January 1, 2026

Your Wait for These Space Events Is About to Pay Off (Source: Space.com)
Sometimes we have to wait much longer than expected for events in our solar system, and beyond. Especially in spaceflight, you might hear about events, learn they are postponed and then eventually hear about them again. In 2026, there is some hope that your patience will be rewarded. Here, enjoy this list of developments that New York Times reporters and editors are anticipating in the year ahead. (12/30)

12 Times Rockets and Spacecraft Crashed and Burned in 2025 (Source: Space.com)
2025 was a very busy year for spaceflight, for better and for worse. We saw quite a few milestones notched in the final frontier this year, including the first-ever fully successful private moon landing and the official arrival of Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy lifter on the spaceflight scene. But there were a number of failures as well, some of them quite dramatic. Here's a brief rundown of 12 of 2025's most memorable mishaps. There is no shame in being on the list. Spaceflight is hard, and coming up short sometimes is part of the deal. It took SpaceX four tries to reach orbit for the first time, and look at where the company is today. (12/29)

Russia Launches Satellite For UAE (Source: TASS)
Russia has launched the QMR-KWT-2 educational spacecraft for the UAE as part of the launch of a Soyuz-2.1b rocket with 52 satellites from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. QMR-KWT-2 was manufactured for a company from the United Arab Emirates, aimed at developing cooperation between Russia, the UAE, and Kuwait, the main goal of which is to provide amateur radio broadcasting and popularize space exploration in Arab countries," the company stated. (12/29)

NASA’s Largest Library Is Closing Amid Staff and Lab Cuts (Source: New York Times)
The Trump administration is closing NASA’s largest research library on Friday, a facility that houses tens of thousands of books, documents and journals — many of them not digitized or available anywhere else. Jacob Richmond, a NASA spokesman, said the agency would review the library holdings over the next 60 days and some material would be stored in a government warehouse while the rest would be tossed away.

“This process is an established method that is used by federal agencies to properly dispose of federally owned property,” Mr. Richmond said. The shutdown of the library at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is part of a larger reorganization under the Trump administration that includes the closure of 13 buildings and more than 100 science and engineering laboratories on the 1,270-acre campus by March 2026. (12/31)

Scientists are Getting our Robotic Explorers Ready to Help Send Humans to Mars (Source: Space.com)
As the moon and Mars take center stage in human spaceflight, scientists are leveraging existing space missions to lay the groundwork for a sustained human presence off-planet. From pinpointing water resources on the moon to shielding crews from harmful radiation and managing abrasive dust, researchers described how new results from in-service missions are addressing practical challenges of exploration at a press briefing Dec. 17 at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in Louisiana.

The scientific work highlighted at the briefing comes as NASA prepares for a renewed push in human exploration. On Dec. 18, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the agency to return astronauts to the moon by 2028 and begin building the "initial elements" of a permanent lunar base by 2030, with newly sworn-in NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman leading the effort.

Scientists said they are helping support those ambitions by adapting tools and datasets originally developed for Earth to support future moon and Mars missions. For instance, Gina DiBraccio at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, discussed a decision-support tool initially designed to track space weather near Earth that has been extended to incorporate data from Mars missions, helping astronauts assess radiation risks in near real time from the Martian surface. (12/31)

Midland Board Considers Funding for Consulting Deals (Source: MRT.com)
Midland Development Corp. board members will consider a resolution executing a $240,000 consulting agreement with DTH Strategies for strategic and public affairs consulting and advocacy, focusing on helping MDC navigate Texas state government, including the Governor’s Office, Texas Space Commission, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Legislature and executive branch agencies. MODE Communications will offer a presentation on a proposed $150,000 messaging and communications campaign, designed to promote the connection between infrastructure, workforce and job creation.

Board members will also consider continuing MDC’s relationship with InterFlight Global, which has worked to help procure tenants for the Spaceport Business Park. They will vote on a resolution approving a $225,000 consultant services agreement with the company. Another resolution to be voted on is approval of a $35,000 consulting services agreement with Integrated Launch Solutions for spaceport licensing support services, including risk assessments and gap analyses, for the MDC in support of the development of an inland vertical orbital launch range. (12/31)

Texas Awards $177,000 for Western Regional Space Industry Development (Source: Big Country)
The Texas Space Commission has awarded the West Central Texas Council of Governments (WCTCOG) a Space Exploration & Aeronautics Research Fund (SEARF) grant of up to $175,000 to evaluate the region’s potential to support space exploration infrastructure and operations. The year-long study will examine workforce readiness, economic impact, and regional assets that could support aerospace-related activities. Findings from the study could help guide future strategic investments and position West Central Texas for emerging opportunities in the industry. (12/31)

Space Coast Rockets Toward Record Year as Artemis II Prepares for Launch (Source: WESH)
The Space Coast had a record number of rocket launches this year, exceeding 100 orbital missions and shattering previous records. But there’s even more on the way in 2026. "The top story will absolutely be Artemis II," research chemist Ken Kremer said.

NASA is preparing for one of its most ambitious missions in decades. Artemis II is scheduled to launch in early February. The historic flight will carry four astronauts on a 10-day lunar flyby to the moon’s far side, preparing for humans to eventually return to the moon on Artemis III. Crew-12 is also scheduled to launch in February from Kennedy Space Center to the ISS. "There could be two momentous human launches in February, just about a week apart," Kremer said. (12/31)

Even the Sky May Not Be the Limit for A.I. Data Centers (Source: New York Times)
NASA introduced the idea of space data centers in the 1960s. In the 1980s, the concept of “data repositories” in space popped up in science fiction stories. In the last decade, the notion of space data centers that could power modern A.I. also emerged. The main benefit to building a data center in space is abundant energy, with nearly 24/7 access to the sun and no clouds to obstruct the project’s solar panels, Mr. Johnston said. There are also fewer environmental regulations than on Earth, not to mention fewer neighbors to oppose the imposition or complain about electric bills.

But the feasibility hinges on whether it will become cheaper to launch materials into space and whether technical issues like radiation and cooling can be solved in the meantime. Experts are split on how soon those conditions can be met. “As a business case, it’s plausible,” said Phil Metzger, a physics professor at the University of Central Florida and a former physicist at NASA. “It’s been an evolving discussion.” (12/31)

Space Command, NASA Funding Among 2025 Congressional Victories for North Alabama (Source: AL.com)
U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R-AL, counted landing U.S. Space Command headquarters, funding for Marshall Space Flight Center and Golden Dome for America work at Redstone Arsenal among legislative victories for north Alabama in 2025. “Some of the most consequential wins in 2025 include securing the largest tax cut in history for hardworking Americans, bringing U.S. Space Command to its rightful home, delivering game-changing investments for Redstone Arsenal, Marshall Space Flight Center, Golden Dome and next-generation missile defense, and closing the southern border and strengthening our homeland security,” Strong said. (12/31)

Get Ready for Moon Missions to Take Center Stage in 2026 (Source: Geekwire)
Lunar missions once felt like the domain of history books rather than current events, but an upcoming trip around the moon is poised to generate headlines at a level not seen since the Apollo era. NASA’s Artemis 2 mission, which is due to launch four astronauts on a round-the-moon journey as a warmup for a future lunar landing, is shaping up as the spaceflight highlight of 2026. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who took the agency’s helm this month after a tumultuous year, says it’s the top item on his must-see list. (12/31)

Heliophysics Missions Move Toward Operations (Source: Space News)
Two NASA heliophysics missions launched together in September are performing well, while a third mission launched earlier this year is beginning limited operations despite problems with one spacecraft. Scientists released the first data from the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) and the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory. Both spacecraft launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket in September along with NOAA’s Space Weather Follow-On L1 satellite.

The spacecraft have yet to reach their destination, a halo orbit around the Earth-sun L1 Lagrange point about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. Scientists, however, have been commissioning the instruments while the spacecraft are en route. (12/31)