space-exploration129.735 min read
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Telescope Set for Aug. 30 Falcon Heavy Launch
21 hours ago•Source: Space
Space Exploration News
The latest space exploration stories, summarized by AI
Featured Space Exploration Stories
View original source
6.72 min•3 days ago
Setting Moon Time: The Global Race to Standardize Lunar Clocks
World powers are pushing to establish a lunar reference time via the BIPM to account for the Moon’s slightly faster time from gravity, a move driven by upcoming lunar missions and the need for precise navigation and communications; a plan to have Moon clocks report to the BIPM could mirror Earth’s UTC, potentially paving the way for standardised time on other celestial bodies like Mars, with a vote on the proposal due in October.
More Space Exploration Stories
SpaceX pushes Starship Flight 13 to July 24 amid weather concerns
SpaceX has pushed Starship Flight 13’s launch to no earlier than July 24, 2026, due to weather. Liftoff is in a 90‑minute window starting at 6:45 p.m. EDT, with a livestream beginning around 6:12 p.m. EDT. The mission, which will carry 20 Starlink V3 satellites and follow a previous abort on July 16, is not orbital; the booster/ship are expected to land in the Gulf of Mexico and the Indian Ocean. After the July 16 scrub, Raptors were swapped and preflight testing continues at Starbase.
Artemis II’s Glover: equatorial Moon landings first, pole can wait
Artemis II pilot Victor Glover argues NASA should prioritize an equatorial Moon landing rather than rushing a south-pole target, citing safer daylight windows and easier emergency aborts. The idea aligns with updated Artemis IV plans that favor a more direct translunar path (potentially via SpaceX’s Starship) and reduce reliance on NRHO, aiming to accelerate lunar access while keeping pole landings as a longer-term objective.
Starship Flight 13 targets July 23 liftoff from Starbase amid engine swaps
SpaceX is aiming to launch Starship Flight 13 on July 23 from Starbase, Texas, within a 90‑minute launch window starting at 6:45 p.m. EDT, weather permitting. After a July 16 countdown scrub caused by several Raptors failing to ignite, SpaceX swapped two Raptors and conducted additional preflight testing, with Booster 20 and Ship 40 undergoing fueling tests and stacking ahead of liftoff; livestream coverage will be available via Space.com.
Artemis III aims to choreograph three spacecraft and four astronauts in a two-week Earth orbit
NASA’s Artemis III will be its most complex flight yet: four astronauts aboard Orion on an SLS rocket will rendezvous with two private lunar landers—SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon—in low Earth orbit over about two weeks. The mission requires cross-pad launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, multiple in‑orbit docking checks, and an EVA-style test aboard Blue Moon’s lander before Orion returns to Earth with a Pacific splashdown. The objectives test critical interoperability and systems ahead of Artemis IV’s crewed lunar landing, while stressing coordination among NASA, SpaceX, and Blue Origin and paving the way for expanded lunar operations in 2028.
Atmosphere detected on rocky exoplanet in habitable zone signals potential for life
Astronomers have detected helium in the upper atmosphere of LHS 1140b, a rocky Earth-like planet in the habitable zone about 48 light-years away, marking the first confirmed atmosphere on a rocky world in such a zone; future observations with JWST will probe deeper for signs of life, while its companion LHS 1140c appears to lack an atmosphere.
Starship Flight 13 Delayed as SpaceX Reassesses Launch Date
SpaceX’s Starship Flight 13 was scrubbed at T-0 from Starbase, Texas, and a new launch date is under review after an automated hold aborted liftoff. Elon Musk said two Raptors would be removed and replaced following issues with engine ignition, with a plan for an early next-week liftoff within a 90-minute window. Booster 20 and Ship 40 remain stacked as SpaceX presses ahead with Starship Version 3 upgrades, and live coverage is available via Space.com and SpaceX channels. The 13th Starship test flight could enable near-future orbital flights.
Starship Flight 13: Starbase stacks for crucial Version 3 test launch
SpaceX is preparing Starship Flight 13 for liftoff from Starbase, Texas, with Booster 20 rolled back and Ship 40 stacked on top in a 90-minute launch window opening at 6:45 p.m. EDT (22:45 GMT) on July 16, 2026. The mission — Starship’s 13th test flight and Version 3 upgrade — will test upgraded systems and overall readiness, with livestreams available from SpaceX and Space.com about 30 minutes before liftoff.
Starship Flight 13 nears liftoff as Booster 20 returns to hangar for checks
SpaceX is advancing toward Starship Flight 13 from Starbase, Texas, with Booster 20 moved back to the hangar for final checkout and a roll back to pad 2 planned alongside Ship 40 for a full wet dress rehearsal ahead of a July 16 liftoff in a 90‑minute window starting at 6:45 p.m. EDT, showcasing the Version 3 upgrades on Starship.
In-orbit X-rays: portable imaging debuts for astronauts and remote clinics
The Fram2 mission aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon achieved the first in-space X-rays. Four crew members, with about four hours of training, used a portable X-ray device to image a smartwatch, a hand, an abdomen, a pelvis, and a chest in orbit. The resulting images were good enough to aid injury diagnosis and hardware checks, and the device survived launch and re-entry with minimal damage. Experts say portable, rugged, compact X-ray systems could boost crew health care on future missions and even improve medical access on Earth in rural areas; researchers aim to further shrink and harden the technology. The study was published in Radiology on July 14.
Curiosity Discovers Hexagonal Honeycomb Texture on Martian Surface
NASA's Curiosity rover spotted hexagonal honeycomb-like textures on the Martian surface in Gale Crater, seen up close after an orbital view; with nearby dark rocks and no clear explanation, scientists are weighing ideas from erosion patterns to meteorite fragments and plan further investigations.