Science Mission

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has started transmitting data to Earth ahead of the start of its regular science observations. The agency tested whether ground stations could handle the incoming data stream once the telescope begins full operations. The trials involved ground stations operated by three agencies, including Japan's JAXA. The telescope's early data transmissions mark a key step toward the start of its planned survey mission.

The Trump administration has committed more than $5 billion to the Genesis Mission, an initiative targeting cancer research, semiconductor development, and quantum computing. The announcement pairs health research with strategically critical technologies, reflecting a push to accelerate American leadership in chips and advanced computing while funding cancer-focused science.

Researchers say blood tests have identified why astronauts often suffer constipation during spaceflight, pointing to changes in the body measurable in the blood while in orbit. The finding sheds light on a common but rarely discussed problem of long-duration missions and could help protect crew health on future trips to the Moon and Mars.

A new report from the Genesis Mission examines how artificial intelligence is being applied to fusion energy research and biological design. The analysis covers AI's potential to accelerate scientific discovery in these fields, including modeling complex plasma behavior and engineering biological systems. The report is drawing attention from readers following the broader push to apply advanced computing and AI to national science and energy priorities.

NASA's Psyche spacecraft is in the news again. The mission, launched to study the metal-rich asteroid Psyche between Mars and Jupiter, is being highlighted by NASA Science, prompting renewed public interest in the spacecraft and its journey through deep space toward its asteroid target.

In July 1985, Space Shuttle Challenger suffered the failure of one of its main engines during ascent, forcing the first and only Abort-to-Orbit in shuttle history. Despite the anomaly, the crew reached a lower-than-planned orbit and completed the Spacelab 2 science mission. The episode is being revisited as a notable example of mission control handling an in-flight emergency.

NASA's Science Mission Directorate has put out a call for volunteer reviewers to evaluate research proposals. The agency regularly relies on scientists from universities and research institutions to assess grant applications across its science programs, and this notice invites qualified experts to take part in the peer review process. It is aimed at researchers willing to contribute time to reviewing upcoming science submissions.

NASA has announced new science investigations for its planned Moon base, adding to the experiments and technology demonstrations intended for the Artemis programme's lunar surface missions. The agency says the additions will expand research opportunities on the Moon, though details of the individual investigations and their timelines were not immediately clear from the announcement.

The SMILE satellite has ended an 18-year gap in observations of the northern lights, and researchers say new views of Earth's x-ray magnetic shield are just weeks away. The mission is expected to provide fresh insight into how the solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field, producing auroras. Space science outlets are highlighting the milestone and the images anticipated in the coming weeks.

NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 has wrapped up its science mission aboard the International Space Station and is heading back to Earth. The crew spent its time aboard the orbiting laboratory carrying out research experiments before departing, with NASA announcing the conclusion of the mission. The return closes out another rotation dedicated to station science.

Astronomers report that enigmatic flashes of X-rays in the sky may come from the catastrophic merger of two stars, producing an ultra-dense, ultra-magnetic remnant known as a magnetar. The findings emerged from a collaboration between Chinese and European science missions, and are drawing attention among space researchers and enthusiasts discussing what the discovery reveals about how magnetars form.

A new crew has launched from Florida aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on its way to the International Space Station. The flight, associated with NASA's Crew-13 mission, continues the routine rotation of astronauts to the orbiting laboratory using commercial spacecraft. The launch drew attention among space and science followers as another milestone in NASA's partnership with SpaceX for crewed flights.

NASA has opened applications for the next class of flight directors, the people who lead mission control teams during human spaceflight operations at the Johnson Space Center. The announcement invites candidates from engineering, science and aviation backgrounds to apply for one of the most senior operational roles in the space agency.

The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate has reorganized its research capabilities, according to AFCEA International. The restructure affects how the agency organizes and delivers its research and development work in support of homeland security missions. Details on the specific units involved or the stated rationale have not been made widely available, and public reaction to the change has so far been limited.

Cornell University is showcasing a library of images exploring the solar system, according to the Cornell Chronicle. The collection draws on decades of planetary research and spacecraft missions, offering views of planets, moons and other bodies. It highlights the university's long-running role in planetary science and gives the public and researchers access to visual material from across the solar system.

NASA has launched a pair of small satellites designed to advance space science, test new technologies, and refine orbital operations. The agency says the SmallSats will demonstrate capabilities that could support future missions, including improved maneuvering and communications in orbit. The launch marks another step in NASA's growing use of compact, lower-cost spacecraft to complement larger missions and expand access to space research.

The Ocean Exploration Trust has launched its final deep-sea expedition of the 2026 season in Hawaiian waters. The mission will see the exploration vessel and its team survey little-known deep-sea environments around the Hawaiian islands, adding to years of oceanographic research in the region. Details of specific dive sites and scientific objectives were not immediately available.

The stratospheric research observatory Sunrise-III has returned new observations revealing intricate magnetic structures on the Sun. Flying high above most of Earth's atmosphere, the observatory captured detailed measurements of solar magnetic fields, findings now reported by science outlets and the Japanese astronomical institute NAOJ. Researchers say the data offers an unusually sharp view of the fine-scale magnetic processes driving solar activity.

NASA is developing plans to send humanoid robots to the moon, according to a report by Popular Science. The initiative would see human-shaped robotic systems deployed on lunar missions, potentially performing tasks before or alongside human astronauts. The news is drawing attention from space and robotics enthusiasts discussing what role such machines could play in future lunar exploration.

NASA has unveiled PRIMA, described as the first mission under its new Probe Explorer class. The mission is designed to carry out a first-of-its-kind astrophysics survey, with NASA highlighting that it opens a new category of mid-sized, principal-investigator-led space science missions. Details of the mission's specific science goals and launch timeline have drawn attention among space exploration followers.