https://spacewatch.global/tag/nasa/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:21:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/tag/nasa/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/zeno-power-systems-radioisotope-heater-unit-to-fly-on-a-firefly-2028-mission-to-the-moons-near-side/ Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76745 Zeno Power's radioisotope heater unit will fly on a Firefly mission to the Moon's near side in 2028, demonstrating survive-the-night technology for operating through the lunar dark.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/link-spacecraft-will-not-attempt-to-raise-the-swift-observatory/ Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76764 NASA and Katalyst Space have confirmed the LINK spacecraft will not attempt to reboost the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, after attitude-control problems ruled out a docking. LINK will still perform rendezvous and proximity operations as a technology demonstrator - while Swift, without onboard propulsion, is likely to drop below 300km by October 2026.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/scientists-chase-the-moons-shadow-as-total-solar-eclipse-sweeps-across-europe/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76536 Europe witnessed a total or partial solar eclipse on 12 August - totality visible from Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain, and northeastern Portugal - and scientists worldwide seized the moment for solar science and public events.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/blue-origin-traces-cause-of-new-glenns-explosion-as-the-company-targets-a-return-to-flight-this-year/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76275 Blue Origin has traced New Glenn's May static-fire explosion to a main oxygen valve on one of the BE-4 engines, confirmed by hardware recovery and hotfire testing, with return-to-flight targeted this year.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/nasa-confirms-falcon-9s-upper-stage-crash-onto-the-lunar-surface-after-launching-back-in-january-2025/ Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76237 NASA has confirmed that a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage - which launched ispace's Resilience and Firefly's Blue Ghost landers in January 2025 - made an 'unplanned impact' on the lunar surface on 5 August.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/intuitive-machines-completes-acquisition-of-goonhilly-earth-station-and-comsat-positioning-itself-as-a-vertically-integrated-prime/ Wed, 05 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76198 Intuitive Machines has completed its acquisition of Goonhilly Earth Station and COMSAT, adding a global deep-space ground-station network as it positions itself as a vertically integrated prime.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/nasa-selects-lunar-outpost-to-advance-its-starweave-autonomous-robotic-swarm-software/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76141 NASA has selected Lunar Outpost to advance Starweave, its distributed software layer enabling robotic swarms to operate as autonomous, coordinated fleets for lunar and Mars infrastructure.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/farnborough-2026-day-2-laura-todd-rosa-schmidt-on-uk-billions-nasas-new-chief-and-the-how-behind-collaboration/ Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75963 Day two from Farnborough 2026: Laura Todd and Rosa Schmidt debrief the opening day - Rosa's panel on European space leadership, the UK's multi-billion commitment, NASA chief Jared Isaacman's call for Europe to fill the gaps rather than duplicate, and the buzzwords defining the Space Zone.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/mauritius-joins-the-artemis-accords-becoming-the-programs-70th-and-7th-african-signatory/ Mon, 20 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75782 The Republic of Mauritius has officially joined the U.S. led Artemis Accords, becoming the 70th signatory and seventh African country to join the Artemis Accords. Mauritius joins Nigeria, Rwanda, Angola, Senegal, Morocco, and Botswana who signed the Accords earlier this July.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/artemis-ii-crew-returns-to-bremen-to-thank-europes-service-module-team/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75689 NASA's Artemis II crew returned to Airbus in Bremen to thank the workforce behind the European Service Module - and delivered rare first-hand testimony on how Orion flew, from a trans-lunar burn accurate enough to skip two correction manoeuvres to hand-flying the spacecraft with thrusters deliberately disabled.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/nasa-seeks-industry-input-on-the-second-phase-of-commercial-space-stations/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75672 NASA has released a draft Request for Proposals seeking feedback from American companies on the next phase of its commercial space stations strategy, aimed at ensuring a seamless transition of activities in low Earth orbit from the International Space Station.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/voyager-completes-astrobotic-acquisition-in-time-for-new-nasa-298m-moon-base-contract-award/ Tue, 14 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75650 Voyager Technologies has completed its acquisition of American lunar delivery, lunar power, reusable rocketry company Astrobotic Technology, Inc, positioning Voyager as a Fully Integrated Commercial Lunar Platform. The close comes as NASA awards two new lunar lander missions to Astrobotic in view of the Agency's Moon Base program. Under this $298M award, Astrobotic (now Voyager)'s Peregrine-2 will launch in 2028 and deliver a suite of three NASA-directed payloads to a landing site near the Gruithuisen Domes on the near side of the Moon. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/astrobotics-peregrine-lander-to-deliver-two-nasa-clps-moon-base-missions-in-2028/ Thu, 02 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75351 NASA has selected Astrobotic to deliver a suite of agency payloads to the lunar surface under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative in support of NASA’s Moon Base. These Moon Base task order awards will fly two Peregrine lunar landers to the Moon by the end of 2028.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/botswana-becomes-6th-african-and-68th-global-signatory-to-the-u-s-led-artemis-accords/ Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75308 Following a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, Botswana has become the sixth African nation and 68th country to sign the Artemis Accords, pledging its commitment to peaceful exploration and use of space.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/satlantis-u-s-selected-by-nasa-as-a-commercial-smallsat-data-acquisition-awardee/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75244 Satlantis has been selected by NASA for its Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Program, marking a major milestone in the company’s expansion into the U.S. scientific and federal markets. NASA recently selected Satlantis U.S. as one of eight new companies under the CSDA On-Ramp 2 Multiple Award Contract, joining a group of industry leaders selected to expand the range of commercial satellite data available to researchers, civil agencies, and decision-makers across the United States and beyond.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/rocket-lab-to-launch-two-nasa-space-science-missions-next-year-aboard-the-electron-launch-vehicle/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75249 NASA has chosen Rocket Lab to provide three Electron launches for two separate missions; PolSIR and TSIS-2 from early next year. The company’s proven ability to meet tight turnaround schedule was part of the driving factors behind Electron's selection for both missions]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/ila-2026-a-german-passport-to-the-moon-europe-in-the-new-artemis-architecture-after-ignition/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75133 At ILA 2026, DLR's Dr. Walther Pelzer joins Space.Table's Ralf Nestler to discuss Europe's place in the new Artemis architecture after NASA's "Ignition" reset — a German passport to the Moon, the European Service Module, Argonaut, sovereignty and the future of the ISS.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/astrobotic-showcases-its-griffin-1-lunar-lander-ahead-of-nasas-moon-base-ii-mission-later-this-year/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74887 Astrobotic has unveiled its Griffin Mission One (Griffin-1) lunar lander, recently designated by NASA as Moon Base II, during a visit by NASA representatives, government officials, and industry partners at the company's headquarters in Pittsburgh. Planned for launch later this year, the Moon Base II mission will deliver more than 1,100 pounds of cargo aboard Griffin-1, including Astrolab’s FLIP rover, to mature mobility systems that inform future lunar terrain vehicle, or LTV, operations.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/spacewatchgl-analysis-allied-by-design-part-2-what-americas-cislunar-ambitions-mean-for-europe/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74695
Written by Christophe Bosquillon
As the U.S. Space Force expands its focus beyond GEO and into cislunar space, Europe faces difficult questions about sovereignty, industrial capacity, defence cooperation, and its long-term role in the emerging Earth-Moon economy.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/artemis-iii-crew-confirmed-europes-luca-parmitano-takes-the-pilot-seat-on-humanitys-return-to-the-moon/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:37:32 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74702 ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher's words reflected the mood in Houston as NASA unveiled the Artemis III crew. ]]>