National Aeronautics and Space Administration  - NASA News

Welcome to your weekly dive into NASA's world, where space dreams meet real-world action. This week, the biggest headline: NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. ET Wednesday, January 14, to undock the Crew-11 Dragon from the International Space Station for an early splashdown off California by early Thursday, January 15. NASA announced this unprecedented move on January 8 after a stable, undisclosed medical issue—not an injury—with one crew member aboard since August 1. Astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, Japan's Kimiya Yui, and Russia's Oleg Platonov are packing up, while Chris Williams stays to keep a U.S. presence. NASA blogs confirm the crew is testing suits and prepping, with coverage starting at 3 p.m. Wednesday.This first-ever ISS medical evac shakes things up but won't delay Artemis 2's early February moon flyby around Earth, per NASA chief Jared Isaacman. For American citizens, it highlights space health risks, advancing medical tech that could save lives back home—think better emergency protocols from 250 miles up. Businesses like SpaceX benefit from accelerated Crew-12 launches, boosting jobs and innovation. International partners, including JAXA and Roscosmos, show seamless teamwork amid tensions, strengthening global ties.On the funding front, Congress rejected President Trump's $18.8 billion cuts, proposing a robust $24.4 billion for fiscal year 2026—nearly $6 billion more—via a January 5 minibus bill from Space.com and Phys.org reports. This protects science missions, rejects over 40 terminations, and funds gems like NASA's Pandora exoplanet observer, now deployed by SpaceX.NASA Administrator Isaacman noted, "The crew member is stable," emphasizing safety first. Experts like former astronauts call it a smart, rare call.Watch for splashdown weather updates and Crew-12 launch tweaks. Track live on NASA.gov or SpaceX streams. Citizens, follow @NASA and @Space_Station on X to stay engaged.Thanks for tuning in, listeners—subscribe for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

NASA’s top headline this week is all about the International Space Station: the agency is ending the SpaceX Crew-11 mission early after a medical situation involving one of the astronauts on board. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, “a single crew member on board the station experienced a medical situation and is now stable,” and after consulting Chief Health and Medical Officer Dr. JD Polk and agency leadership, he decided it’s “in the best interest of our astronauts to return Crew-11 ahead of their planned departure.”NASA stresses this is not an emergency, but it is unprecedented: it’s effectively the first medical-driven early return of a long-duration ISS crew. ABC News reports that three of the seven astronauts will remain on the station, while four Crew-11 members ride a SpaceX Dragon capsule back to Earth. Due to medical privacy rules, NASA is not naming the affected astronaut or sharing details about their condition.In the near term, this decision reshuffles NASA’s human spaceflight schedule. The follow-on SpaceX Crew-12 mission, carrying NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and a veteran Russian cosmonaut, is officially targeted for launch no earlier than February 15. NASA and SpaceX are studying whether that launch can be moved up, while still keeping the high-profile Artemis II lunar flyby on track for early February. NASA has also postponed and re-planned upcoming spacewalks as the crew transition plays out.For American listeners, the impact is about confidence and continuity: NASA is signaling that astronaut health overrides schedule pressure, even with big missions like Artemis on the horizon. For businesses working with NASA, especially SpaceX and other commercial partners, this is a real-time test of flexibility, redundancy, and rapid mission replanning. For state and local governments that host NASA centers and contractors, it reinforces how human spaceflight operations can shift quickly, but also how resilient the overall program has become. Internationally, partners on the ISS and in Artemis see NASA honoring its safety culture while still coordinating closely to keep station operations and future lunar plans moving.Looking ahead, NASA says it will announce the exact undocking and landing timeline for Crew-11, along with any adjustment to the Crew-12 launch date, in the coming days. Listeners who want the latest details can check NASA’s official website and social media channels, or watch replays of the Washington news conference on NASA TV and YouTube.Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an update from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Imagine this: NASA's Voyager 1, the plucky probe launched back in 1977, is barreling toward a mind-blowing milestone, set to hit one light-day from Earth by November 2026. That's NDTV reporting on the sheer scale of our cosmic neighborhood, reminding us how far human ingenuity has taken us.But closer to home, NASA's gearing up for high-stakes action on the International Space Station. Astronauts kick off two spacewalks this January during Expedition 74, prepping for roll-out solar array upgrades, swapping cameras, and rerouting fluid systems—vital for keeping the station powered and humming for years ahead, per NASA's own news release. Meanwhile, veteran astronaut Brig. Gen. Nick Hague just retired after 374 days in space and key EVAs, shifting to the U.S. Space Force, marking a leadership pivot amid transitions.The big shadow? The FY26 President's Budget Request slashes science funding—32% off Planetary Science to $1.9 billion, axing Mars Sample Return and missions like DAVINCI and VERITAS; 66% cuts to Astrophysics and Heliophysics, killing Chandra, Fermi, and more, as detailed by the American Astronomical Society. Congress funds NASA only through late January via continuing resolution, per SpacePolicyOnline, fueling uncertainty for Artemis launches like the possible early February Artemis II window.For everyday Americans, this means fewer breakthroughs in climate tech, exoplanet hunts, and Mars dreams that inspire kids and drive jobs. Businesses like SpaceX and Blue Origin face contract tweaks on HLS for Artemis III, potentially delaying lunar landings to 2028 or later, hitting supply chains. States with NASA centers, like Florida and Texas, brace for workforce ripples, while international partners on ISS and Artemis feel the strain on collaborations.Experts note data analysis will boost yields from surviving missions, with ROSES solicitations in June 2025 and Hubble Cycle 34 proposals early 2026.Watch those January spacewalks briefings and Artemis updates post-January funding cliff. Dive deeper at nasa.gov or science.nasa.gov. Tune your voice to Congress on budgets—your input shapes the stars.Thanks for tuning in, listeners—subscribe for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

NASA is gearing up for a historic year in space, and this week is already shaping up to be monumental. The biggest headline hitting the space community right now is that NASA astronauts are about to conduct critical spacewalks at the International Space Station to prepare for the installation of brand new roll-out solar arrays. These missions mark the first spacewalks of 2026, and they're happening right now in January.On January eighth, veteran astronaut Mike Fincke and first-time spacewalker Zena Cardman will exit the station's Quest airlock to prepare the power systems for those new solar arrays. This is historic for Cardman, but it's equally significant for Fincke, who'll be tying the record for most spacewalks by any NASA astronaut with his tenth mission outside the station. These solar arrays are crucial because they'll provide additional power for the orbiting laboratory and support the station's eventual controlled deorbit. Then on January fifteenth, two more astronauts will replace high-definition cameras, install navigational aids for visiting spacecraft, and relocate ammonia servicer components.Beyond the spacewalks, NASA is making waves at the American Astronomical Society meeting happening this week in Phoenix. The space agency is unveiling timelines for its flagship missions, including the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is scheduled to launch no later than September twenty twenty-six. Roman will have a field of view about one hundred times larger than Hubble, fundamentally changing how we observe galaxies and stars. NASA is also detailing progress on the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a future mission designed to search for potentially habitable exoplanets.For American citizens, these developments mean NASA is actively preparing our space infrastructure for the next generation of discoveries. The spacewalks ensure the International Space Station remains operational and powered for years to come, while the new telescopes promise to revolutionize our understanding of the universe. The spacewalks will be available to watch through NASA's YouTube channel and various social media platforms, so listeners can tune in to see history unfold in real time.As we look ahead, the James Webb Space Telescope continues its groundbreaking observations, and skywatchers should know that Jupiter reaches opposition on January tenth, making it brighter and larger than any other time this year. If you want to stay updated on these missions and engage with NASA's work, visit NASA dot gov for live coverage and detailed mission information.Thank you for tuning in to this week's space update. Be sure to subscribe for more NASA news and developments as they happen. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out quietplease dot ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Hey listeners, welcome to your space update. NASA's biggest headline this week: President Trump's Executive Order on Ensuring American Space Superiority, issued December 18, refocusing the agency on commercial partnerships and streamlined acquisitions to boost U.S. leadership in orbit and beyond.Under the second Trump Administration, NASA's charging toward Artemis II, the first crewed Moon flyby in over 50 years, set for early 2026. They've fired boosters, tested RS-25 engines, and run recovery drills with the Department of War. New fission power lead Steve Sinacore from Glenn Research Center is spearheading lunar surface tech, while seven nations like Bangladesh and Norway joined the Artemis Accords, now nearing 60 signatories for safe Moon and Mars exploration.Policy shifts include closing NASA's Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, Chief Scientist office, and DEI branch per workforce orders. The EO mandates NASA review international pacts by April 17, 2026, prioritizing commercial deals via Space Act Agreements, and reform acquisitions by June 16. Commercial low-Earth orbit stations from Axiom and Starlab hit design milestones ahead of ISS retirement in 2030.For Americans, this means jobs in hypersonics, safer flights, and Mars sims inspiring STEM. Businesses get streamlined contracts, fueling SpaceX Starlink swarm tests and rotating detonation engines. States benefit from university grants for emergency aircraft. Globally, it strengthens U.S. ties via JAXA rover tests and comet 3I/ATLAS observations by 12 NASA craft.NASA Administrator notes, "We're igniting a new golden age," with James Webb unveiling distant galaxies and Roman Telescope prepped for 2026 dark energy hunts. Watch MAVEN Mars orbiter recovery post-January 16 solar conjunction.Eyes on FY2026 budget battles by January 30 CR deadline. Dive deeper at nasa.gov, stream NASA+ on Prime Video. Tune in, subscribe, and explore!Thanks for tuning in, listeners—subscribe for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI