NASA prepares for Artemis III docking exercises with SpaceX and Blue Origin lunar landers next year. The mission aims to establish a moon base near the lunar south pole, utilizing multiple launches from Cape Canaveral to support future lunar exploration.
Japan has launched the Martian Moons Exploration mission by JAXA to collect samples from Phobos and return them to Earth by 2031, aiming to resolve the debate over the moons' origins and study Mars's evolution.
Pakistan plans a lunar landing by 2035 and will send its first astronaut to China's Tiangong space station on November 25, 2026. Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced these goals during World Space Week in Narowal, highlighting deepening space cooperation with China.
Margaret Hamilton, who led the development of the Apollo Guidance Computer software that enabled the first Moon landing, has died at age 90. Her work made critical systems robust and accident-resistant, including overriding a fault during Apollo 11's lunar descent. MIT and NASA paid tribute to her pioneering role in software engineering.
SpaceX has reportedly stopped accepting Falcon 9 launch bookings from Canadian firms for missions post-2028. This shift creates uncertainty for Canadian satellite operators, who face investor concerns regarding their ability to deploy satellite networks.
A study using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope suggests the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS formed over 7 billion years before the Sun. Chemical analysis shows a deuterium-to-hydrogen ratio 13 times higher than comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
NASA's X-59 experimental supersonic jet flew across the US from California to Florida on its first flight anniversary, marking one year of testing for its Quesst mission designed to quiet sonic booms.
The Indian Space Research Organisation is set to launch the NVS-03 satellite aboard the GSLV-F18 rocket from Sriharikota, carrying an indigenous atomic clock to enhance India's NavIC navigation system and ensure time sovereignty.
US President Donald Trump announced a new policy to boost American space travel, targeting over 1,000 annual launches by 2030 and competing with China in a race to land astronauts on the Moon.
NASA's Perseverance rover has surpassed Opportunity's off-world driving record by traveling 28.10 miles on Mars in just five and a half years, less than half the time Opportunity took. The milestone was achieved on sol 2,006 using the rover's autonomous navigation system, enabling faster exploration of Jezero Crater's ancient geology and supporting the extended mission through 2028.
NASA-backed SSPICY mission will use Starfish Space's Otter spacecraft to test autonomous navigation, electric propulsion, and close-up inspections of inactive objects in low Earth orbit starting in 2027.
NASA and Starfish Space launched the SSPICY mission to test autonomous navigation and electric propulsion. The Otter spacecraft will approach four inactive US objects in low Earth orbit by 2027 to examine their condition.
China's Chang'e-6 mission returned lunar soil from the Moon's far side containing a rare form of metallic iron (γ-Fe) never seen in natural lunar samples before. Researchers found the iron preserved in impact glass, suggesting extreme impact conditions stabilized it. The particles exhibit unusual magnetic properties that could help study the Moon's ancient magnetic field and geological history.
India's expanding space program faces a critical test of launch frequency and capacity. Despite a diverse rocket fleet and private sector milestones, the nation must scale infrastructure and production to meet heavy mission demands through 2030.
India's space programme faces a capacity constraint, needing to scale launch frequency, payload mass, and infrastructure for future missions alongside growing private sector involvement.
India's ISRO is preparing to launch the GSLV-F17 rocket carrying the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite into a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit from Sriharikota, marking a return to the GISAT continuous imaging concept.
ISRO successfully conducted a key qualification test of the main parachute system for the Gaganyaan crew module at Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh. This marks a milestone for India's first human spaceflight mission, validating the parachute's structural integrity for the uncrewed G1 mission.
Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the race to return humans to the Moon is a direct contest between the United States and China, with both nations aiming for lunar landings within a similar timeframe. He emphasized that the US is in a space race with China, and the upcoming years will be crucial for human exploration beyond Earth.
Isro successfully completed the first ground test of a solid motor for the Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments (SOLVE), designed to support the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program. The test validated the motor's performance for lofting the Gaganyaan crew module for parachute tests.
ISRO successfully conducted a static test of the solid motor for its new Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments (SOLVE) on July 3. SOLVE will support the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program by testing parachute systems for the Crew Module.
NASA plans to deorbit the International Space Station into the Pacific Ocean's "spacecraft cemetery" around 2031. While deemed the safest option, environmental experts question the ecological impact of debris on ocean health, highlighting a growing challenge for the modern space age.
Nasa's Artemis III mission, aiming to return humans to the Moon, is drawing criticism for selecting an all-male crew, despite previous commitments to diversity and landing the first woman and person of color on the Moon. Nasa defends the choice, citing mission requirements and astronaut expertise.
SpaceX postponed its Starship launch on Thursday due to last-minute technical issues, with Elon Musk citing a "hydraulic pin" problem. The company is now targeting Friday for another attempt, crucial for NASA's lunar missions and SpaceX's potential IPO.
