U.S.-led Moon-retrieval program aiming for sustained lunar presence
NASA has outlined a plan to establish a permanent lunar base by 2030, aiming to learn how to live off Earth before venturing to Mars. Artemis II has sparked a renewed push toward sustained lunar presence, with a shift from mission-focused to campaign-style goals and the need for power, water, and flat landing sites. Private partners are eyed to support a growing lunar economy.
Astronaut Anil Menon has completed an eight‑month stay aboard the International Space Station alongside Russian and NASA crewmates. The mission follows a history of tense US‑Russia space cooperation and signals ongoing collaboration on ISS operations amid geopolitical strains.
SpaceX’s stock has fallen since its IPO last month. A failed Starship test flight led to a further drop, with shares trading below the IPO price and investors weighing the impact on SpaceX’s multi‑billion contracts and future launches.
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.
SpaceX’s Starship 13th flight has deployed Starlink satellites and tested heat-shield upgrades. The test landed in the Indian Ocean with an intact booster and a taller test profile. Analysts discuss remaining heat-shield challenges for rapid reuse and cost reduction, with NASA eyeing Artemis and lunar missions.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage has struck the Moon near Einstein Crater at about 5,400 mph, carving a new crater and launching a dust plume. South Korea’s Danuri orbiter has photographed the site and released images. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is scheduled to image the impact next week while scientists begin analysing ejecta and crater formation.
Scientists have tested a wearable radiation-shielding vest in lunar mission data, showing it could reduce an astronaut’s exposure by about 60% during severe solar events, with significant implications for long-duration missions to the Moon or Mars.
A deep partial lunar eclipse has occurred, with about 96% of the Moon in Earth's shadow for observers across much of the Americas. The event followed a recent total solar eclipse and is part of a pair of celestial events that are visible under clear skies. The maximum viewing is around midnight EDT, with visibility shifting by location. NASA notes the Artemis II mission remains a backdrop to ongoing space activity.
The Chang’e-7 mission is delaying its launch as conditions for lift-off have not been met this year. The China Manned Space Agency has given a brief statement that the launch cannot take place within the planned window after a comprehensive assessment.
SpaceX has announced a $100 billion plan to develop a 125,000-acre Starbase Louisiana on Pecan Island, expanding beyond Texas and Florida. The site will host methane production, power generation, deep-water shipping, vehicle processing, and potentially an on-site airport. Construction starts next year, with the first launch expected in 2029, creating more than 3,000 jobs.
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.
Isar Aerospace has reached orbit on its second Spectrum flight and has deployed small satellites, making it the first purely commercial European launcher to do so. The success has prompted company plans to scale production and expand launch capacity as European governments and private firms ramp up investment in sovereign space capability.
Europe is pushing to build sovereign space capabilities and reduce reliance on the United States for launches, satellites and defense-related space infrastructure. The International Space Summit in Paris has spotlighted EU ambitions, private sector growth, and tensions with U.S. and Chinese players.
The United States is accelerating its space and lunar defense posture as officials announce on-orbit space control weapons and a doubling of the Space Force. Leaders say operations will defend US interests from low Earth orbit to cislunar space, signaling a shift in the military balance in space ahead of potential actions around the Moon.
SpaceX has flown Starship into low‑Earth orbit for the first time during its 14th test flight from Starbase, Texas, and has deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites. The Super Heavy booster has returned to the Gulf of Mexico; the upper stage has completed multiple orbits before a planned reentry and splashdown west of Chile during a roughly 10‑hour mission on Monday.
SpaceX has launched a four‑person Crew‑13 to the International Space Station and the crew has reached orbit on an eight‑hour express transit, a US speed record. Commander Jessica Watkins has become the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit; the team includes Canada’s Joshua Kutryk, whose wife is due to give birth during the six‑month mission.
Starship has reached orbit on its 14th test flight, deploying 26 new Starlink satellites. The mission signals a shift to high-frequency, fully reusable launches, with SpaceX aiming to reduce costs and enable new space industries. Orbitality paves the way for lunar and deep-space missions, though challenges remain in reliability and reusability.