All articles tagged with #space agency
India's space agency successfully launched its heaviest-ever satellite, BlueBird Block-2, weighing 6,100 kg, using the LVM-3 rocket, marking a significant milestone in India's space capabilities and its ambitions in the commercial satellite market and future space missions.
A political dispute over the leadership of NASA reflects deeper divisions within the MAGA movement, highlighting tensions between Trump's working-class base and the tech industry, exemplified by conflicts involving Elon Musk and recent changes in NASA's leadership.
A suspected piece of space debris, likely a rocket component, was found in the Australian desert, raising concerns about space junk and its increasing presence on Earth, with authorities investigating its origin and nature.
The article discusses the possibility of NASA issuing RIF (Reduction in Force) notices following a tweet by OMB Director Russell Vought, indicating potential budget cuts or layoffs at NASA, with the situation still uncertain.
JPL in Pasadena has announced upcoming layoffs this month, affecting the well-known science hub that operates in Pasadena and La Cañada Flintridge, as part of federal space and earth agency restructuring.
NASA employees and supporters are protesting outside NASA's Washington D.C. headquarters on September 15 to oppose significant budget cuts proposed in President Trump's FY 26 budget request, which threaten ongoing missions, jobs, and institutional knowledge, amid ongoing congressional debates and potential government shutdowns.
South Korea's newly formed space agency aims to establish a lunar base by 2045, joining other Asian countries in the space race and expanding its presence beyond Earth.
President Trump appointed Sean Duffy, the Secretary of Transportation, as the interim NASA Administrator, a move that raises questions due to Duffy's lack of space background but aligns with his interest in spaceflight and his leadership role in transportation.
President Donald Trump appointed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as interim NASA administrator after withdrawing his initial nominee Jared Isaacman, amidst ongoing staffing reductions and political tensions involving Elon Musk and the space industry.
NASA is reportedly discussing a significant reduction in workforce, with plans to cut over 3,000 jobs, and management is encouraging employees to leave voluntarily amid ongoing downsizing efforts.
NASA's Mars Sample Return mission, aimed at bringing back rocks from Mars, is facing cost overruns and delays, with the estimated cost now at $8 to $11 billion and the samples not expected to return until 2040. In response, NASA is seeking alternative plans to simplify the mission and reduce costs, with a "request for information" to be issued to aerospace companies and experts within NASA, and proposals due on May 17.
NASA has awarded contracts to Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab to design a lunar terrain vehicle for transporting astronauts during Artemis missions, with the vehicle expected to be operational by 2030. The contracts are part of a $4.6 billion program, and the selected company will also have the opportunity to deploy their vehicle commercially on the moon. The companies are working on designs that include features for withstanding extreme temperatures, robotic arms, and semi-autonomous driving, with the goal of enhancing astronauts' ability to explore and conduct science on the lunar surface.
NASA has selected three private companies to design lunar rovers that can operate near the South Pole of the Moon for up to a decade, with a combined maximum potential value of $4.6 billion for all awards. The rovers will need to withstand harsh conditions and operate autonomously, and NASA aims to have them delivered prior to the Artemis V mission. This move reflects NASA's increasing reliance on the commercial space industry for services, following successes in cargo resupply and crew transportation to the International Space Station.
NASA will announce the company or companies selected to develop the rover for its Artemis program of lunar exploration today. The two-person Artemis rover, officially known as the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), will help astronauts explore the moon's south polar region and is planned to debut no earlier than Artemis 5 in 2030. The rover will be unpressurized, requiring astronauts to wear spacesuits while driving it, and will have a fair degree of autonomy to conduct science work between crewed Artemis missions.
Japan's moon lander, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), has survived a second lunar night and transmitted new images back to Earth, despite landing at a wonky angle that left its solar panels facing the wrong way. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the probe's surprise awakening and shared images of the lunar surface. This success comes after a string of high-profile failures in Japan's space missions, making SLIM's survival a cause for celebration for the space agency.