First crewed lunar landing and the program that reshaped space exploration
Margaret Hamilton, the software engineer who led development of the Apollo onboard flight software and helped popularise the term “software engineering,” has died at 90. MIT and family have confirmed she died on Sept. 30; she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 and later founded software companies.
Sir Sam Neill has died in Sydney at age 78, his family has said. The actor had been diagnosed with stage three angioimmunoblastic T‑cell lymphoma in 2022 and announced in April that he was cancer‑free after trial treatment. Family statements described the death as "sudden and unexpected" and asked for privacy.
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.
Scientists have identified a 222‑metre‑wide, up to 43‑metre‑deep crater on the Moon formed in spring 2024 and first spotted in LRO images in 2025. The impact churned material across more than 100 km, produced a roughly 7‑km cold spot and has provided rare data scientists say will inform risk assessments for planned lunar bases.