Jeff Foust

NASA on ‘aggressive’ schedule to complete SLS repairs for April launch NASA has about three weeks to complete repairs to the Space Launch System’s upper stage to make the next launch window for the Artemis 2 mission in early April.

NASA on ‘aggressive’ schedule to complete SLS repairs for April launch

NASA has about three weeks to complete repairs to the Space Launch System’s upper stage to make the next launch window for the Artemis 2 mission in early April.

Rocket Lab delays Neutron debut to late 2026 The failure of a propellant tank during testing in January will delay the first launch of Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket to at least the fourth quarter of this year.

Rocket Lab delays Neutron debut to late 2026

The failure of a propellant tank during testing in January will delay the first launch of Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket to at least the fourth quarter of this year.

NASA revises plans for future Artemis missions, cancels upgrades to SLS NASA announced major changes to its Artemis lunar architecture, adding a test flight of lunar landers in low Earth orbit while canceling planned upgrades to the Space Launch System.

NASA revises plans for future Artemis missions, cancels upgrades to SLS

NASA announced major changes to its Artemis lunar architecture, adding a test flight of lunar landers in low Earth orbit while canceling planned upgrades to the Space Launch System.

Chairman Cruz Announces Markup of NASA Reauthorization, NOAA Weather Bill for March 4th WASHINGTON, D.C. –?U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,?will convene a full committee Executive Session on Wednesday, March 4, 20...

The Senate Commerce Committee will mark up a NASA authorization bill next Wednesday.

www.commerce.senate.gov/2026/3/chair...

Ken Bowersox, NASA associate administrator for space operations, said at the ASCENDx Texas conference just now that he is retiring from NASA. Joel Montalbano will take over.

Valve malfunction blamed for failure of Indian satellite to raise its orbit India’s space agency says a valve failure prevented a navigation spacecraft launched more than a year ago from raising its orbit.

Valve malfunction blamed for failure of Indian satellite to raise its orbit

India’s space agency says a valve failure prevented a navigation spacecraft launched more than a year ago from raising its orbit.

In a NASA statement, Mike Fincke says he was the astronaut who had the medical issue that caused the early return of Crew-11.

In space traffic coordination, the biggest challenge may be coordination As the number of satellites in orbit grows, one emerging challenge is the difficulty some satellite operators have contacting counterparts to avoid potential collisions.

In space traffic coordination, the biggest challenge may be coordination

As the number of satellites in orbit grows, one emerging challenge is the difficulty some satellite operators have contacting counterparts to avoid potential collisions.

Fortunately, people who actually are engineers have come to a different opinion, sir. And the astronauts flying on it have accepted that assessment.

Different spacecraft, different systems and different problems, sir.

Not sure of the exact number, but it's several, based on the experience with Artemis 1.

This is the first rollback for Artemis 2. (Maybe price rollbacks are less common at Walmart these days?)

Elon Musk and SpaceX are not involved in the Artemis 2 mission.

Rolling back a rocket for repairs would appear to be the opposite of rushing a crewed (not manned) launch.

Is Orion’s heat shield really safe? New NASA chief conducts final review on eve of flight. That level of openness and transparency is exactly what should be expected of NASA."

The heat shield on Artemis 2 is the same design as the one on Artemis 1, which survived reentry despite the greater-than-expected erosion of Avcoat. NASA reviews for Artemis 2 have cleared the mission for flight, and even convinced one skeptic. arstechnica.com/space/2026/0...

No, the repairs can't be done at the pad. This is not related to the Starliner report.

Texas Space Commission completes $150 million in awards The Texas Space Commission has completed awarding $150 million to companies and organizations in the state as it prepares to distribute a second, larger round of funding.

Texas Space Commission completes $150 million in awards

The Texas Space Commission has completed awarding $150 million to companies and organizations in the state as it prepares to distribute a second, larger round of funding.

Comments on the SpaceX application have actually been open since Feb. 4 (deadline is March 6.) As of early Monday morning the public docket shows close to 300 comments submitted so far, mostly by individuals rather than companies or organizations.

NASA to Rollback Artemis II Rocket, Spacecraft - NASA Weather pending, NASA will roll the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II off the launch pad at the agency’s Kennedy Space

NASA plans to roll back Artemis 2 as soon as Tuesday to repair the upper stage's helium pressurization system. "The quick work to begin preparations for rolling the rocket and spacecraft back to the VAB potentially preserves the April launch window."

www.nasa.gov/blogs/missio...

Updated with Isaacman's update on Twitter that a rollback will happen and a March launch is off the table. (An informative update, but it really should be a statement/blog post on the NASA website, not a tweet.)

NASA preparing for Artemis 2 rollback to fix upper stage problem Just 24 hours after setting a March 6 launch date for the Artemis 2 mission, NASA said a problem with the Space Launch System upper stage could delay the launch.

NASA preparing for Artemis 2 rollback to fix upper stage problem

Just 24 hours after setting a March 6 launch date for the Artemis 2 mission, NASA said a problem with the Space Launch System upper stage could delay the launch.

Bad news for Artemis 2: "NASA is taking steps to potentially roll back the Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building… This will almost assuredly impact the March launch window."

www.nasa.gov/blogs/missio...

NASA targeting March 6 for Artemis 2 launch NASA is targeting a March 6 launch for Artemis 2 after completing a countdown test with few problems.

NASA targeting March 6 for Artemis 2 launch

NASA is targeting a March 6 launch for Artemis 2 after completing a countdown test with few problems.

NASA says they are targeting March 6 as the earlier launch opportunity for Artemis 2 after yesterday's wet dress rehearsal. Still work ahead, as well as a flight readiness review next week.

NASA completes second Artemis 2 fueling test NASA completed a second wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis 2 mission on Feb. 19 without any of the hydrogen leaks seen in the first such test earlier this month.

NASA completes second Artemis 2 fueling test

NASA completed a second wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis 2 mission on Feb. 19 without any of the hydrogen leaks seen in the first such test earlier this month.

Japan’s ispace warns of delays in new lunar lander engine Japanese lunar company ispace said work on a new engine for its lunar landers is facing delays and that it is keeping open the option of switching engines.

Japan’s ispace warns of delays in new lunar lander engine

Japanese lunar company ispace said work on a new engine for its lunar landers is facing delays and that it is keeping open the option of switching engines.

Gearing up for the first launch of #Celeste! 🛰️ 🌎

ESA’s Celeste mission is set to lift off no earlier than 24 March aboard Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from New Zealand.

Starliner investigation identifies flawed NASA decision making NASA has classified the flawed Starliner crewed test flight in 2024 as its most serious level of mishap, with the agency’s leadership citing shortfalls in how officials oversaw the program.

Starliner investigation identifies flawed NASA decision making

NASA has classified the flawed Starliner crewed test flight in 2024 as its most serious level of mishap, with the agency’s leadership citing shortfalls in how officials oversaw the program.

From NASA: "During a news conference at 2 p.m. EST on Thursday NASA will discuss the findings of investigations into the 2024 crewed test flight of Boeing Starliner to the International Space Station." Will be on NASA's YouTube channel.

SpaceX’s unveils space traffic management system A new SpaceX initiative to provide space traffic coordination services has attracted attention and praise in part because of the conditions it places on users of it.

SpaceX’s unveils space traffic management system

A new SpaceX initiative to provide space traffic coordination services has attracted attention and praise in part because of the conditions it places on users of it.