Archive for the ‘Space News’ Category
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March 10th, 2026
Image credit: NASA/James Blair
The World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland has posted International Women’s Day: What NASA’s latest astronaut picks tell us about gender equality.
“NASA’s latest Astronaut Candidate Class is 60% female, a stellar celebration of International Women’s Day, marking a giant leap for equality in the space sector.”
For the first time, NASA’s latest Astronaut Candidate Class includes more women than men.
Four astronauts have been selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission: Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, and mission specialist Christina Koch from NASA.
Image credit: NASA
It follows a positive trend for gender equality in space travel, the posting explains, and is something to celebrate on International Women’s Day on March 8.
The contents of the posting are: Mind the space gap; Building a better pipeline; The bigger picture; and What next?
Go to:
https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/03/iwd-astronauts-gender-equality-nasa-esa/
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Image credit: ALLSKY7/Bernd Klemt – AMS76 Herkenrath/DE/ Inside Outer Space screengrab
It came from outer space. A very bright fireball shot across the sky from the southwest to the northeast and observed by people in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
The Sunday, March 8th event glowed for roughly six seconds. The fireball left a visible trail in the sky before fracturing into pieces. Some observers report that the event was audible from the ground.
The Planetary Defense team in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space Safety Program estimates the object was a few meters in diameter.
Image credit: ESA
“Objects in this size range strike Earth from once every few weeks to once every few years,” ESA states.
“At least one house in the German town of Koblenz-Güls is reported to have been struck by small pieces of the resulting meteorites,” ESA notes. “There are no reports of physical injury.”
The event was recorded by many mobile phones and other cameras, including a dedicated meteor camera that’s part of the European AllSky7 fireball network.
Go to this video at:
Several in-space cameras have imaged China’s reusable space plane. Shown here was image taken by
Maxar Intelligence, now Vantor, of the space asset.
Image credit: DutchSpace
China’s Shenlong (“Divine Dragon”) space plane launched from the country’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert on February 6 and continues on its fourth-ever orbital mission.
What’s up with this mysterious winged craft, a vessel very similar to the U.S. Space Force X-37B robotic space plane, also now zipping around Earth on its eighth flight after launch on August 21, 2025?
Spacewatcher’s angle
Reports space tracker Bob Christy of OrbitalFocus, all is very quiet from the spacewatcher’s angle.
The Chinese craft’s initial orbit of over 306 miles altitude (494 kilometers) is at the “usual” 50° inclination. “There was a thruster test on February 9 then a pair of firings on February 12 taking it to 594 kilometers [nearly 370 miles] where it has remained,” Christy told Inside Outer Space.
Image credit: Paul Maley
Furthermore, there’s no additional small satellite deployment from the craft like skywatchers saw on earlier missions – at least not yet, Christy explains.
The Chinese space plane was accompanied by the usual four pieces of debris, probably from the launch vehicle when it was released, said Christy.
Its mission profile so far is similar to the 2023 flight of the experimental vessel, but notes that one of the vehicles climbed to slightly higher altitude, to 605 kilometers, where it remained for six months.
Caught on camera
Meanwhile, observers have caught on camera the flyovers of China’s space plane.
For example, Paul Maley caught the craft passing over the western part of South Africa on February 17, telling Inside Outer Space that on each pass the object has been stable with no light variations.
Also catching on camera China’s space plane is Felix Schöfbänker in Austria. His analysis of new imagery he has taken suggests that the main difference from the vehicle’s last flight seems to be that only a single solar panel is deployed from the cargo bay, similar to the Space Force X-37B.
Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker
During the spacecraft’s last flight, two solar panels were mounted on a support module at the rear of the craft.
Peak of the pass
“I believe that the bright extension is the solar panel, due to it only becoming visible at phase angles smaller than 90 degrees, Schöfbänker reports on SeeSat-L, a website for visual satellite observers. “The panel also seems to have been the source of the bright flare shortly after the peak of the pass.
“Additionally the panel seems to be smaller than on the previous flight,” Schöfbänker notes.
The total length of the craft is around 28 feet (8.5 meters), similar to the X-37B, and it also seems to have aligned its longitudinal axis along its flight path, says Schöfbänker.
For more information, go to Mike Wall’s story at Space.com: “China’s mysterious Shenlong space plane recently launched on its 4th mission. What is it doing up there?” at:
Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, M. Micheli (ESA NEOCC)
That menacing meanie of a space rock — Asteroid 2024 YR4 — was identified last year as the most dangerous asteroid discovered in the last 20 years.
An early and intense international observation campaign reduced the risk of this asteroid impacting the Earth as zero. However, a 4% impact probability remained that the object might slam into Earth’s Moon on December 22, 2032.
However, astronomers have now been able to rule out any chance that the asteroid would impact our Moon.
Safe passage
NIRCam onboard NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope was developed by a team at the University of Arizona and Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center. NIRCam is seen in a cleanroom for testing pre-launch at the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center.
Inage credit: Lockheed Martin
According to the European Space Agency’s Near-earth Objects Coordination Center (NEOCC), new observations of Asteroid 2024 YR4 have been obtained using the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope.
The finding: the asteroid will safely pass the Moon at a distance of more than 12,400 miles (20,000 kilometers) the NEOCC reports.
Image credit: ULA
The NASA Authorization Act of 2026 has been unanimously passed, legislation that authorizes a first permanent Moon base. The Act also rejects President Trump’s budget cuts of the space agency, and extends the International Space Station (ISS) while supporting future commercial space stations.
On March 4, S. 933, the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025 — as amended by the Cruz-Cantwell substitute – was green-lighted.
The bipartisan legislation authorizes $24.7 billion for Fiscal Year 2026, and $25.3 billion for Fiscal Year 2027 for NASA, a 2.5 percent increase over the previous year.
Image credit: NASA
Moon base
“This comprehensive bipartisan bill sets the stage for decades of continued U.S. leadership in outer space,” said Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee.
“For the first time, it authorizes NASA to establish a permanent Moon base as part of sustained American presence on the lunar surface and defines a transition process to end operations on the ISS and shift to commercial space stations on the leading edge of a commercially-driven low Earth orbit economy,” Cantwell said in a statement.
The lunar base would be capable of long-duration habitation, as well as robotic and human-tended industrial operations to advance science, technology and strategic interests.
Image credit: White House
Rejects Trump cuts
“Our bill also rejects the President’s budget request that would have gutted NASA’s ability to accomplish its important aeronautics research and technology development missions in partnership with many companies in my home state,” Cantwell stated, “and saves fully functioning space and Earth science missions from the OMB [Office of Management and Budget] chopping block.”
Current law allows NASA to operate the ISS until 2030. This provision in the new bill extends this date to September 30, 2032 to enable a safe and successful transition.
Image credit: NASA
Crew Rescue Capabilities
“Once a commercial space station has demonstrated for a full year that it has the capabilities sufficient to support scientific research, technology development, national laboratory functions and commercial activities previously conducted aboard the ISS, NASA will be authorized to transfer operations to this station and initiate procedures to deorbit the ISS,” explains a committee statement.
The authorization act requires NASA to evaluate existing and potential crew rescue capabilities for the return of astronauts from orbit and from the Moon in emergency and non-emergency scenarios.
The capability will provide additional safety to astronauts and will allow missions to continue if a crewmember needs to return to Earth unexpectedly.
Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
New space race
Ted Cruz, (R-Texas), Chairman of the Committee, issued a one pager focusing on the NASA Authorization Act of 2026, titled “Securing American Dominance in the New Space Race.
The lawmaker said the challenge is that America is in a space race with China.
“The United States is in an intensifying strategic space race with the People’s Republic of China, spanning Earth’s orbit, the Moon, and the broader expanse of deep space,” states Cruz. “Beijing is rapidly advancing its lunar ambitions, expanding its on-orbit capabilities, constructing supporting infrastructure beyond Earth, and promoting alternative governance frameworks such as the International Lunar Research Station [ILRS] – all with a clear objective,” he said.
- dominate the Moon
- control strategic terrain in space
- and write the rules of the 21st century
Congressional direction
“Space is not symbolic; it is strategic. Leadership in space underpins national security, economic strength, technological innovation, and global influence. If America hesitates, China will fill the void,” Cruz explains.
Image credit: NASA
Cruz states that NASA faces transition risks in low-Earth orbit (LEO), rising program costs, and supply chain vulnerabilities that could expose sensitive technology to foreign adversaries. “Without clear congressional direction, the United States risks losing momentum in lunar exploration, creating a gap in continuous American presence in orbit and weakening oversight of critical national programs,” he adds.
The solution
As highlighted by Cruz, the solution is the NASA Authorization Act of 2026.
- Directs NASA to establish a permanent Moon Base so we can get there before the Chinese.
- Requires NASA to begin soliciting for two commercial space stations immediately.
- Extends the International Space Station (ISS) to 2032 to avoid a gap in continuous human presence and capabilities in LEO, thus avoiding ceding leadership to China before commercial stations are ready.
- Reasserts American leadership in deep space by advancing the Artemis program as we prepare to return U.S. astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17, paving the way for the next generation of commercial services beyond Earth’s orbit.
- Protects U.S. national security by prohibiting unauthorized cooperation with China, requiring disclosure of foreign financial ties in NASA contracting, and directing comprehensive supply chain risk reviews
- Strengthens oversight of cost estimates and procurement to protect federal taxpayers.
- Modernizes NASA’s workforce and public-private partnerships to ensure America maintains the world’s most advanced aerospace industrial base.
Image credit: NASA
Strategic high ground
As for why all this matters, the Cruz one-paper says “the nation that leads in space will shape the global economy, define international norms, and secure the ultimate strategic high ground. China understands this and is moving rapidly to claim it.”
The NASA Authorization Act of 2026 “ensures that America – not China – leads the next era of exploration. It strengthens the U.S. presence from low-Earth orbit into deep space, protects sensitive technologies from adversaries, restores accountability, and positions the United States to lead from the Moon to Mars,” Cruz concludes.
The one-paper issued by Cruz can be found at:
https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/0505DF18-F8DC-42AB-BE14-8EC4C407FC13
This Soyuz rocket departed site 31 launch pad of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on November 27, 2025, lofting the Expedition 74 crew toward the International Space Station. The blastoff left behind a damaged launch pad.
Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Back on blastoff day late last year, a Russian Soyuz rocket launched a three person crew toward the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
But there was more “blast” to the November 27, 2025 liftoff than intended. That takeoff impacted the pad at Baikonur — Russia’s only active send-off site to support crewed liftoffs to the International Space Station (ISS).
Workers wrap up fixing launch pad 31 after significant Soyuz rocket damage left the complex unusable.
Image credit: Roscosmos
In a just-issued March 3 posting from Roscosmos, the word is that the damaged service cabin for launch pad 31 has been restored at Baikonur.
For more details, go to my new Space.com story – “Russia fixes launch pad damaged by Thanksgiving astronaut launch to the International Space Station” – at:
Image credit: Mars Guy/NASA/JPL-Caltech
Mars Guy investigates a new finding from the NASA Curiosity Mars rover – tiny parallel lines.
Curiosity uses an autonomous targeting system to look for interesting features for its laser-powered Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument to shoot at. The rover recently targeted a spot that displays tiny parallel lines that don’t look natural.
“Spoiler alert: they’re not,” reports Mars Guy.
The Curiosity rover identified a strange, unnatural pattern while surveying boxwork structures on Mars. Investigations into these evenly spaced lines involve analyzing tool marks, geological formations, and wheel tracks.
Go to this video at:
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
The China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) has released an official announcement regarding this year’s planned activities.
In 2026, the country’s human space program will further advance two major missions: space station application and development, and manned lunar exploration.
“Aiming to achieve China’s first lunar landing before 2030,” the CMSEO stated, “the development and construction of various aspects of the manned lunar exploration program’s lunar landing phase are progressing steadily.”
Mengzhou spacecraft’s zero-altitude escape test.
Image credit: CMSA
Phased breakthroughs
CMSEO added that research and development of various aspects of the manned lunar exploration program “are progressing smoothly, achieving several phased breakthroughs.”
In a posting, the CMSEO underscored these elements:
- development of major flight products such as the Long March 10 carrier rocket,
- the Mengzhou manned spacecraft, and the Lunar Lander has proceeded smoothly.
- Large-scale tests have been completed, including the Mengzhou manned spacecraft’s zero-altitude escape, the Lunar Lander’s landing and takeoff, the Long March 10 carrier rocket’s tethered ignition, the Long March 10 carrier rocket system’s low-altitude demonstration and verification, and the Mengzhou manned spacecraft system’s maximum dynamic pressure escape flight.
Image credit: CCTV/CMSA
In addition, the CMSEO states that this year, efforts will be focused on advancing the construction of supporting facilities and equipment at the Wenchang Space Launch Site to support a piloted lunar landing mission.
China’s Tiangong space station as imaged by MAXAR satellite.
Image credit: MAXAR
One-year stay in space
In 2026, China is to launch two crewed spaceflight missions and one cargo spacecraft resupply mission.
According to China Central Television (CCTV), a Pakistani astronaut will participate in a short-duration spaceflight mission of the Chinese space station, serving as a payload specialist.
Last year there was signing of a cooperation agreement between China and Pakistan under which the Chinese government began to select and train a group of Pakistani astronauts, with one of them selected as the first foreign astronaut to enter the Chinese space station, CCTV adds.
Astronauts from Hong Kong and Macau are expected to carry out space station missions as early as this year.
One astronaut from the launch this year of the Shenzhou-23 crew will conduct a one-year stay in space experiment, the CMSEO states.
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
It was quite the day!
How best to troubleshoot NASA’s Moonshot program?
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman revealed on February 27 a reconfigured plan for the Artemis program.
In sweeping “wait-a-minute” style, Isaacman spelled out a new plan that increases the cadence of launches and adds a step-by-step initiative of an Earth-orbit test flight before a lunar surface return.
The plan has outlined a needed “course correction,” one that cancels out the previous plan that was not a path to success.
Image credit: NASA
Resources
For details, go to these informative resources:
NASA Makes a “Course Correction” for the Artemis Program
By Marcia Smith at Space Policy Online:
https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/nasa-makes-a-course-correction-for-the-artemis-program/
NASA Adds Mission to Artemis Lunar Program, Updates Architecture
Following the rollback of the Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft on Wednesday, Feb. 25, experts discussed the work ahead for the Artemis II test flight around the Moon and provided broader updates on the Artemis campaign.
NASA participants included:
Administrator Jared Isaacman
Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya
Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
For a replay of the video, go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCbQtyUopOM
Lastly, go to this message from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
“President Trump gave the world the Artemis Program, and NASA and our partners have the plan to deliver. We will standardize architecture where possible, add missions and accelerate flight rate, execute in an evolutionary way, and safely return American astronauts to the Moon, this time to stay.”
“This is the NASA that once changed the world.”
“This is the NASA that will do it again.”
https://x.com/i/status/2027408590902841414
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Image credit: Mars Guy/NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter wildly exceeded every expectation for its performance. Initially intended to demonstrate whether an autonomous helicopter could fly on Mars, one of its navigation processors is now helping guide the NASA Perseverance Mars rover at Jezero Crater.
“Ingenuity’s surprising success on Mars led to an unexpected application,” explains Mars Guy. “Its navigation processor now helps Perseverance with location, using onboard processing to create overhead views.”
This Red Planet repurposing allows for longer drives of the rover, as explained in this episode of Mars Guy.
Go to: https://youtu.be/CkG4W7IKUr8
