America’s. Moon firsts. A crewed leap in space history.
Sam Neill has died in Sydney at 78. His family has described the death as "sudden and unexpected" and his longtime agent has said Neill passed from pneumonia after having beaten a rare lymphoma with CAR‑T therapy; the agent added Neill had filmed four projects due for release and the family has asked for privacy and donations to causes he supported.
Sotheby’s has sold artifacts from Apollo 11, including a broken circuit-breaker switch and a felt-tip pen, for nearly $1 million. Buzz Aldrin recounts how he used a felt-tip marker to rearm the engine arm circuit, enabling the crew’s return from the Moon.
The Armstrong family home in Wapakoneta remains a preserved link to the moon landing era. A longtime owner and former teacher has hosted nine astronauts, preserving memorabilia and welcoming visitors to the Armstrong Air and Space Museum nearby.
President Trump has signed an executive order to begin creating a U.S. Space Academy to train astronauts, engineers and civil operators for NASA, the U.S. Space Force and the civilian spaceflight industry. A presidential commission chaired by NASA administrator Jared Isaacman will deliver proposals within 120 days; the academy’s location and funding remain undecided.
The Artemis II crew has received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for their record-breaking lunar trajectory. President Trump has announced plans for a US Space Academy and aims to position Artemis III/IV milestones toward a sustained lunar presence. NASA officials and astronauts are highlighting progress toward a future lunar base and Mars ambitions.
Researchers have identified a 222‑metre‑wide, up to 43‑metre‑deep crater on the Moon that has been dated to spring 2024. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has mapped ejecta across more than 100 km and a 7‑km cold spot; scientists say it is the largest fresh crater known in the solar system and a rare chance to study impact effects for planned lunar bases.