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The launch was carried out using a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, named “Grace” by the Axiom crew, mounted on a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket.

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a crucial space telescope launched nearly 22 years ago, is at risk of reentering Earth's atmosphere this fall due to atmospheric drag. To prevent this, NASA partnered with Arizona-based Katalyst Space Technologies to launch the LINK satellite, designed to rendezvous with Swift and boost its orbit. However, LINK encountered a critical issue on July 25 when it began spinning uncontrollably, causing communication losses. While the spin is now under control, the mission faces delays as engineers work to stabilize LINK. The satellite's reaction wheels and thruster systems are partially non-functional, requiring software patches and fuel conservation measures. Despite the challenges, NASA and Katalyst remain optimistic, planning to execute the rescue mission in late August. If successful, LINK will use its ion thrusters to elevate Swift's orbit over two to three months. The mission highlights the risks of space operations, with both teams acknowledging the inherent dangers of such a complex endeavor.

NASA is tracking three asteroids zooming near Earth at up to 15,000 mph, including one the size of a skyscraper! Discover what makes these space rocks fascinating, their potential risks, and why scien...

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams' 8-day space mission extended to 9 months due to technical issues! See their incredible journey, dramatic splashdown, and 45-day recovery. Watch now! Tools used for generation Text Gemini Narator Azure TTS Clips Pexel Rendering Remotion

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NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally preparing to leave the International Space Station (ISS).

The NASA MAVEN mission to Mars has officially ended after more than a decade of operations, following the loss of contact with the spacecraft on December 6, 2025. Although attempts were made to reestablish communication in late 2025 and early 2026, including visual checks using the Curiosity rover’s Mastcam, the spacecraft could not be detected or contacted. A review committee concluded that MAVEN likely suffered a loss of attitude control, causing it to spin uncontrollably. This rapid rotation would have prevented its solar panels from properly charging the batteries, ultimately leading to a complete power failure. Engineers also suspect that a possible orbital disturbance or even a physical event, such as venting or fragmentation, may have contributed, though no definitive cause has been confirmed. Repeated issues with the spacecraft’s inertial measurement units over the years may have played a role in the failure. Launched in November 2013 and inserted into Martian orbit in September 2014, MAVEN’s primary goal was to study how the solar wind interacts with Mars and how the planet gradually loses its atmosphere due to the absence of a global magnetic field. The mission successfully mapped key atmospheric escape processes, including ion loss through polar and equatorial regions, sputtering caused by solar wind particles, and thermal escape of hydrogen. MAVEN also helped quantify that Mars currently loses only a few kilograms of atmosphere per day, but that in the distant past, when the atmosphere was much denser, loss rates were significantly higher. The data supports the conclusion that Mars has lost the equivalent of one to two full carbon dioxide atmospheres over its history. Beyond its science mission, MAVEN served as a critical communications relay for surface assets such as Curiosity, InSight, and Perseverance, transmitting a large portion of Martian data back to Earth. With its premature end, NASA loses an essential part of its Mars communications network and will need to accelerate plans for future relay infrastructure.

NASA's Perseverance collects the “Silver Mountain” sample in Jezero, revealing geological secrets and possible traces of water on Mars.

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Lawmakers in Washington are working overtime to wrap up a partial federal government shutdown that kicked in after Congress blew past its funding deadline last Friday. The stalemate has left big chunks of the government, including the Pentagon and Transportation Department, in limbo with workers either sent home or clocking in without a paycheck. Senate Democrats pushed for changes in immigration enforcement before agreeing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, sparking the disruption.