Aerospace

NASA announced on Tuesday that it will pause development of the Gateway lunar space station and repurpose its Power and Propulsion Element for SR-1 Freedom, a nuclear-electric propulsion demonstration mission to Mars launching before the end of 2028. The spacecraft will carry Skyfall helicopters to scout subsurface water ice and landing sites. Officials described the move as leveraging existing hardware to prove nuclear power in deep space.

March 25, 2026 Reported by AI

NASA's Carlos Garcia-Galan, program executive for the new Moon base under the Ignition initiative, was dubbed 'Lunar Viceroy' by Administrator Jared Isaacman at the Washington, DC, event announcing the plan. Transitioning from the canceled Lunar Gateway, Garcia-Galan highlighted supply chain challenges, international support, and steps to ensure two landings per year.

Ten years ago, on December 21, 2015, SpaceX achieved a milestone by successfully landing the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket after an orbital launch, marking a turning point in reusable rocketry. The event followed the company's recovery from a devastating failure earlier that year. This anniversary highlights the dramatic comeback detailed in Eric Berger's book 'Reentry'.

December 10, 2025 Reported by AI

Italian aerospace and defense firm Leonardo has reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippines' long-term capability development and modernization goals. In a statement, the company said it will invest in technologies, skills, and systems to make the Armed Forces of the Philippines future-ready. This supports the nation's push for a capable and self-reliant deterrence posture.

SpaceX's Booster 18, the first of its third-generation Super Heavy boosters, suffered significant damage during early testing at a site near Starbase, Texas. The incident occurred early on Friday morning, halting the initial phases of cryogenic propellant loading and pressurization tests. This setback comes as the company aims to accelerate Starship development for key missions.

November 20, 2025 Reported by AI

One week after its second successful New Glenn launch, Blue Origin revealed plans for rocket enhancements, including a super-heavy lift variant. The upgrades aim to boost payload capacity and reliability. The company outlined phased improvements starting with the next launch in 2026.