency said it will consider Mawrth Vallis, an area that once likely had liquid water, along with Oxia Planum.

Technical risks threaten to delay Mars 2020 mission

A report released Jan. 30 by NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) identified several issues with the agency’s Mars 2020 rover mission that could delay its launch.