Here is a list of news that were published in our Newsletter the week of May 19th, 2025:
Human Space Exploration
- SpaceX’s Starship cleared to return to flight with expanded ‘hazard areas’;
- Virgin Galactic on track to start flying customers again in 2026;
- Chinese astronauts add debris shields to Tiangong space station during 8-hour spacewalk (video);
- Blue Origin updates work on ‘transporter’ for Blue Moon lunar lander;
- Ax-4 private astronaut mission to the ISS is ‘go’ for its June 8 SpaceX launch
Coalition Member in the News – Axiom Space; - Axiom Mission 4 delayed due to Dragon capsule readiness
Coalition Member in the News – Axiom Space; - The Chinese have really caught up: Why NASA is in race to land astronauts on the Moon;
- NASA says long-running budget shortfalls may lead to ISS crew and research reductions
Coalition Members in the News – Axiom Space, Northrop Grumman; - Japan remains committed to Moon missions as Trump cuts NASA budget, JAXA chief says;
Space Science
- Trees remember an ice age solar storm;
- Ancient galaxy discovered just 280 million years after the Big Bang shocks astronomers;
- UAE takes giant leap with Rashid 2 Rover mission to the Moon in 2026;
- ‘Cosmic joust’: Astronomers observe pair of galaxies in deep-space battle;
- Perseverance rover rolls into ‘Crocodile’ region on Mars to hunt for super-old rocks;
- House-size asteroid will pass between Earth and Moon today;
- Minor geomagnetic storms are possible this week;
- Planetary Scientists find new evidence for tectonic activity on Venus;
- Starfish Space ready to launch docking demonstration mission;
- Scientists urge NASA to act on Apophis mission concept;
- Moon mining machine: Interlune unveils helium-3 harvester prototype (photo);
- Debate about mysterious Martian streaks finally put to rest?
- Mysterious white streak spotted over U.S. skies during surprise aurora storm. What was it? (photos);
- NASA’s asteroid-hunting telescope on track for 2027 launch;
- NASA continues building next-gen Roman Space Telescope despite budget worries;
Other News
- NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab ending telework policy for nearly 5,500 employees;
- Space Force losing 14% of its civilian workers;
- Space Force and NGA move to end turf disputes with new intelligence agreement;
- NASA legend Gene Kranz returns to mission control | Space photo of the day for May 21, 2025;
- Department of the Air Force issues draft documents for new SpaceX launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base
Coalition Member in the News – Northrop Grumman; - China launches classified comms satellite, conducts commercial sea launch;
- NATO allies to pledge capabilities to address growing threats;
- U.S. and China need a space hotline for orbital emergencies, experts say;
- FAA license update brings SpaceX closer to next Starship launch;
- Lawmakers fret over rumor of White House cuts to NRO commercial imagery budget;
- Venus Aerospace debuts potentially revolutionary rocket engine with landmark 1st flight (video);
- Rocket Lab launches radar imaging satellite for iQPS;
- Nozzle failure suspected behind loss of ISRO’s PSLV-C61 mission;
Major Events This Week:
- Some anticipation that SpaceX might be prepared to conduct the ninth test launch of its Super Heavy/Starship combination from south Texas this week appears to have moved to next week, perhaps for technical reasons as well as FAA clearance.
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab is hosting the Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium (LSIC) from Tuesday through Thursday with a lineup that includes key NASA and industry executives involved in the agency’s Moon exploration plans. Virtual access is available.
- Meanwhile, the U.S. House and Senate are in session this week as they work to reach agreement on a reconciliation bill with future budget implications.
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