Deep Space Extra

Here is a list of news that were published in our Newsletter the week of September 22, 2025:

Human Space Exploration

• Dream Chaser slips to end of 2026 for free-flyer demo only
  Coalition Members in the News – Boeing, Northrop Grumman;
• Meet ‘Integrity’: NASA 2 astronauts name the spacecraft that will fly them to the Moon;
• ‘We are ready for every scenario.’ NASA’s Artemis II astronauts say they are all set for historic flight to the Moon;
• ‘A front-row seat to history:’ NASA’s Artemis II moonshot could launch as soon as early as February 5
  Coalition Members in the News – Boeing, Northrop Grumman;
• NASA introduces 10 new astronaut candidates;
• Why Russia dreams of dominating Mars’ moons;
• NASA safety panel warns Starship lunar lander could be delayed by years
  Coalition Member in the News – Axiom Space;

Space Science

• A cosmic accident just exposed the hidden chemistry of giant planets;
• New analysis of Apollo sample rewrites a chapter of the Moon’s early history;
• Can IMAP solve the mystery of the bubble in space!
• SpaceX launches 3 probes for NASA, NOAA to study space weather;
• ‘Invisible’ asteroids near Venus may threaten Earth in the future;
• Russian ‘Noah’s Ark’ probe carrying 75 mice and 1,500 flies lands back on Earth;
• A mission to observe Earth’s “halo” is on its way;
• NASA, SpaceX set to launch IMAP and rideshare payloads to study space weather at L1;
• Could dark energy be evolving over time?
• Is our dream of finding ocean-covered exoplanets drying up?
• Destroying asteroid 2024 YR4 is the best option to stop it from hitting the Moon;
• ‘We must replace this capability now’: New NOAA satellite to replace aging space weather sentinels launches September 23;
• VIPER might have a new ride to the Moon on Blue Origin;

Other News

• SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke, and others make major progress on Cape launch facilities;
• Western researchers support international collaboration for planetary defense;
• Space Force to require refueling capability for next-gen neighborhood watch satsCoalition Member in the News – Northrop Grumman;
• Rocket Lab eyes Mars Telecommunications Orbiter as NASA revives mission concept;
• Air Force Secretary warns of ‘Sputnik moment’ as U.S. faces China’s rapid military advances;
• NASA told to adopt house budget government shutdown threat looms;

Major Events This Week:

• • On Monday, NASA plans to introduce its latest class of new astronauts from the Johnson Space Center (JSC). That is to be followed on Tuesday and Wednesday by news briefings from JSC on the Artemis II mission, which is to launch three NASA and one Canadian Space Agency astronaut around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April. The four astronauts will participate in a press conference on Wednesday and NASA will provide webcast coverage.
  • NASA plans to launch three space weather rideshare missions from Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday at 7:32 a.m. EDT with live streaming available.
  • Washington Post reporter Christian Davenport is to discuss his new book, Rocket Dreams: Musk, Bezos and inside story of new, trillion-dollar space race, at two events this week. The first is hosted by the American Enterprise Institute on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT and the second by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Friday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. EDT. Each of the two have virtual viewing options.
  • Meanwhile, the U.S. House and Senate are in recess and so far, unable to come to agreement on a budget for the 2026 fiscal year that begins October 1. That could lead to a government shutdown unless the two houses can come to agreement on a Continuing Resolution.

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