Deep Space Extra

Here is a list of news that were published in our Newsletter during the week of May 17, 2026:

Human Space Exploration

• SpaceX scrubs first launch attempt of its Starship Version 3 rocket;
• Proposed fiscal 2027 funding could support two commercial space stations, developers say;
• NASA, Lockheed Martin say Artemis III advancing, facing milestones this year
  Coalition Member in the News – Lockheed Martin;
• SpaceX Starship Flight 12 launch updates: 1st Starship V3 completes fueling test ahead of May 21 liftoff;
• Isaacman: Chinese taikonauts likely to fly around Moon in 2027;
• All roads to space still run through Huntsville, NASA administrator stresses;
• Customizable drinks could provide essential nutrients during space missions;
• What time is SpaceX’s Starship V3 launch on May 21? (Starship Flight 12 timeline);
• SpaceX Dragon capsule delivers science and supplies to space station;
• For SpaceX, the stakes of next week’s Starship rocket test flight are sky-high;

Space Science

• A look back at Hubble’s most breathtaking images;
• NASA’s Hubble accidentally witnesses a comet shattering in space
  Coalition Member in the News – Lockheed Martin;
• NASA exoplanet-hunting spacecraft TESS reveals its most complete look at the night sky yet;
• Strange stacked stones spotted on Mars;
• Ancient crater lakes may have provided ideal conditions for Earth’s earliest oxygen-breathing life;
• Scientists just solved a tricky asteroid-hopping spacecraft riddle;
• Scientists may have found dark matter’s fingerprint in a black hole collision;
• AtLAST, a telescope that could reveal the missing half of the universe;
• EU-China spacecraft takes off on mission to probe solar winds;
• Scientists found stardust trapped in Antarctic ice. What could it tell us about our solar system?
• An explanation for the massive black holes the JWST found in the early universe;
• Huge far side sunspot;
• Giant radio telescope sees Artemis II astronauts on Orion flying around the moon. ‘There are 4 people in those pixels.’;
• NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is flying to a metal asteroid. So, why did it just visit Mars?
• Scientists propose new way to find aliens and we may already have a spacecraft that can help;
• Fluffy ice could imperil spacecraft landings on ocean moons;
• Mars orbiter captures striking images of ‘chaos and craters’ carved by ancient floods;

Opinion

• After the triumph of Artemis II, now comes the hard part
  With the success of NASA’s Artemis II mission around the far side of the Moon successfully completed, the agency’s challenge is not so much if, but when it will return to the surface of the Moon with human explorers. In addition to the unfolding development of lunar Human Landing Systems (HLS), NASA’s commercial and internationally partnered strategy to establish a Moon base has also increasingly sparked interest from the space industry. NASA is working to ramp up the launch cadence of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative to build up the infrastructure for a lunar base. “Failure is not an option,” according to the op-ed.

Other News

• White House ‘making good progress’ on revising space transportation policy, official says;
• After NASA contract change, Sierra Space seeks path forward for Dream Chaser
  Coalition Members in the News – Boeing, Northrop Grumman;
• Critiquing and defending the Overview Effect;
• Space Force study recommends third heavy launch site;
• Europe just unveiled a serious rival to SpaceX’s Starship;
• Taiwan eyes role in NASA Moon program after receiving proposal request;
• Anderson confirmed as deputy NASA administrator;
• Global space economy reaches 429 billion dollars as commercial satellite sector dominates;

Major Space-Related Activities for the Week

• Lots of attention anticipated for SpaceX’s 12th test flight of the Super Heavy/Starship combination under development as a NASA contracted Human Landing System. The test launch from South Texas is planned for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. EDT, the opening of a 45-minute launch window with SpaceX providing virtual coverage (X@SpaceX) beginning 45 minutes prior to the launch window opening;
• ASCEND is gathering in Washington D.C. on Tuesday at 8 a.m. EDT for the start of a three-day major space policy conference, with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman providing opening remarks.

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