NASA GODDARD INSTITUTE

Mar 29 2026SCIENCE

Space Plans Shift: From Lunar Station to Moon Base, Comet Spin Mystery Revealed

NASA is changing its roadmap for the Moon. The agency has decided to stop work on the Gateway space station, a joint project that would have orbited the Moon. Instead, it will focus on building a permanent base on the lunar surface with an estimated cost of $20 billion. The new plan has three stages

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Mar 27 2026SCIENCE

Venus Missions Face Tight Budget Choices

NASA is still trying to decide how much it can support a group of Venus probes, according to its planetary science head. The agency has been in talks with the European Space Agency about a joint mission that will map Venus’s surface from orbit. A recent budget bill gave the planetary division $2. 54

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Mar 25 2026SCIENCE

Moon Quest: Robots, Rovers and a Nuclear Power Plant Roll Out

NASA plans to launch a wave of robotic missions to the Moon, starting in 2027 and aiming for up to thirty landings over a few years. The goal is to set up a small but functional lunar base that will help future trips to the Moon and Mars. The agency is inviting companies, universities and other coun

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Mar 07 2026SCIENCE

Moon Mission Revamp: NASA Sets a Faster, Safer Path Forward

NASA has announced big changes to its Artemis plan, aiming to get more rockets flying and reduce risks. The new strategy keeps the goal of landing astronauts on the Moon in 2028 but rearranges how that happens. Instead of waiting three years between launches, the agency now wants a flight every ten

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Feb 24 2026SCIENCE

New Rocket Roadblocks Push NASA’s Moon Mission Back

NASA’s biggest space plan is facing a fresh snag. After a recent test, engineers discovered that helium – the gas used to keep fuel tanks full and clean – was not flowing properly in the upper section of the Space Launch System (SLS). Because the problem cannot be fixed on the launchpad, the rocket

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Feb 15 2026SCIENCE

NASA Fixes Fuel Leak Issues Ahead of Moon Mission

NASA is working hard to stop fuel leaks on its big rocket before the next test. The Space Launch System (SLS) used for Artemis missions has had a problem with hydrogen leaking during fueling. The leak caused a practice countdown to stop early in February. Scientists traced the problem to the

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Feb 14 2026SCIENCE

NASA's Science Missions Face Unexpected Funding Freeze

NASA has been asked to hit the brakes on spending for over 15 science projects. This pause comes from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), even though Congress recently approved a budget that restored NASA's funding. The projects on hold include some big names, like the Chandra X-Ray Observato

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Feb 11 2026SCIENCE

Moon Mission Delayed: Why Artemis II Is Pushing Back

NASA’s plan to send a crew to the moon after half a century has hit a snag. During a practice launch on January 31, 2026, the rocket that will carry four astronauts began leaking liquid hydrogen. The leak forced engineers to stop the fuel flow, fix it, and then restart—only for the problem to recur

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Jan 25 2026SCIENCE

Moon Mission: Is NASA's Heat Shield Safe Enough?

NASA is preparing to send astronauts on a journey around the moon, but there's a catch. The Orion spacecraft, which will carry the crew, has a heat shield with a known issue. This heat shield is supposed to protect the astronauts from extreme heat when they return to Earth. The problem is, during a

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Jan 23 2026SCIENCE

Moon Mission: Is NASA's Orion Spacecraft Safe for Astronauts?

NASA is preparing to send astronauts on a moon mission using the Orion spacecraft, but there are concerns about its safety. The main issue is with the heat shield, which protects the spacecraft during reentry. The heat shield on the previous uncrewed test flight, Artemis I, showed unexpected damage.

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