Moon
Bridenstine plays down costs of 2024 moon landing
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told Senate appropriators May 1 that while the administration is not yet ready to release a revised budget that accommodates an accelerated human lunar landing program, the costs will not be as high as some rumors.
NASA outlines plan for 2024 lunar landing
While the administration continues to work on a revised budget request for carrying out the new goal of landing humans on the moon in 2024, the technical plan for doing so is starting to take shape.
Space Adventures reaches settlement with would-be lunar tourist
Space tourism company Space Adventures has reached a settlement in a lawsuit brought nearly two years ago by a man who signed up for the company’s proposed mission around the moon but later sought a refund of his deposit.
Congressional panel looks at national security implications of China’s space ambitions
The United States should do more to protect its space systems and build capabilities as a form of deterrence, experts said.
Lunar base and Gateway part of sustainable long-term human exploration plan
As NASA works to develop a plan for an accelerated human return to the moon, a top White House official emphasized the need for long-term sustainability that will require both a Gateway and a lunar base.
Independent report concludes 2033 human Mars mission is not feasible
An independent report concluded that NASA has no chance of sending humans to Mars by 2033, with the earliest such a mission could be flown being the late 2030s.
Moon 2024: A new sense of urgency
With one sentence, Vice President Mike Pence was directing NASA to accelerate its lunar landing plans by four years, with few details about how it would be accomplished, or for how much.
NASA’s accelerated moon plans create uncertainty for international partners
As NASA develops its plans to accelerate a human return to the surface of the moon, international partners are left wondering what roles, if any, they will have in that effort.
Lockheed Martin offers architecture for 2024 human lunar landing
Lockheed Martin says it has developed an approach to achieving the goal of landing humans on the south pole of the moon by 2024, but warns that construction of essential hardware would have to start soon to meet that deadline.
Bridenstine outlines two-phase approach for accelerated lunar return
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said the agency’s approach to moving up a human lunar landing from 2028 to 2024 will focus first on speed and then on sustainability.
House committee presses Bridenstine for details on moon plan
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine faced criticism from some House members at an April 2 hearing who questioned the urgency of the administration’s plans to accelerate a human return to the moon and sought details about how much it will cost.
Bridenstine says “nothing off the table” as NASA develops new lunar plan
Insisting that all options are under consideration, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said April 1 that he hopes to develop an initial plan within the next couple of weeks for getting astronauts to the surface of the moon by 2024.
Mixed reactions to accelerated moon plan
Shortly after Vice President Mike Pence directed NASA to return humans to the moon by 2024, four years earlier than previous plans, reactions from space companies and organizations ranged from excitement to bewilderment.
Pence calls for human return to the moon by 2024
Vice President Mike Pence directed NASA to return humans to the surface of the moon by 2024, a dramatic acceleration of the agency’s human space exploration plans but a directive accompanied by few technical or fiscal details.
Chang’e-4 spacecraft enter third lunar night, Yutu-2 reaches design lifetime
The Chang’e-4 lander and Yutu-2 have powered down for a third lunar nighttime on the far side of the moon, with the rover reaching its design lifetime.
