This week, NASA initiated the Artemis III demonstration mission, a crucial step before astronauts land on the Moon in 2028. The 2027 mission will involve practicing rendezvous and docking operations between commercial human landing systems and the Orion spacecraft in low Earth orbit. This demonstration will provide essential data to ensure astronaut safety and mission success for future crewed lunar landings.
NASA is partnering with two American companies, SpaceX and Blue Origin, to develop human landing systems. For Artemis III, both companies will fly test versions of their crewed landers. SpaceX plans to use its latest Starship version, Version 3, which will be the basis for the future Starship HLS. Blue Origin will test its planned HLS crew cabin. These tests allow both companies to apply lessons learned prior to uncrewed and crewed missions to the Moon.
Perseverance Reads Record of Ancient Mars Impacts
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has uncovered significant evidence on the rim of Jezero Crater, indicating that a 245-foot-thick (75-meter-thick) stack of ancient rock was formed by repeated asteroid impacts. This layered bedrock, referred to as the “Broom Point member,” is estimated to be over 3.9 billion years old, making it one of the oldest terrains ever examined by a Mars rover. The findings, released in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, offer a unique insight into the early history of our solar system, a record often erased on Earth by plate tectonics.
The Mastcam-Z instrument aboard Perseverance captured a sweeping view of Broom Point on May 15, 2025. This view showcases the ancient rock formation and the rover’s tracks as it descended the steep crater rim. Evidence from Perseverance indicates that the thick section of rock was built by repeated asteroid strikes, with layers tilting at angles exceeding 80 degrees due to subsequent colossal impacts that created the Isidis Basin and Jezero Crater.
Webb Discovers Hidden Exoplanet, Meteorite Offers Asteroid Clues
Astronomers utilizing NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have made a remarkable discovery: a hidden giant exoplanet designated Beta Pictoris d. This exoplanet resides within the famously studied Beta Pictoris system, located 63 light-years from Earth and approximately 23 million years old. This makes it only the second planetary system known to contain at least three imaged planets. Unlike its counterparts, Beta Pictoris b and c, Beta Pictoris d was detected through the unique chemical signature of its atmosphere, a technique that holds promise for future exoplanet discoveries. Initial estimates suggest Beta Pictoris d is at least twice the mass of Jupiter and orbits its star at about 30 astronomical units, a distance comparable to Neptune’s orbit in our solar system.
In other deep space news, a pristine meteorite, recovered immediately after its fall to Earth on July 16, 2024, is providing new insights into ancient water and the chemical evolution of primitive asteroids. Discovered by an amateur astronomer in New Jersey, the Hillsborough meteorite, a CM carbonaceous chondrite, offers clues about the ingredients that may have supported life in the early solar system. Analysis revealed that ancient salty water altered minerals within the meteorite’s parent asteroid, preserving unique minerals and organic compounds. The rapid recovery, aided by cameras capturing its fiery descent, allowed scientists to trace its origin within the asteroid belt.
Soyuz Crew Welcomed Aboard ISS
This week, the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station on July 14, 2026. Following the hatch opening, the new Soyuz MS-29 crew were welcomed aboard the orbiting laboratory, joining the Expedition 74 crew. This event marked a successful crew rotation and the continuation of vital operations on the ISS. No further details on experiments or Canadian involvement were available this week.
NASA News
This week saw significant scientific advancements, ranging from understanding Mars’ ancient past to discovering new exoplanets. The agency’s focus on future lunar missions, like the Artemis III demonstration, continues to pave the way for human exploration. Through advanced telescopes like Webb and diligent rover work by Perseverance, NASA continues to expand our understanding of the universe.
Provider: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Date: June 30, 2027 Time: 12:00 AM UTC Vehicle: Space Launch System (SLS)
Artemis III is the second crew mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis III will send a crew of 4 on a Low Earth Orbit mission, with the Orion rendezvous and dock with one or both commercial lunar landers in development by SpaceX and Blue Origin, performing in-space tests of the docked vehicles, integrated checkout of life support, communications, and propulsion systems, as well as tests of the new Extravehicular Activity (xEVA) suits.
Artemis IV
Provider: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Date: June 30, 2028 Time: 12:00 AM UTC Vehicle: Space Launch System (SLS)
Artemis IV is planned to be the first human lunar landing mission since the Apollo Program.
Artemis V
Provider: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Date: December 31, 2028 Time: 12:00 AM UTC Vehicle: Space Launch System (SLS)
Artemis V is planned to be the second human lunar landing mission since the Apollo Program.
SLS Block 1B | Artemis VI
Provider: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Date: September 30, 2030 Time: 12:00 AM UTC Vehicle: Space Launch System (SLS)
No description available
SLS Block 1B | Artemis VII
Provider: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Date: September 30, 2031 Time: 12:00 AM UTC Vehicle: Space Launch System (SLS)
No description available
Artemis III ×
Mission Details
TypeHuman Exploration
OrbitLow Earth Orbit
TargetEarth
Artemis III is the second crew mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis III will send a crew of 4 on a Low Earth Orbit mission, with the Orion rendezvous and dock with one or both commercial lunar landers in development by SpaceX and Blue Origin, performing in-space tests of the docked vehicles, integrated checkout of life support, communications, and propulsion systems, as well as tests of the new Extravehicular Activity (xEVA) suits.
Agencies Involved
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Government)
Program: Artemis
The Artemis program is a US government-funded crewed spaceflight program that has the goal of landing “the first woman and the next man” on the Moon, specifically at the lunar south pole region.
The Space Launch System (SLS) is an American Space Shuttle-derived heavy expendable launch vehicle. It is part of NASA’s deep space exploration plans including as the main launch vehicle of the Artemis program. SLS follows the cancellation of the Constellation program, and is to replace the retired…
The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (Orion MPCV) is an American spacecraft intended to carry a crew of four astronauts to destinations at or beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Currently under development by NASA for launch on the Space Launch System, Orion is intended to facilitate human exploration of asteroids and of Mars, as well as to provide a means of delivering or retrieving crew or supplies from the ISS if needed.
Capability
Lunar Missions.
Details
The Orion MPCV takes basic design elements from the Apollo Command Module that took astronauts to the moon, but its technology and capability are more advanced. It is designed to support long-duration deep space missions, with up to 21 days active crew time plus 6 months quiescent. During the quiescent period crew life support would be provided by another module such as a Deep Space Habitat. The…
Flight Life
21.1 days
Manufacturer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
NASA • American • Age: 58 • Time in space: 149 Days, 12 Hours, 12 Minutes • EVA time: 1 Day, 8 Hours
Born: Sep 11, 1967 • First Flight: Nov 16, 2009 • Last Flight: Jul 28, 2017
Randolph James “Komrade” Bresnik is an officer in the United States Marine Corps and a NASA astronaut. A Marine Aviator by trade, Bresnik was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Group 19 in May 2004.[5] First launched to space on STS-129.
ESA • Italian • Age: 49 • Time in space: 366 Days, 23 Hours, 2 Minutes • EVA time: 1 Day, 9 Hours, 9 Minutes
Born: Sep 27, 1976 • First Flight: May 28, 2013 • Last Flight: Jul 20, 2019
Luca Parmitano (born 27 September 1976 in Paternò, Sicily) is an Italian engineer and astronaut in the European Astronaut Corps for the European Space Agency (ESA). The astronauts work on missions at the International Space Station. He was selected as an ESA astronaut in May 2009.
Artemis IV is planned to be the first human lunar landing mission since the Apollo Program.
Agencies Involved
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Government)
Program: Artemis
The Artemis program is a US government-funded crewed spaceflight program that has the goal of landing “the first woman and the next man” on the Moon, specifically at the lunar south pole region.
The Space Launch System (SLS) is an American Space Shuttle-derived heavy expendable launch vehicle. It is part of NASA’s deep space exploration plans including as the main launch vehicle of the Artemis program. SLS follows the cancellation of the Constellation program, and is to replace the retired…
Artemis V is planned to be the second human lunar landing mission since the Apollo Program.
Agencies Involved
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Government)
Program: Artemis
The Artemis program is a US government-funded crewed spaceflight program that has the goal of landing “the first woman and the next man” on the Moon, specifically at the lunar south pole region.
The Space Launch System (SLS) is an American Space Shuttle-derived heavy expendable launch vehicle. It is part of NASA’s deep space exploration plans including as the main launch vehicle of the Artemis program. SLS follows the cancellation of the Constellation program, and is to replace the retired…
The Artemis program is a US government-funded crewed spaceflight program that has the goal of landing “the first woman and the next man” on the Moon, specifically at the lunar south pole region.
The Space Launch System (SLS) is an American Space Shuttle-derived heavy expendable launch vehicle. It is part of NASA’s deep space exploration plans including as the main launch vehicle of the Artemis program. SLS follows the cancellation of the Constellation program, and is to replace the retired…
The Artemis program is a US government-funded crewed spaceflight program that has the goal of landing “the first woman and the next man” on the Moon, specifically at the lunar south pole region.
The Space Launch System (SLS) is an American Space Shuttle-derived heavy expendable launch vehicle. It is part of NASA’s deep space exploration plans including as the main launch vehicle of the Artemis program. SLS follows the cancellation of the Constellation program, and is to replace the retired…
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