civil16.505 min read
Gateway tech pivots to the Moon: Northrop Grumman and CSA repurpose HALO and Canadarm3
2 months ago•Source: SpaceNews
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15.56 min•2 months ago
NASA projects face delays as civil workforce shrinks
A GAO report released July 23 finds NASA's civil-service headcount has fallen about 22% over the past year, affecting 25 of 36 major projects and potentially delaying work; Orion lost roughly 10% of civil servants and SLS about 20%, with Goddard hardest hit at 34% and several centers facing staffing gaps that could become staffing risks, though cost and schedule have not dramatically worsened yet. The agency reported $478.2 million in net overruns concentrated in SLS Block 1B and Orion, and noted possible bigger impacts in FY2027 funding; NASA is pursuing contractor-to-civil-service conversions and a new NASA Force program to shore up critical skills like aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering, IT, and cybersecurity.
13.91 min•4 months ago
China’s 2027 crewed circumlunar mission sparks renewed space race
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NASA opens final bid round for Mars telecom relay orbiter
SpaceNews•4 months ago
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NASA allocates science payload on Mars MTN relay mission
SpaceNews•5 months ago
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Falcon Heavy chosen to launch ESA's Rosalind Franklin Mars rover amid NASA budget fight
NASA has tapped SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy to launch Europe’s Rosalind Franklin Mars rover under the ROSA program, with NASA supplying braking engines for the descent stage and RHUs, plus rover electronics and a mass spectrometer. The late-2028 mission is backed by a $175.7 million launch contract, even as NASA’s proposed 2027 budget seeks to cancel ROSA and faces broader pressure over planetary-science funding amid strong congressional opposition.