Deep Space Extra

Here is a list of news that were published in our Newsletter the week of August 11, 2025:

Human Space Exploration

• SpaceX’s Crew-10 astronauts return to Earth after nearly 5 months in space (video)
  Coalition Member in the News – Axiom Space;
• China conducts first seven-engine static fire test for Moon rocket;
• Korea sends radiation-measuring satellite to NASA for Artemis II;
• KBR and Axiom Space complete spacesuit tests for NASA Moon mission
  Coalition Member in the News – Axiom Space;
• NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft fuels up and moves closer to launch;
• New lunar surface simulator in Colorado puts Moon machinery to the test;

Space Science

• Hera observes asteroids as DART reveals more about its destination;
• A mysterious substance on Mars might be an undiscovered mineral;
• Two wild new theories could finally explain dark matter;
• Astronomers spot the earliest confirmed black hole at cosmic dawn;
• TRAPPIST-1d isn’t the Earth-like planet scientists had hoped it to be, according to JWST data;
• Robots team up to explore planetary lava caves;
• Mystery of the “little red dots” may finally be solved;
• NASA’s new Sun-studying mission ‘PUNCH’ attains its final form in Earth orbit;
• Planning for the ultimate space mission;
• Space rock that punched through roof almost struck resident;
• Perseid meteor shower;
• New Pluto mission could uncover dwarf planet’s hidden ocean if the ‘queen of the underworld’ gets to fly;
• 3I/ATLAS is very actively releasing water;
• Signs of recent life on Mars could be detected using new simple test;
• Scientists may have found a powerful new space object: ‘It doesn’t fit comfortably into any known category’;

Other News

• Remembering Jim Lovell;
• NASA has sparked a race to develop the data pipeline to Mars
  Coalition Member in the News – Lockheed Martin;
• Skyrora weighs options on the path to the U.K.’s first vertical launch;
• Chinese launch startup unveils autonomous rocket recovery ship;
• ULA launches Vulcan rocket on first Space Force mission;
• CREAM: Avoiding collisions in space through automation;
• Trump issues Executive Order on commercial space;
• Impulse Space sees strong demand for GEO rideshare program;

Major Events This Week:

• • The 39th annual Small Satellite Conference got underway in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Sunday and will continue through Wednesday.
  • Smallsat technology continues to increase in significance for lower cost NASA missions focused on Earth as well as planetary science.
  • United Launch Alliance’s inaugural launch of a Vulcan rocket for the U.S. Space Force is slated for Tuesday at 7:59 p.m. EDT.
  • On Thursday at 1 p.m. EDT SpaceNews is hosting a webinar on space-based solar power.
  • The National Space Foundation, NASA and Department of Energy Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee are hosting a virtual session on Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT.
  • Meanwhile, the U.S. House and Senate remain in recess until September 2, with the exception of pro forma sessions.

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