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Artemis 1 capsule beams back spectacular farewell views of the moon
Flying just 80 miles off the lunar surface, NASA's Orion capsule fired its main engine Monday to slingshot around the moon and set a course for splashdown Dec. 11 in the Pacific Ocean to complete the Artemis 1 test flight. The unpiloted spacecraft relayed home ethereal real-time views of the moon's cratered surface and a crescent Earth suspended in the blackness of space a quarter-million miles away.
VideoLive coverage: Orion spacecraft completes return powered flyby of the moon
NASA's Orion spacecraft successfully fired its main engine for three-and-a-half minutes at 11:43 a.m. EST (1643 GMT) Monday as it flew 80 miles from the surface of the moon, redirecting the capsule's trajectory for the return trip to Earth to wrap up the Artemis 1 test flight.
Chinese crew back on Earth after six months on Tiangong space station
Three Chinese astronauts landed Sunday after 182 days on China's Tiangong space station, completing the busiest mission yet for the country's human spaceflight program. The astronauts performed three spacewalks and assisted in the arrival and outfitting of two new lab modules at the Tiangong outpost.
VideoLive coverage: Three Chinese astronauts land after six months in orbit
Three Chinese astronauts closed out a six-month expedition on the Tiangong space station with a landing in northwestern China in their Shenzhou 14 capsule shortly after 7 a.m. EST (1200 GMT) Sunday.
Astronauts install new solar array outside International Space Station
NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio headed outside the International Space Station Saturday for a seven-hour spacewalk to install and unfurl a new roll-out solar array recently delivered by a SpaceX cargo ship.
Orion capsule leaves lunar orbit, heads for moon flyby and return to Earth
Continuing a "drama-free" test flight, NASA's unpiloted Orion spacecraft is set to fire its main engine Thursday to leave a distant orbit around the moon, heading for a flyby close to the lunar surface next week to swing onto a trajectory bringing it back to Earth for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11.
SpaceX rocket trouble postpones Japanese moon lander launch
SpaceX is expected to roll a Falcon 9 rocket back into its hangar at Cape Canaveral for troubleshooting, postponing the planned launch of a Japanese commercial moon lander for an unspecified period. SpaceX provided no details about the reason for grounding the rocket.
Chinese astronauts meet in space for historic crew handover
Three Chinese astronauts were greeted by three of their colleagues Tuesday as they floated into the Tiangong space station following a launch on a Long March rocket earlier in the day, marking the first time China's space program has had six astronauts in orbit at the same time.
Japanese commercial moon lander, UAE rover ready for launch on SpaceX rocket
A commercial moon craft developed by the Japanese company ispace is awaiting launch from Cape Canaveral on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will send it on a five-month trajectory culminating in a lunar landing attempt next year, an achievement that could make ispace the first private company to accomplish the feat.
VideoLive coverage: China launches Shenzhou 15 mission with three astronauts
A Chinese Long March 2F rocket launched three astronauts into orbit from a remote launch site in the Gobi Desert of northwestern China at 10:08 a.m. EST (1508 GMT) Tuesday. The Shenzhou 15 astronauts are embarking on a half-year expedition on China's Tiangong space station. Docking at the space station is expected about six hours after liftoff.