Space Exploration Advancements

Artemis II astronauts brace for fiery return to Earth

The Artemis II crew, flying in their Orion capsule since launching from Florida last week, are due to splash down off the Southern California coast on Friday.

|ByREUTERS
The NASA Artemis II crew, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover, embrace inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home following a flyby of the far side of the Moon on April 7, 2026.
Israeli satellite launching into space

From Gaza to Iran, Israel readies space 'surprises' for next conflicts - exclusive

Israel’s space capabilities play a key role in the Jewish state’s strategic military capabilities, and now the space industry is moving toward dual-use and commercial roles as well

|ByANNA AHRONHEIM
A Long March-7 Y5 rocket carrying Tianzhou-4 cargo spacecraft, with supplies for the Chinese space station under construction, takes off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan province, China May 10, 2022

China to launch Shenzhou-22 spacecraft on November 25, state media reports

The Shenzhou-22 will be launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, state news agency Xinhua reported, as with all other recent Shenzhou missions.

|ByREUTERS
SPHEREx

NASA's advanced telescope embarks on a two-year mission to map the universe

During the mission, the scientific team is expected to investigate the early stages of the universe’s expansion and search for frozen molecules that may indicate life in other planetary systems.

|ByYINON BEN SHUSHAN

Trump picks Jewish space adventurer Jared Isaacman to head NASA

Isaacman, a high school dropout and billionaire, is Jewish but has not made that piece of his identity a major part of his public persona.

DECEMBER 5, 2024ByPHILISSA CRAMER/JTA
Commander Jared Isaacman of Polaris Dawn, a private human spaceflight mission, speaks at a press conference at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S. August 19, 2024. Launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled for August 26

Private US moon lander launched half century after last Apollo lunar mission

If successful, the flight would represent the first controlled descent to the lunar surface by a US spacecraft since the final Apollo crewed moon mission in 1972, and the first by a private company.

FEBRUARY 15, 2024ByREUTERS
The Nova-C lunar lander designed by aerospace company Intuitive Machines is displayed at the company's headquarters in Houston, Texas, U.S., October 3, 2023.

Space Exploration: The Next Frontier

Examine current and future missions in space exploration, discussing the potential for life on other planets, commercial space travel, and the technological advancements driving this field.

JANUARY 2, 2024ByMAXWELL STERLING