Tag: NASA
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Reusable rockets are here, so why is NASA paying more to launch stuff to space?
In an era of reusable rockets and near-daily access to space, NASA is still paying more than it did 30 years ago to launch missions into orbit, according to a study soon to be published in the scientific journal Acta Astronautica. Launch is becoming more routine. Every few days, SpaceX is sending another batch of…
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Rocket Report: The pitfalls of rideshare; China launches next Tiangong crew
Welcome to Edition 7.41 of the Rocket Report! NASA and its contractors at Kennedy Space Center in Florida continue building a new mobile launch tower for the Space Launch System Block 1B rocket, a taller, upgraded version of the SLS rocket being used for the agency’s initial Artemis lunar missions. Workers stacked another segment of…
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Rocket Report: The pitfalls of rideshare; China launches next Tiangong crew
Welcome to Edition 7.41 of the Rocket Report! NASA and its contractors at Kennedy Space Center in Florida continue building a new mobile launch tower for the Space Launch System Block 1B rocket, a taller, upgraded version of the SLS rocket being used for the agency’s initial Artemis lunar missions. Workers stacked another segment of…
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Curiosity discovers carbonate mineral, provides insight into disappearance of ancient atmosphere
NASA’s Curiosity rover, which has been driving around the surface of Mars for over 12 years, recently discovered a mineral called siderite on the slopes of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater. Interestingly, siderite might be the mineral that helps planetary scientists finally solve the mystery of where Mars’ carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere went. Solving such a…
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Republican space officials criticize “mindless” NASA science cuts
In the nearly two weeks since Ars reported on the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts for NASA’s science programs, scientists and Democratic lawmakers have both expressed deep concerns about the future of the space agency. However, in a pattern consistent across a host of issues in which GOP lawmakers do not want to be seen…
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Republican space officials criticize “mindless” NASA science cuts
In the nearly two weeks since Ars reported on the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts for NASA’s science programs, scientists and Democratic lawmakers have both expressed deep concerns about the future of the space agency. However, in a pattern consistent across a host of issues in which GOP lawmakers do not want to be seen…
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SpaceX launches 32nd resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station
SpaceX launches their Falcon 9 rocket on April 21st, 2025 with a cargo resupply mission towards the ISS from SLC-39A in Cape Canaveral, FL. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now SpaceX launched an uncrewed Cargo Dragon to the International Space Station early Monday on a resupply mission with increased importance after a transportation mishap derailed a flight…
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Cape launch sites bustling with activity, New Glenn and Starship preparations underway
While several Cape Canaveral launch sites remain busy with launches from SpaceX, ULA, and Blue Origin, other facilities at the United States’ premier space launch facility are undergoing important work for a new generation of rockets to debut in the not-too-distant future. Changes that will affect existing vehicles, such as the Falcon 9, are also…
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Trump White House budget proposal eviscerates science funding at NASA
This week, as part of the process to develop a budget for fiscal-year 2026, the Trump White House shared the draft version of its budget request for NASA with the space agency. This initial version of the administration’s budget request calls for an approximately 20 percent overall cut to the agency’s budget across the board,…
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NASA nominee asks why lunar return has taken so long, and why it costs so much
WASHINGTON, DC—Over the course of a nearly three-hour committee hearing Wednesday, the nominee to lead NASA for the Trump administration faced difficult questions from US senators who sought commitments to specific projects. However, maneuvering like a pilot with more than 7,000 hours in jets and ex-military aircraft, entrepreneur and private astronaut Jared Isaacman dodged most…