Mars
Mars mission advocates see benefits in NASA’s lunar exploration plans
With NASA committed to a human return to the moon, Mars exploration advocates say those lunar missions can be useful to achieve their long-term goals, if designed properly.
Foust Forward | The moon bounces back
For all the enthusiasm about lunar exploration, and announcements made during the conference, there were far fewer specific details about just how to achieve those goals.
NASA roadmap report provides few new details on human exploration plans
A long-overdue exploration roadmap report released by NASA Sept. 24 offers an overview of the agency’s plans to send humans back to the moon and on to Mars, but few new details about how to carry out those plans.
Foust Forward | Waking up NASA’s Mars exploration program
Mars exploration advocates have been waiting and hoping as well, concerned about a potential hibernation of NASA’s overall Mars exploration program.
Mars and the moon: not an either/or proposition
The moon may be a much-needed pit stop for a very long journey to Mars.
Senators seek focus on Mars in NASA’s exploration plans
Senators preparing a new NASA authorization bill want to ensure that the agency’s long-term focus remains human missions to Mars even as it plans flights to the moon.
China claims progress in new landing technology for crewed spacecraft, Mars landings
China is claiming progress on a number of reentry and landing technologies for human spaceflight and Mars missions, underlining apparently significant plans for deep space exploration.
Mars rover Opportunity weathering major dust storm
Despite conditions that have deprived the Opportunity Mars rover of solar power, NASA officials said June 13 that they expected the long-lived spacecraft to survive an intense ongoing dust storm.
Foust Forward | What do we want? Mars! When do we want it? Uhhh…
Few in Congress are bigger proponents of sending humans to Mars than Ed Perlmutter, and he has the bumper sticker to prove it.
Bridenstine emphasizes support for moon and Mars exploration
A day after telling one audience that the U.S. was returning to the moon, new NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine reassured another that Mars remained a goal for the agency as well.
NASA considering flight test of space nuclear reactor technology
After a successful campaign of ground tests, NASA is considering performing a flight test of a small nuclear reactor, possibly on a lunar lander mission in the mid-2020s.
New exploration roadmap to be topic of space agencies meeting
A new version of a space exploration roadmap that firmly puts the moon on the path to Mars will be one topic of discussion at a meeting of dozens of space agencies this weekend in Tokyo.
New NASA planetary protection officer seeks greater cooperation with human and commercial missions
NASA's new planetary protection officer is open to reexamining how the agency deals with both government and commercial missions to Mars and other potentially habitable worlds in the solar system.
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.
President Trump to sign space directive Monday
President Donald Trump is scheduled to sign his administration’s first space policy directive in a White House ceremony Dec. 11, one that may formally direct NASA to send humans back to the moon.
