April 19, 2026
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Breaking News
  • [ April 19, 2026 ] Live Coverage: Third flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket to feature 1st reuse of booster Mission Reports
  • [ April 18, 2026 ] SpaceX to attempt 600th Falcon booster landing amid West Coast Starlink mission Falcon 9
  • [ April 16, 2026 ] Blue Origin hot fires its first previously flown booster, prepares for weekend launch Mission Reports
  • [ April 15, 2026 ] Blue Origin one step closer to launching New Glenn from Vandenberg Space Force Base New Glenn
  • [ April 15, 2026 ] West Coast SpaceX Falcon 9 mission launches 25 Starlink satellites Falcon 9

Earth Return Orbiter

Mission Reports

NASA narrows design for rocket to launch samples off of Mars

April 20, 2020 Stephen Clark

After years of studies, test-firings and a survey of U.S. industry in preparation for launch of a Mars Sample Return mission in 2026, NASA has settled on a solid-fueled design for a miniature rocket with a first-of-its-kind purpose: Launching a payload from Mars for a trip back to Earth.

News

NASA, ESA officials seek formal approvals for Mars sample return mission

September 16, 2019 Stephen Clark

After crystallizing a partnership to retrieve samples from the surface of Mars and return them to Earth, NASA and European Space Agency officials are seeking government funding commitments before the end of this year to carry out a multibillion-dollar robotic mission that could depart Earth with a pair of rocket launches as soon as 2026.

News Headlines

  • Live Coverage: Third flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket to feature 1st reuse of booster
    April 19, 2026
  • SpaceX to attempt 600th Falcon booster landing amid West Coast Starlink mission
    April 18, 2026
  • Blue Origin hot fires its first previously flown booster, prepares for weekend launch
    April 16, 2026
  • Blue Origin one step closer to launching New Glenn from Vandenberg Space Force Base
    April 15, 2026
  • West Coast SpaceX Falcon 9 mission launches 25 Starlink satellites
    April 15, 2026
  • SpaceX launches 1,000th Starlink satellite of 2026 on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral
    April 14, 2026
  • NASA confident Artemis 2 heat shield will protect crew during re-entry
    April 10, 2026
  • Artemis astronauts send down Easter message, prep for lunar fly around Monday
    April 5, 2026
  • ULA’s Atlas 5 rocket launches its heaviest payload ever with fifth Amazon Leo mission
    April 3, 2026
  • Artemis 2 crew blasts off on historic moon mission
    April 2, 2026
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