NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) is ready to fly with its four shuttle-era engines. The rocket, outfitted with the RS-25 engines, recently passed a critical milestone that put the integrated system to the test, using a decades-old design on a new launch vehicle. NASA teams successfully completed the RS-25 engine checkout tests at the Kennedy […]
Trump’s Proposed NASA Budget Could Torch the Agency’s Boldest Missions
The U.S. administration is proposing a $6 billion cut to NASA’s budget for next year, axing cornerstones of the agency’s Moon program and its ambitious plan to return rocky samples from Mars. President Donald Trump’s administration released a so-called skinny budget on Friday, outlining the proposed funding for NASA’s 2026 fiscal year. The proposed budget […]
NASA Needs to Build Gloves and Boots That Can Withstand Frigid Moon Temperatures
NASA’s upcoming missions to the Moon are set to be a lot more chilly than the Apollo program, and the agency is working to figure out how to keep its astronauts snug when visiting the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar south pole. A team of NASA engineers is preparing to test elbow joints in […]
NASA Scraps Promise to Land ‘First Woman and Person of Color’ on the Moon
After years of promoting its return to the Moon with the promise of inclusion, NASA has concealed its well-publicized intent of landing a diverse crew on the lunar surface as part of the Artemis program. NASA’s websites no longer include references to landing a crew that includes the first woman and first person of color […]
Boeing Warns of Hundreds of Layoffs With NASA’s Moon Rocket in Limbo
Boeing informed its Space Launch System (SLS) team of potential layoffs, a worrying sign that NASA’s Moon rocket may be at risk after massive cost overruns and schedule delays. And also Trump. The company is expecting approximately 400 fewer positions by April 2025 “to align with revisions to the Artemis program and cost expectations,” Boeing […]