ASCEND

ASCEND is the world’s first outcomes-focused, transdisciplinary conference designed to accelerate the building of our off-world future. It’s the premier opportunity to collaborate with 3,000+ civil and government leaders, national-security exp…

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…

Rocket arrives as China targets July for Tianwen-1 Mars mission launch

China is gearing up to launch its Tianwen-1 Mars mission following the delivery of a Long March 5 launch vehicle to Wenchang launch center.

InSight mole making slow progress into Martian surface

An instrument on NASA’s InSight Mars lander that has struggled for more than a year to make its way into the Martian surface is now making steady, but slow progress with the help of the lander’s robotic arm.

China’s Mars mission named Tianwen-1, appears on track for July launch

China has named its first independent interplanetary mission Tianwen-1, with the combined Mars orbiter and rover spacecraft apparently proceeding towards launch in July.

Scientists warn proposed cuts put Mars science program at risk

Scientists involved with several ongoing Mars missions are warning that a budget proposal that would end one mission and curtail operations of others could disrupt NASA’s broader Mars exploration architecture.

UAE Mars mission to ship to launch site

A Mars orbiter developed by the United Arab Emirates will ship to its launch site in Japan this week, its launch preparations affected by 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.

Op-ed | H.R. 5666 will launch the U.S. in the wrong direction

In his Feb. 3 SpaceNews opinion piece,  Louis Friedman argues that the NASA authorization bill that recently cleared a House space subcommittee is best  direction for America in space. The bill, H.R. 5666, would require the United States to abandon the moon after a flags and footprints lunar landing (while effectively preventing commercial firms from participating). We could not disagree more.

InSight to try to push mole into Martian surface

Engineers plan to use the robotic arm on its InSight Mars lander to push a heat flow probe into the surface, acknowledging that they have “few alternatives” if that effort fails.

Rocket nears spaceport for Chinese space station test launch

The first flight model of a rocket designed to launch modules for a Chinese space station is set to arrive at Wenchang spaceport for a crucial test mission.

A new look for life on Mars

Next year, multiple nations are launching spacecraft to Mars, drawn once again to help unravel the complexities of that world and tease out clues as to whether or not it could be an extraterrestrial habitat for life.

InSight heat flow probe suffers setback

A heat flow instrument on NASA’s InSight Mars lander suffered a setback Oct. 26 in its efforts to penetrate into the Martian surface.

Virgin Orbit to add extra rocket stage to LauncherOne for interplanetary missions

Virgin Orbit, while preparing for the first flight of its LauncherOne smallsat rocket, is in the process of choosing an engine for a three-stage variant that would be capable of sending payloads to other planets. 

InSight instrument resumes movement into Martian surface

A probe on NASA’s InSight Mars lander that has been stuck for months is moving deeper into the surface again thanks to an assist from the lander’s robotic arm.

Former NASA chief technologist to lead JPL planetary exploration program

A former NASA chief technologist will be joining the leadership of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as the center seeks to restructure its management of planetary missions.