Episodios

  • Artemis II Readies for Historic February Launch as NASA's Budget Bolsters Planetary Exploration

    Artemis II Readies for Historic February Launch as NASA's Budget Bolsters Planetary Exploration
    Jan 17 2026
    NASA's Artemis II moon rocket completed its rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 17, 2026, marking a key step toward the crewed mission's potential February launch. NASA reports that the giant Space Launch System rocket, stacked with the Orion spacecraft, traveled aboard the historic Crawler Carrier vehicle to Launch Pad 39B, the same site used for Apollo moon missions. Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson stated that a critical fueling test, known as a wet dress rehearsal, is set for February 2 to verify fixes for past fuel leak issues that delayed Artemis I in 2022. If successful, the four astronauts could lift off between February 6 and 10 for a 10-day flight around the Moon, the first human venture beyond low-Earth orbit since 1972.

    This progress aligns with strong U.S. support for planetary science, as the Senate approved a 2026 fiscal year budget providing 24.4 billion dollars to NASA and 7.25 billion dollars to its Science Mission Directorate, rejecting proposed deep cuts and sustaining missions to the Moon and beyond, according to The Planetary Society.

    Worldwide, astronomers are gearing up for a rare solar alignment on January 22, 2026, when Earth positions almost directly between the Sun and interstellar object 3I/ATLAS. USA Herald details how this week-long window, with alignment angles under two degrees, will allow precise brightness measurements to determine if the object's dust grains are carbon-rich, icy, or loosely clumped. Astrophysicist Avi Loeb and Mauro Barbieri note this opportunity precedes 3I/ATLAS's March approach near Jupiter, a focus for NASA's Europa Clipper and the European Space Agency's Juice mission studying ocean moons like Europa and Ganymede for potential habitability.

    Skywatchers in the U.S. can observe Jupiter at its brightest during opposition on January 10, visible high in Gemini, as NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory highlights, alongside a Saturn-Moon conjunction on January 23. NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope nears a possible early 2026 launch from the U.S., poised to detect thousands of exoplanets and map dark matter, per Astronomy Magazine.

    These events signal emerging patterns in planetary science: accelerated human lunar return via Artemis, budget stability enabling deep-space probes, and timely alignments unveiling interstellar secrets, all enhancing understanding of our solar system and beyond.

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  • Thrilling Advances in American Planetary Science: Artemis 2, Blue Origin's Lunar Lander, and the Roman Space Telescope

    Thrilling Advances in American Planetary Science: Artemis 2, Blue Origin's Lunar Lander, and the Roman Space Telescope
    Jan 14 2026
    American planetary science is experiencing remarkable momentum as multiple missions advance toward historic achievements. NASA's Artemis 2 mission represents the most significant lunar endeavor in decades. According to NASA's latest updates, the Space Launch System megarocket carrying the Orion spacecraft is targeting rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B no earlier than Saturday, January 17th. The four-mile journey on the crawler-transporter will take up to twelve hours. Launch opportunities currently span from late January through April 2026, with the primary window running from January 31st through February 14th. This crewed mission will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman as commander, Victor Glover as pilot, and Christina Koch as mission specialist, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The mission will test life-support systems, navigation, and communications in deep space ahead of future lunar landings.

    Beyond the moon, American commercial space ventures are advancing rapidly. Blue Origin plans to launch its Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander on a robotic demonstration mission in early 2026, targeting a landing near Shackleton Crater at the moon's south pole. The lander will carry NASA's SCALPSS instrument, which stands for Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies, to image the lunar surface during and after descent and study how landing plumes interact with the moon's regolith.

    Meanwhile, NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, construction of which completed in December at Goddard Space Flight Center, represents another cornerstone of American planetary science. The telescope could launch as early as fall 2026 and is expected to discover more than one hundred thousand distant exoplanets during its five-year primary mission while mapping billions of galaxies across cosmic time. The Roman telescope also carries a coronagraph instrument designed to block out a star's light and directly photograph orbiting planets, technology that will pave the way for future missions like NASA's planned Habitable Worlds Observatory.

    Recent developments also include NASA's selection of industry proposals to advance technologies for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, the first mission designed to directly image Earth-like planets and study atmospheric composition for signs of life. Companies including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and L3 Harris Technologies received three-year contracts to develop these technologies.

    Additionally, NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, called IMAP, recently reached its destination at Lagrange Point 1 on January 10th, approximately one million miles from Earth toward the Sun, where it will monitor solar activity and cosmic radiation for years to come.

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  • Lunar Exploration and Solar System Missions Dominate Planetary Science Agenda for 2023

    Lunar Exploration and Solar System Missions Dominate Planetary Science Agenda for 2023
    Jan 10 2026
    Across the United States, planetary science is entering the new year with intense activity, shifting plans, and renewed political support. NASA reports that preparations for Artemis 2, the first crewed mission around the Moon in more than fifty years, are reaching their final phase at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the Space Launch System rocket scheduled to roll from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad thirty nine B as early as mid January, ahead of a planned early February launch window. According to NASA mission planners, this flight will test the Orion spacecraft in deep space and lay the groundwork for future lunar landings that will carry extensive geology and geophysics experiments on the Moon.

    In cislunar space, NASA announced from its Glenn Research Center in Ohio that engineers have powered up the electrical system for the Gateway lunar space station for the first time. This power and propulsion system, developed with international partners, will eventually support long duration planetary science at the Moon, including observations of the lunar surface, the solar wind, and possibly near Earth asteroids, all from a stable orbit around the Moon.

    Closer to Earth, Congress has just sent a strong signal about the future of planetary science funding. NASA Watch reports that the House of Representatives passed a major funding bill after intense debate over proposed cuts, and the bipartisan Planetary Science Caucus declared that the legislation keeps the United States on track to maintain leadership in space exploration. The caucus statement specifically highlights Mars Sample Return as the highest priority planetary science mission recommended by the 2023 Planetary Sciences Decadal Survey, and frames sustained support for Mars exploration as essential to retaining American expertise at institutions such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

    At the same time, global planetary missions are aligning with this push. The Planetary Society notes that January launch opportunities are opening for Japan’s Martian Moons Exploration mission to Phobos and Deimos, Europe’s Juice spacecraft is preparing a gravity assist near Earth on its way to Jupiter, and NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is approaching its earliest possible launch date, promising powerful new studies of exoplanets around distant stars.

    Emerging patterns are clear. United States planetary science is pivoting toward a tightly integrated program, combining human missions around the Moon, a permanent presence in lunar orbit, and sophisticated robotic missions throughout the solar system, while Congress and advocacy groups work in parallel to shield this effort from disruptive budget cuts and preserve long term scientific momentum.

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  • Headline: NASA Pushes Boundaries: Habitable Worlds Observatory Advances Exoplanet Exploration and Solar System Observation

    Headline: NASA Pushes Boundaries: Habitable Worlds Observatory Advances Exoplanet Exploration and Solar System Observation
    Jan 7 2026
    NASA has selected industry proposals to advance technologies for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a flagship space telescope concept designed to directly image Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars and analyze their atmospheres for signs of life. According to NASA, this mission, announced on January 5, 2026, from headquarters in Washington, will also support studies of our universe and human exploration of Mars and the solar system. Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of the Astrophysics Division, stated that these awards combine government leadership with commercial innovation to make future missions possible. The proposals build on work from the Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, and upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, set for launch no earlier than September 2026.

    In Phoenix, Arizona, the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, running from January 4 to 8 at the Phoenix Convention Center, is highlighting exoplanet research and the Habitable Worlds Observatory. Sessions organized by NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program are debating priorities for detecting biosignatures on distant worlds, while discussions cover galaxy evolution using data from James Webb, Hubble, and Chile's Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array.

    Skywatchers in the United States can observe Jupiter at opposition on January 10, when it appears biggest and brightest all year in the constellation Gemini, as noted by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. On January 23, Saturn and the Moon will conjoin in the western sky, with Saturn sparkling below the Moon. The Beehive Cluster, or Messier 44, buzzes into view throughout January evenings.

    Emerging patterns show accelerating U.S. focus on habitable exoplanets and solar system observation, with the Habitable Worlds Observatory poised to answer if we are alone. Meanwhile, NASA's Psyche mission plans a gravity assist at Mars this month, flying within 4,400 kilometers, and Astrobotic's Griffin Mission One eyes a lunar landing under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services. These efforts reveal a strategic push toward life-detection technologies and deep-space readiness, blending public and private innovation.

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  • Soaring U.S. Planetary Exploration: NASA's Artemis, Mars Missions, and Commercial Partnerships Propel Scientific Breakthroughs

    Soaring U.S. Planetary Exploration: NASA's Artemis, Mars Missions, and Commercial Partnerships Propel Scientific Breakthroughs
    Dec 31 2025
    NASA marked significant strides in planetary science throughout 2025, with key developments centered in the United States advancing lunar and Mars exploration. NASA's Artemis program progressed toward the Artemis II test flight, scheduled for early 2026, which will send astronauts on the first crewed mission under the campaign to confirm systems for future lunar landings, including Artemis III. According to NASA, experiments on recent Commercial Lunar Payload Services flights captured over nine thousand first-of-a-kind images of a lunar lander's engine plumes and tested technologies like an electrodynamic dust shield and lunar navigation systems at sites near the Moon's South Pole.

    A major announcement awarded Blue Origin a task order to deliver NASA's VIPER rover, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, to the lunar South Pole in late 2027, aiming to map water ice resources crucial for sustained human presence. Firefly Aerospace secured another flight for 2030, highlighting growing commercial partnerships from U.S. firms. At NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, Steve Sinacore was named to lead fission surface power efforts, developing nuclear systems for powering Moon and Mars bases.

    Mars exploration gained momentum with the National Academies releasing a science strategy for human missions, identifying opportunities to search for signs of life, study planetary evolution, and test in-situ resource utilization. NASA selected participants for a second yearlong ground-based Mars simulation starting in October at facilities in the U.S., alongside tests of deep space inflatable habitats. The agency's fourth Entry Descent and Landing test in three months advanced precision landing capabilities for Mars' thin atmosphere and rugged terrain, conducted at U.S. test ranges.

    Emerging patterns show accelerated U.S.-led innovation through public-private collaborations, with seven new nations joining the Artemis Accords, now nearing sixty signatories, promoting safe exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars faces upcoming tests of its endurance, as reported by Purdue University researchers, while skywatchers note the interstellar comet three-I-ATLAS reaching closest approach to Earth on December nineteenth, observed from dark U.S. skies. These efforts position the United States at the forefront of planetary science, blending robotic precursors with crewed ambitions for multiplanetary expansion.

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  • NASA Planetary Science Division Showcases Resilience: Achievements, Mission Updates, and Advocacy Successes

    NASA Planetary Science Division Showcases Resilience: Achievements, Mission Updates, and Advocacy Successes
    Dec 27 2025
    NASA's Planetary Science Division hosted a webinar on December 10 at 1 PM Eastern time to review accomplishments from the past year, update Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science programs, discuss progress on decadal survey recommendations, and field questions from the planetary science community. According to Astrobiology.com, the event featured Dr. Kathleen Vander Kaaden, Director of Planetary Research Programs, and slides became publicly available afterward, though no recording was made.

    Meanwhile, NASA teams are working to recover the MAVEN spacecraft, which studies Mars atmosphere and volatile evolution and went silent on December 6. Science.nasa.gov reports that commands for recovery have been sent via the Deep Space Network, with analysis of December 6 tracking data underway to pinpoint the issue. NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars attempted to image MAVEN's orbit using its Mastcam on December 16 and 20 but detected nothing. Efforts pause during Mars solar conjunction starting December 29, when Mars and Earth align on opposite Sun sides, blocking contact until January 16.

    The Planetary Society's December newsletter highlights advocacy successes amid proposed budget cuts, noting Congress appears ready to reject most reductions to NASA science, including planetary programs. Jared Isaacman was confirmed as NASA administrator, and no active missions have ended, with some approved through 2026. The Society's efforts, including Capitol Hill events and data shared in Congress, earned a SpaceNews ICON Award, while the bipartisan Planetary Science Caucus pushes for strong funding.

    Skywatchers note interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS reaching closest Earth approach on December 19 at 170 million miles, observed by NASA's Parker Solar Probe from October 18 to November 5 using its Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe. NASA's December skywatching tips also spotlight the Geminid meteor shower peaking December 13-14 from asteroid 3200 Phaethon, and a Moon-Jupiter conjunction on December 7.

    These developments reveal patterns of resilience in US planetary science, from mission recoveries and policy wins to interstellar observations, underscoring ongoing exploration despite challenges. NASA's monthly near-Earth asteroids update on December 3 tracks planetary defense efforts, with no immediate threats noted.

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  • Cosmic Vigilance: NASA Tracks Near-Earth Asteroids and Interstellar Comets

    Cosmic Vigilance: NASA Tracks Near-Earth Asteroids and Interstellar Comets
    Dec 24 2025
    NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office released its December 2025 update on near-Earth asteroids, highlighting the latest close approaches and impact risk assessments from observatories across the United States. This monthly report from the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, tracks objects like potentially hazardous asteroids passing within millions of miles of Earth, underscoring ongoing vigilance against cosmic threats.

    Trouble struck the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution spacecraft, known as MAVEN, orbiting Mars since 2014. Last contacted on December 6 from NASA's Deep Space Network antennas in California, the probe went silent ahead of Mars solar conjunction starting December 29, when the Sun blocks communications between Earth and Mars until January 16. Engineers in Maryland and California analyzed radio data fragments and commanded recovery attempts, even enlisting the Curiosity rover on Mars to image MAVEN's orbit on December 16 and 20, but no signal appeared. This glitch highlights vulnerabilities in long-duration missions as conjunctions recur every two years.

    Interstellar comet 3I slash ATLAS dominated recent observations. Discovered in summer 2025, it made its closest Earth approach this month, tracked by NASA's Psyche spacecraft en route to asteroid Psyche and a fleet of other missions. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory detailed its hyperbolic orbit confirming interstellar origin, with renewed imaging after perihelion in early December. YouTube skywatching updates from NASA noted its visibility alongside Geminid meteors and planets Jupiter and Saturn.

    On the Moon front, the Artemis 2 rocket at Kennedy Space Center in Florida received an America 250 paint job on December 23, celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary ahead of its crewed lunar flyby in early 2026. This mission from NASA's Johnson Space Center will test systems for future landings, building on Commercial Lunar Payload Services awards to Blue Origin for the VIPER rover to the lunar south pole by late 2027.

    These events reveal patterns of intensified comet tracking with interstellar visitors and robust planetary defense, while spacecraft glitches remind us of deep space challenges. NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland leads fission power for lunar bases, signaling a push toward sustainable exploration amid Artemis progress. Worldwide, concepts like using the Sun's gravitational lens beyond Pluto's orbit for exoplanet imaging emerge, but United States efforts drive the core advancements.

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  • Interstellar Comet's Close Encounter: A Rare Opportunity for Planetary Science Exploration

    Interstellar Comet's Close Encounter: A Rare Opportunity for Planetary Science Exploration
    Dec 20 2025
    Across the United States, planetary science this week is dominated by a rare visitor from beyond our solar system. According to NASA, the interstellar comet called Three I Atlas is making its closest approach to Earth, passing about one hundred seventy million miles away while remaining visible only through moderate sized telescopes before it heads back into deep space. NASA reports that multiple American missions, including the Psyche spacecraft in deep space and the Parker Solar Probe near the Sun, have coordinated observations to study the comet’s dust, gas, and trajectory, turning the inner solar system into a distributed observatory spanning millions of miles. Scientists at NASA’s Goddard and Jet Propulsion Laboratory say these data are revealing how material from another stellar system behaves when it passes through our own, offering a rare comparison point for the building blocks of planets elsewhere.

    Back on and near Earth, planetary defense efforts are also in the spotlight. NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office released its December update on near Earth asteroids, noting continued growth in the catalog of discovered objects and refined orbits for those that pass close to our planet. The update emphasizes that no known near term threats have emerged, but improved surveys and tracking are steadily increasing confidence in our ability to detect hazardous objects years to decades in advance. This reflects a broader pattern in United States planetary science, where investment is shifting toward both understanding how planets form and evolve and ensuring Earth is protected from asteroid and comet impacts.

    Beyond the United States, major developments also inform this week’s planetary story. The European Space Agency announced that its Gaia mission has found hints of planets forming in very young star systems in our galaxy, by detecting subtle motions and light variations that point to newborn worlds embedded in disks of gas and dust. In parallel, researchers writing in the American Geophysical Union’s Eos magazine report new evidence that Sun like stars can eventually engulf their closest planets as they age and expand, offering a possible preview of Earth’s far future. Together, these findings frame our own solar system as one example in a galaxy rich with evolving planetary systems, while United States missions and observatories continue to probe both our neighborhood and the wider cosmos for clues about how planets are born, live, and ultimately die.

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