Artemis II on track for moon flight, looking to launch as early as February 2026
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NASA and Congress Wrestle Over the Space Station—and How to Replace It
The fight over government spending is reaching 250 miles above the Earth's surface. The International Space Station for more than two decades has been the centerpiece of human spaceflight at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Government leaders are now jousting over funding for the ISS, while NASA is signaling it will start pulling back on some station activities ahead of its planned decommissioning in 2030, when private space stations are envisioned taking its place.
USA Today
an hour ago
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Jupiter-Venus conjunction: How to see our solar system's 2 brightest planets in August
Here's what to know about the rendezvous between Jupiter and Venus, and how to see the two bright planets in August. From meteor showers to visible nebulas, August is primed to be an action-packed month for stargazers in the United States. And one of the highlights of the month? The impending meet-up of Jupiter and Venus. The gas giant Jupiter, our solar system's largest planet, is due to make a close approach in August with Venus, NASA said in an August skywatching guide. The rendezvous, known in astronomy terms as a conjunction, comes a few months after Venus underwent an inferior conjunction in March – meaning it appeared in the sky after sunset and again before sunrise. What that means for observers here on Earth is that both planets should be visible together for the next few days. Here's what to know about the Venus-Jupiter conjunction, and how to see the two bright planets in August. What is a planetary conjunction? A planetary conjunction is an astronomical event in which at least two planets – sometimes more – appear to our vantage from Earth to be close together in the sky. Even though the planets are in reality still tens of millions of miles apart, the events present a special opportunity for astronomers and casual stargazers to see multiple worlds in our solar system at one time. So, what causes conjunctions to take place? As planets in our solar system orbit the sun at varying speeds, sometimes their orbital paths bring them close together on the same side of the sun. When this event lines up with our view from Earth, we get a conjunction, according to the nonprofit Planetary Society. When is the Venus-Jupiter pairing? Venus and Jupiter are making their close approaches to one another and will shine brightly to the east before sunrise throughout August, according to NASA. The planets should appear closest to one another between Aug. 11 and 12. What's more, Venus and Jupiter's cosmic rendezvous should take place against a backdrop of bright stars – including Orion, Taurus, Gemini and Sirius. A crescent moon, appearing as a thin sliver, should even join the planets in the sky after they separate again Aug. 19-20. How to see Venus, Jupiter conjunction in August While telescopes certainly will enhance the view, spectators don't necessarily need any equipment to spot Venus and Jupiter in the pre-dawn sky from the Northern Hemisphere. Why? After the sun and moon, they're the two brightest objects in our solar system. Seek out locations with unobstructed views of the horizons and check the weather forecast to ensure skies will be clear. Then, simply look to the east to find what will appear as two uncommonly bright stars, and you're likely looking at the two planets. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@
Fast Company
an hour ago
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Is the moon about to go nuclear?
NASA wants to build a nuclear reactor on the surface of the moon—and fast. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who is also serving as NASA's interim administrator, has issued new directives at the agency to speed up the timeline for a fission reactor designed to power human activity on the moon, even as the space agency faces deep cuts to other parts of its budget. The plot beat is straight out of sci-fi, but it's also key to unlocking humanity's future on the moon, where two weeklong long lunar night cycles make storing solar energy a challenge. 'To properly advance this critical technology to be able to support a future lunar economy, high power energy generation on Mars, and to strengthen our national security in space, it is imperative the agency move quickly,' Duffy wrote in an agency directive sent out late last week. Under Duffy's more aggressive plan, NASA has been directed to put out a broad call encouraging private companies to craft designs for a powerful 100 kilowatt reactor that could be ready to go by 2030. Politico first reported the expedited plan for a lunar reactor, which a senior NASA official characterized as a priority for 'winning the second space race.' Subscribe to the Daily newsletter. Fast Company's trending stories delivered to you every day Privacy Policy | Fast Company Newsletters NASA's lunar fission dreams The U.S. space agency has been working on designs for an energy source that could power lunar development for a few years now. In 2022, NASA doled out three $5 million contracts for concept designs for small nuclear fission reactors that could be used on the moon and adapted for future Mars exploration. Those designs each weighed under six metric tons and were capable of producing 40 kilowatts of electricity, 'ensuring enough for demonstration purposes and additional power available for running lunar habitats, rovers, backup grids, or science experiments.' 'A demonstration of a nuclear power source on the Moon is required to show that it is a safe, clean, reliable option,' director of Technology Demonstrations for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate Trudy Kortes said of the initiative, called the Fission Surface Power Project, last year. 'The lunar night is challenging from a technical perspective, so having a source of power such as this nuclear reactor, which operates independent of the Sun, is an enabling option for long-term exploration and science efforts on the Moon.' Other nations' plans The U.S. isn't alone in its ambitions for a sustainable source of power on the moon—nor is its timing a coincidence. Russia and China are working together on a joint lunar program that could include building a nuclear reactor on the moon's surface as soon as 2033. Russia's former head of Roscosmos Yuri Borisov said last year that Russia was 'seriously considering a project—somewhere at the turn of 2033-2035 – to deliver and install a power unit on the lunar surface together with our Chinese colleagues.' The project is viewed as a precursor to lunar colonization for both countries, enabling power production greater than what a solar array could generate. While that plan appears intact, Borisov was fired from his position earlier this year. Russia maintains ambitious plans for exploring the moon with an aggressive timeline, but the country's space program faced a devastating setback when its first moon mission in almost 50 years smashed into the lunar surface. Beyond China, Russia is also partnering with North Korea, another U.S. adversary, when it comes to space. Former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned in January that Russia planned to share advanced satellite and other space technology with Pyongyang, an extension of the new military alliance between the two Biden administration maneuvered to block Russian plans to place an anti-satellite nuclear weapon in orbit, though that weapons program may be derailed for now after suffering a technical failure in April.
