NASA cuts contracts, forcing shutdown of space missions

Blue Origin plans to launch its second New Glenn rocket on Sunday from Cape Canaveral. The company announced Wednesday the launch date for the NG-2 mission, carrying NASA’s ESCAPADE Mars mission. NG-2 will also fly a Viasat payload to test commercial launch telemetry and data relay systems as part of NASA’s Communications Services Project. The launch will be the first since the inaugural New Glenn mission in January. [SpaceNews] https://lnkd.in/d4E55xwj

 China just called NASA with a warning. In a historic first, China’s space agency reached out to NASA with a warning about a potential satellite collision—offering to take evasive action themselves. According to NASA’s Director of Space Sustainability, Alvin Drew, the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) contacted NASA directly, alerting them to a possible conjunction between satellites and recommending, “We recommend you hold still. We’ll do the maneuver.” This unprecedented move marks a major turning point in international space relations, as the roles are typically reversed—NASA is usually the one initiating such warnings. The timing is crucial. With both nations rapidly expanding their satellite constellations—China with its Guowang and Thousand Sails networks, and the U.S. with Starlink—low Earth orbit is becoming increasingly congested. Collisions could create vast fields of dangerous debris, threatening all satellites and spacecraft. China's offer to act first not only shows a growing maturity in its space tracking capabilities but also hints at a future where mutual responsibility may override rivalry in orbit. As near-misses become routine, this quiet moment of cooperation might just be a model for how space powers manage shared skies. Source: Space. (2025, November 6). "China reached out to NASA to avoid a potential satellite collision in 1st-of-its-kind space cooperation."

Powering the Moon – How do you supply energy to a lunar base? 🚀 The Moon is only three days away – and in the future, it’s set to be permanently inhabited and explored. As the “eighth continent” and a stepping stone to Mars, it lies at the heart of the Artemis program led by NASA and ESA. To make this vision a reality, one thing is essential: a reliable power supply. What it takes to achieve this is explained by Jan-Henrik Zünkler in his new book »Electrical Power Systems for Lunar and Space Exploration – Fundamentals and Design«. He shows how electrical power systems for space missions are developed – from power generation and storage to the systems that could one day sustain a lunar base. This book offers: ▪️ an overview of the Artemis program and planned lunar missions ▪️ fundamentals of electrical power supply in spacecraft ▪️ insights into the systems of the International Space Station (ISS) ▪️ and practical design methods for lunar energy systems A fascinating look behind the scenes of modern space technology – for engineers as well as anyone passionate about the future of human space exploration. 📖 More about the book & sample pages: https://lnkd.in/dzrswjde #space #energy #Artemis #NASA #ESA #Hanser Hanser Publications Hanser Verlag Jan-Henrik Zünkler Julia Stepp Simone Purper Barbara Storke Marion Völker

⚠️ China just called NASA with a warning. In a historic first, China’s space agency reached out to NASA with a warning about a potential satellite collision—offering to take evasive action themselves. According to NASA’s Director of Space Sustainability, Alvin Drew, the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) contacted NASA directly, alerting them to a possible conjunction between satellites and recommending, “We recommend you hold still. We’ll do the maneuver.” This unprecedented move marks a major turning point in international space relations, as the roles are typically reversed—NASA is usually the one initiating such warnings. The timing is crucial. With both nations rapidly expanding their satellite constellations—China with its Guowang and Thousand Sails networks, and the U.S. with Starlink—low Earth orbit is becoming increasingly congested. Collisions could create vast fields of dangerous debris, threatening all satellites and spacecraft. China's offer to act first not only shows a growing maturity in its space tracking capabilities but also hints at a future where mutual responsibility may override rivalry in orbit. As near-misses become routine, this quiet moment of cooperation might just be a model for how space powers manage shared skies. Source: Space. (2025, November 6). "China reached out to NASA to avoid a potential satellite collision in 1st-of-its-kind space cooperation."

The International Space Station is celebrating 25 years of continuous human presence in orbit. Since 2000, nearly 300 people — from astronauts to filmmakers to space tourists — have called the ISS home. With about five years left in its mission, NASA is preparing for the next chapter in space exploration by supporting private companies to build new orbiting stations. NASA has contracted SpaceX to guide the ISS out of orbit in early 2031, closing a remarkable era of international collaboration and discovery. Read the full story: https://gag.gl/fQ2IZF #APHighlights

The International Space Station is celebrating 25 years of continuous human presence in orbit. Since 2000, nearly 300 people — from astronauts to filmmakers to space tourists — have called the ISS home. With about five years left in its mission, NASA is preparing for the next chapter in space exploration by supporting private companies to build new orbiting stations. NASA has contracted SpaceX to guide the ISS out of orbit in early 2031, closing a remarkable era of international collaboration and discovery. Read the full story: https://gag.gl/fQ2IZF #APHighlights

☄️ ESA pinpoints 3I/ATLAS's path with 10x more precision with data from Mars The GIF shows interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as seen by ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) spacecraft that is orbiting Mars. Ever since comet 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar object, was discovered on 1 July 2025, astronomers worldwide have worked to predict its trajectory. European Space Agency - ESA has now improved the comet’s predicted location by a factor of 10, thanks to our planetary defence team's innovative use of observation data from our ExoMars TGO spacecraft orbiting Mars. By being able to use Mars-based data for an unusual observation, we learned more about the interstellar comet’s path through our Solar System in a valuable test case for #PlanetaryDefence, even though 3I/ATLAS does not pose any danger. Learn more 👉 https://lnkd.in/etH_rWWA

Airbus has successfully completed and shipped the fourth European Service Module - ESM-4, from Bremen, Germany, to NASA's Kennedy Space Center. This module is central to the Orion spacecraft for the upcoming Artemis IV mission, a key phase in establishing a sustainable human presence around the Moon. The ESM-4 delivers propulsion, power, thermal control, and life support, making it essential for crewed deep space missions. Its design, based on the proven Automated Transfer Vehicle technology, includes 33 engines and four large solar arrays generating over 11 kilowatts of power. Artemis IV will mark the first mission to dock with the Lunar Gateway, a multi-agency international lunar space station. A significant highlight is the delivery of the International Habitation Module - I-Hab, which will expand astronauts' living and working quarters aboard the Gateway. This collaborative effort between ESA, NASA, and other partners reflects Europe's critical role within the Artemis program and the broader goal of preparing for future exploration beyond the Moon, including Mars. The meticulous preparation, transport, and integration of ESM-4 showcase the highly coordinated international partnership driving this new era of lunar exploration. #Airbus #ESA #ArtemisProgram #LunarGateway #Germany Read more: https://lnkd.in/e2X6n4Pp

Airbus has delivered the fourth European Service Module (ESM-4) for NASA’s Artemis IV mission to the Kennedy Space Center. Built under contract with the European Space Agency, the module will power and sustain astronauts on their journey to the Lunar Gateway, the first space station orbiting the Moon. The ESM provides propulsion, life support, and energy systems for the Orion spacecraft, marking another key milestone toward future lunar and Mars missions. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gs4DWVZP #aerospace #spaceindustry #spaceinnovation #spacetechnology #Airbus

Japan Launches a New Cargo Spacecraft to ISS for the First Time: "Japan's new HTV-X cargo spacecraft launched on its first-ever mission to the International Space Station on Saturday," reports Space.com: The robotic HTV-X lifted off atop an H3 rocket from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT and 9 a.m local Japan time on October 26). It is expected to arrive at the station for its capture and berthing on Wednesday (Oct. 29) at about 11:50 a.m. EDT (1550 GMT)... The HTV-X's potential uses also extend beyond the ISS, according to JAXA. The agency envisions it aiding "post-ISS human space activities in low Earth orbit" as well as possibly flying cargo to Gateway, the space station NASA may build in lunar orbit as part of its Artemis program. HTV-X's debut increases the stable of ISS cargo craft by one-third. The currently operational freighters are Russia's Progress vehicle and Cygnus and Dragon, spacecraft built by the American companies Northrop Grumman and SpaceX, respectively. Only Dragon is reusable; the others (including HTV-X) are designed to burn up in Earth's atmosphere when their missions are over. Read more of this story at Slashdot.