Orion
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.
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.
Bridenstine reiterates commitment to SLS
A day after announcing that NASA was studying the possibility of shifting an Orion mission from the Space Launch System rocket to commercial vehicles, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said he and the agency still support development of the SLS.
Industry and lawmakers go to defense of SLS
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine’s surprise announcement March 13 that NASA is considering moving Exploration Mission 1 off of the Space Launch System took many in the industry by surprise, but some have reacted by defending the use of the SLS.
NASA considering flying Orion on commercial launch vehicles
NASA is considering moving the Orion spacecraft that was to fly on the first Space Launch System mission to a commercial rocket to keep that mission on schedule for mid-2020.
Lockheed Martin considering flying commercial payloads on Orion
Lockheed Martin is in the early stages of studying the feasibility of flying small commercial payloads on future NASA flights of the Orion spacecraft in cislunar space.
Lockheed Martin working to lower Orion costs
As Lockheed Martin prepares to complete assembly of the Orion spacecraft flying on the first SLS mission, the company says it’s making progress in lowering the costs of the future spacecraft, including through reuse.
House members question balance of NASA programs in 2019 budget proposal
Members of the House space subcommittee raised concerns about elements of NASA's fiscal year 2019 budget proposal during a March 7 hearing, from the cancellation of a space telescope to restructuring of the agency's technology programs.
Safety panel warns of “bottleneck” of reviews for exploration and commercial crew vehicles
Members of a NASA safety panel said they see good progress on the development of both exploration systems and commercial crew vehicles, but warn future progress could be hindered by a "bottleneck" of reviews they face.
Safety panel raises concerns about Falcon 9 pressure vessel for commercial crew missions
An independent safety panel recommended NASA not certify SpaceX’s commercial crew system until the agency better understands the behavior of pressure vessels linked to a Falcon 9 failure in 2016.
Op-ed | A new direction in space policy
Implementing the Trump administration's space policy requires increased reliance on the growing array of commercial space capabilities to enable human to return to the moon and go to Mars and beyond.
Smith disappointed with lack of progress on SLS and Orion
A day after NASA announced a new launch date for the first flight of the Space Launch System, the chairman of the House Science Committee said he found the development delays “disappointing” and warned further problems could undermine congressional support.
NASA sets December 2019 date for first SLS launch
NASA announced Nov. 8 that it is now planning a first launch of its Space Launch System rocket no earlier than December 2019, even as a review concluded the rocket isn’t likely to fly until mid-2020.
Bridenstine pledges support for SLS and Orion to senators
As the Senate Commerce Committee prepares to advance his nomination as NASA administrator to the full Senate, Jim Bridenstine offered pledges of continuity for many key agency programs.
