[STS ISS STATUS]

NASA Releases MAX POWER Key Events for Media, Participants

2026-10-30T13:30:34Z

NASA News

MEDIA ADVISORY M26-084

OCT. 30, 2026

MISSIONS

NASA Releases MAX POWER Key Events for Media, Participants

NASA’s Freedom 250 F-5 team, including NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, performs a flyover during the national anthem at an NFL game between the Cleveland Browns and the Carolina Panthers at Huntington Bank Field, Sept. 27, 2026, in Cleveland. Credit: NASA/Jordan Cochran

America’s newest aerospace expo and air show – MAX POWER – is fast approaching, and NASA has announced key events beginning Friday, Nov. 6, and running through Sunday, Nov. 8, hosted on and near the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Through multiple park experiences at MAX POWER, NASA and a variety of external collaborators will showcase the newest aircraft, autonomous vehicles, technologies, and more defining the future of air and space. NASA will display its quiet supersonic X-59 plane, and agency partners will showcase Moon rovers, spacecraft, and more. The expo also is a culmination of the agency’s recent Inspiration Tour, which included numerous flyovers to highlight NASA’s fleet of aircraft.

A current schedule of events is available on the agency’s website.

MAX POWER includes opportunities to meet leadership, astronauts, engineers, scientists, and other subject matter experts during the family-friendly public events with gates opening at 9 a.m. EST on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8.

NASA also will share multiple news updates during the weekend, including hosting a news conference at 5 p.m. on Nov. 7, to provide its latest Moon Base update. Located near the lunar South Pole, the Moon Base is humanity’s first outpost for long-term lunar exploration.

Live coverage of the news conference will stream on a variety of platforms online. Learn where to watch:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

Join NASA for Key Events

Media credentialing for this event is closed. Media approved for this event must request interviews in advance. Space in the news conference is limited, and first come, first served. Media also may participate in the news conference virtually. To request call details or an interview, please contact Lauren Low in the NASA Headquarters newsroom at: lauren.e.low@nasa.gov.

A short list of key NASA activities during MAX POWER are listed below. All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time, and are subject to change.

Friday, Nov. 6:

2 p.m., to 4 p.m.: Media one-on-one opportunities to preview weekend MAX POWER activities
Location: NASA Press Site

Saturday, Nov. 7:

10 a.m.: Nuclear NASA media gaggle
Location: UP.Summit Main Stage
Cynthia Simmons, director, Space Reactors Division

11:30 a.m.: Opening air show remarks featuring NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson
Location: Air Dot Show Main Stage

11:58 a.m.: F-5 flyover in the Air Dot Show featuring NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman

12:45 p.m.: Meet the Astronauts: NASA’s Artemis III Crew
Location: Air Dot Show Main Stage
Participants include:
NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik (mission commander)
ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano (pilot)
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio (mission specialist)
NASA astronaut Bob Hines, backup crew member
NASA will host a media gaggle with crew immediately following this event.

1:31 p.m.: MiG-29 flyover featuring Isaacman

2 p.m.: Learn about NASA’s Roman Space Telescope
Location: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (Journey to Mars Theater)
Participant:
Remarks by Julie McEnery, senior project scientist, Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, NASA Goddard

5 p.m. Moon Base News Conference
Location: Press Site Auditorium
Participants:
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
Carlos García-Galán, manager, Moon Base Program
Nicky Fox, associate administrator for Science, NASA Headquarters
Dayna Ise, acting director, Utility and Infrastructure Office, Moon Base Program
NASA subject matter experts will be available for one-on-one interviews following this announcement.

Sunday, Nov. 8:

9 a.m. NASA’s X-59 media gaggle
Location: UP.Summit Exhibit Area
Participants:
Laurie Grindle, director, NASA Aeronautics Division
Peter Coen, NASA Quesst mission manager, NASA Langley
Jim "Clue" Less, test pilot, X-59, NASA Armstrong

10 a.m.: Student challenge announcement
Location: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Rocket Garden
Participants:
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
Carlos García-Galán, manager, Moon Base Program
NASA experts may be available for interviews at this location. Media interested in attending must contact Lauren Low by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, at: lauren.e.low@nasa.gov.

11:58 a.m.: F-5 flyover in the Air Dot Show featuring Isaacman

12:45 p.m.: United States Space Academy
Location: UP.Summit Main Stage
NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson

12:45 p.m.: Meet the Astronauts: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12
Location: Air Dot Show Main Stage
Participants:
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir
NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway

1:31 p.m.: MiG-29 flyover featuring Isaacman

For more information about MAX POWER, including the latest schedule of events and how to attend, visit the agency’s website:

https://www.nasa.gov/maxpower

-end-

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George Alderman / Cheryl Warner

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

george.a.alderman@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov

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NASA Names Troy Asher Armstrong Flight Research Center Director

2026-10-29T11:15:37Z

NASA News

RELEASE 26-092

OCT. 29, 2026

NASA Names Troy Asher Armstrong Flight Research Center Director

Photo of Troy Asher

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has named Troy Asher director of the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Asher, a veteran test pilot and aerospace engineer with decades of experience in flight research and operations, has served as the center’s acting director since March.

“Troy has spent his career pushing the boundaries of flight, both at the controls of experimental aircraft and leading the teams that make these missions possible,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “He understands what it takes to turn ambitious ideas into successful flight tests, and his experience will be invaluable as Armstrong leads the way in rebuilding NASA’s X-plane portfolio, restoring our flight-test capabilities, and flying higher, farther, and faster than we have in decades.”

“Flight testing demands a rare combination of technical excellence, operational judgment, and trust in the teams that make every mission possible,” said NASA Associate Administrator and Chief Engineer Amit Kshatriya. “Troy’s service to America, from his distinguished career as an Air Force test pilot to his leadership of some of NASA’s most challenging flight research missions, embodies those qualities. Few people better understand the art and discipline of flight testing, and he brings a deep understanding of both the aircraft and the teams behind every successful mission. As director, Troy will help us revolutionize how we develop, evaluate, and fly new technologies, strengthening the capabilities that keep NASA at the forefront of aerospace research.”

Asher will oversee Armstrong’s workforce and operations, leading NASA’s efforts to advance flight research, aircraft operations, and the development of new aviation technologies. As NASA’s Flight Test and Aircraft Operations Center of Excellence, Armstrong plays a central role in the agency’s efforts to rebuild and expand its X-plane portfolio, pushing the boundaries of high-speed flight and developing experimental aircraft and technologies that will shape the future of aviation. The center also supports airborne science missions and flight research across the agency.

Prior to becoming acting center director, Asher served as director of Flight Operations at Armstrong, overseeing the center’s pilots, engineers, maintainers, and fleet of specialized aircraft supporting aeronautics research and scientific missions around the world.

Asher joined NASA in 2008 as a research test pilot and aerospace engineer. During his time as a NASA pilot, he conducted flight research aboard aircraft, including the F-15, F/A-18, Gulfstream III, and X-56A unmanned aircraft system. He served as the lead test pilot for the development of NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) and flew scientific research missions aboard the agency’s DC-8 aircraft, supporting airborne science campaigns around the globe.

Before joining NASA, Asher completed a 24-year career in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. His military service included assignments as an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, commander of the 419th Flight Test Squadron, and director of the Bomber Combined Test Force. In 2003, he set 25 world speed records flying the B-1B bomber.

Asher earned a bachelor’s degree in astronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from California State University, Fresno.

Asher succeeds Bradley Flick, who retired in March following nearly 40 years of NASA service.

Established in 1946, Armstrong has been at the forefront of American flight research for eight decades, from the first supersonic flight aboard the Bell X-1 to today’s work advancing quiet supersonic flight through NASA’s X-59 aircraft. The center continues to push the boundaries of aviation while providing critical flight research and operational capabilities in support of NASA’s science, technology, and exploration missions.

For more information about NASA Armstrong, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/armstrong/

-end-

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Contact

George Alderman

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

george.c.alderman@nasa.gov

Dede Dinius

Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.

661-276-5701

darin.l.dinius@nasa.gov

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Send Your Name to Titan Aboard NASA’s Dragonfly Mission

2026-10-29T08:30:33Z

NASA News

RELEASE 26-091

OCT. 29, 2026

SCIENCE

Send Your Name to Titan Aboard NASA’s Dragonfly Mission

The “Journey to Titan” campaign offers the public the opportunity to fly their names on a microchip with NASA’s Dragonfly mission. The chip will ride aboard the Dragonfly rotorcraft as it explores Saturn’s moon Titan by air. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL

You may never soar under the clouds or over the organic sands of Saturn’s moon Titan, but your name can. NASA is inviting the public to send their names aboard the agency’s Dragonfly rotorcraft and be part of the first science mission to fly and explore the surface of another world.

To have your name included on a microchip aboard Dragonfly and receive a personalized digital boarding pass commemorating your place on this historic mission, visit:

https://go.nasa.gov/dragonfly-names

“NASA’s Dragonfly mission will simply blow your mind,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By flying the first-ever rotorcraft science mission, NASA will explore Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, as we search for signs of habitability on a distant world that is most similar to our own. We are excited to bring humanity along for the journey of a lifetime, and we invite everyone to send their names on this small, but mighty rotorcraft that will unlock the secrets of the universe in what is widely considered one of the most exciting space missions of our lifetime.”

The public can secure a place on Dragonfly’s passenger list until 11:59 p.m. EST Jan. 15, 2027.

The Dragonfly rotorcraft is currently being assembled at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. Scheduled to launch in 2028, the rotorcraft will travel to Titan, a remarkable world with a thick atmosphere, rivers and lakes of liquid methane, sweeping dunes, and a landscape rich in organic material. After arriving in 2034, Dragonfly will fly to different locations on the moon, exploring Titan’s diverse environments and searching for clues about prebiotic chemistry — the chemistry that came before biology — to help scientists better understand the ingredients and conditions for life.

Dragonfly is being designed and built under the direction of APL, which leads the mission for NASA. Elizabeth Turtle of APL is the principal investigator. Dragonfly is the fourth mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate.

For more information on NASA’s Dragonfly mission, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/dragonfly/

-end-

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Contact

Karen Fox / Molly Wasser

Headquarters, Washington

240-285-5155 / 240-419-1732

karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov

Mike Buckley

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

443-567-3145

michael.buckley@jhuapl.edu

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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NASA Invites Media to Crew Completion of Yearlong Mars Simulation

2026-10-27T12:45:36Z

NASA News

MEDIA ADVISORY M26-083

OCT. 27, 2026

MISSIONS

NASA Invites Media to Crew Completion of Yearlong Mars Simulation

Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) Mission 2 crew members (from left) Ross Elder, Matthew Montgomery, Ellen Ellis, and James Spicer, pose for a photo on Oct. 8, 2025. Credit: NASA

The four volunteers who lived and worked in a simulated NASA Mars mission for more than a year will exit their habitat on Saturday, Oct. 31, after 378 days of isolation in a facility at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Health and performance data collected from the simulation can help NASA develop methods to counter human spaceflight risks for future Artemis and Moon Base missions.

Beginning at 3 p.m. EDT, NASA will provide live coverage of the volunteers’ departure from the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA, pronounced cha-pea’-ah) mission habitat. The exit ceremony will be streamed on NASA Johnson’s YouTube and social accounts.

Johnson Center Director Vanessa Wyche and NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway will provide remarks. The CHAPEA crew members Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, James Spicer, and Matthew Montgomery also will provide remarks.

Media are invited to watch the CHAPEA Mission 2 ceremony live at NASA Johnson on a screen outside the hangar holding the CHAPEA facility, after which a subject matter expert will be available in person to answer questions. Media will have the opportunity to capture the moment the crew exits the building, stepping outside for the first time in more than a year.

U.S. media interested in attending the activities in person, or media interested in speaking virtually with the CHAPEA Mission 2 crew members in the days following completion of their mission, must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 30, at jsc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

The second CHAPEA mission began on Oct. 19, 2025. Four crew members have lived and worked inside a 3D-printed 1,700-square-foot facility, simulating Mars mission operations, conducting simulated spacewalks, exercising, performing habitat maintenance, growing plants, and more, while operating under stressors that future deep space crews will likely experience. These included communication delays, resource limitations, and isolation.

Data from the mission can aid preparation for NASA’s lunar missions by optimizing food system design, efficient use of crew time, bandwidth on NASA’s Deep Space Network, and other aspects of living in deep space. In addition, data can help flight doctors and psychologists strengthen spaceflight medical care and behavioral support practices to ensure crew readiness and performance.

To learn more about NASA’s CHAPEA mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/chapea/

-end-

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Contact

Rachel Kraft

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov

Kelsey Spivey

Johnson Space Center, Houston

281-483-5111

kelsey.m.spivey@nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.

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NASA, USDA Sign Agreement Advancing Earth Science, Agriculture

2026-10-26T07:30:34Z

NASA News

RELEASE 26-090

OCT. 26, 2026

SCIENCE

NASA, USDA Sign Agreement Advancing Earth Science, Agriculture

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, left, and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman signed a Memorandum of Understanding advancing agriculture and Earth science during an event at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, Oct. 24. Credit: NASA

NASA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding expanding cooperation in Earth observation, geospatial analytics, and advanced data technologies, supporting USDA’s data modernization plan for United States agriculture.

“NASA develops some of the most advanced sensing, computing, and analytical capabilities in the world, and we should put those tools to work wherever they can deliver meaningful outcomes for the American people,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “By combining NASA’s Earth observation data and technical expertise with USDA’s knowledge of American agriculture, we can improve the information available to farmers and ranchers, strengthen our understanding of crop conditions and natural hazards, and pursue new high-risk, high-reward ideas that advance both science and American competitiveness.”

Isaacman and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins signed the agreement Oct. 24 during NASA’s Inspiration Tour at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

NASA and USDA’s longstanding partnership has supported collaborative research and data-sharing efforts that strengthen U.S. agriculture. The new agreement deepens this cooperation by focusing on improved data integration and enhanced coordination across Earth observation and agricultural applications.

“American farmers are the best in the world and deserve any solution we can leverage, even when it is out of this world. I am proud to announce that USDA will now work with Administrator Isaacman and NASA to utilize the full power of technology, research, and development to fortify U.S. agriculture,” said Rollins. “With this unprecedented partnership the Trump Administration is committing to a bright future of research and tech opportunities that will enhance USDA acreage and yield estimation and drive profitability for American agriculture.”

Under the new agreement, the agencies can explore activities in agricultural statistics, remote sensing science, modeling, geospatial data engineering, and super intelligence. NASA and USDA also will look at how to better align Earth observation data and analytical tools with agricultural needs, helping improve crop monitoring, acreage and yield estimates, and assessments of drought and other disasters.

The agencies will examine new approaches for managing and analyzing large datasets, strengthening USDA's data systems while providing farmers, ranchers, and policymakers with more timely and reliable information.

For more information about NASA’s Earth science, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/earth/

-end-

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Camille Gallo / Elizabeth Shaw

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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NASA Names Stephen Cash Marshall Space Flight Center Director

2026-10-16T13:30:40Z

NASA News

RELEASE 26-089

OCT. 16, 2026

NASA Names Stephen Cash Marshall Space Flight Center Director

Photo of Stephen Cash

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has named Stephen Cash director of the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, effective Monday, Oct. 19. Cash, a veteran NASA engineer and aerospace executive, returns to lead the center where he began his career more than four decades ago.

“Marshall contributions to NASA's missions are historic and it's no question why it's the Center of Excellence for propulsion,” said Isaacman. “Steve Cash is a Marshall legend, has spent his career around the hardware, the people and has been in the seat before making the decisions when human spaceflight is on the line. As Marshall continues its critical role in Artemis and takes on new challenges in advanced propulsion, nuclear power, and the systems that will carry us deeper into the solar system, Steve brings the experience, technical judgment, and mission focus needed to lead the center into that next chapter. I am also grateful to Rae Ann Meyer for the leadership she has provided to Marshall during this transition and for her continued service to NASA.”

“Leading a NASA center requires a commitment to its people and to the technical capabilities entrusted to them,” said Amit Kshatriya, NASA associate administrator and chief engineer. “Steve understands that the jewel of Marshall is its workforce and that engineering excellence is sustained by giving talented people the opportunity to design, build, test, and learn through hands-on work. As Marshall continues strengthening the manufacturing, structural loads and dynamics, and propulsion capabilities that underpin NASA’s exploration enterprise, Steve’s leadership will help ensure the workforce has opportunities to develop and apply the expertise needed to deliver the agency’s most ambitious missions.”

As center director, Cash will lead one of NASA’s largest field centers, overseeing a workforce of more than 5,000 civil service and contractor employees and a broad portfolio of propulsion, space systems, scientific research, and technology development activities. Marshall plays a critical role in NASA’s Artemis program, including the development of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, management of the Human Landing System Program, as well as other capabilities supporting sustained exploration of the Moon and future missions to Mars. Further, Marshall plays a key role in the advancement of nuclear power and propulsion, an area of focus that is expected to grow as NASA works towards sending the first humans to Mars.

“It is a profound honor to be back home at the Marshall Space Flight Center,” said Cash. “I am humbled to stand alongside the brilliant minds here as we continue to turn the impossible into everyday history.”

Cash began his NASA career at Marshall in 1982 and spent 34 years with the agency, holding senior engineering and management positions supporting some of the nation’s most significant human spaceflight programs.

During his NASA career, Cash served as manager of Marshall’s Space Shuttle Propulsion Office, overseeing critical propulsion systems supporting shuttle through its final missions. He later served as director of Marshall’s Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate from 2011 until his retirement in 2016, providing leadership in safety, reliability, and quality engineering to support mission success across the center.

Following his retirement from NASA, Cash continued his work in the aerospace industry, including serving as vice president for advanced space systems at Axient, supporting the development and execution of major spaceflight programs. In 2024, he was inducted into the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to engineering and the nation's space program.

Cash succeeds Rae Ann Meyer, who has served as Marshall’s acting center director since September 2025. Meyer, who previously served as Marshall’s deputy center director and associate director, has provided leadership and continuity across the center’s programs and operations during her tenure as acting director. Meyer will return to her role as Deputy Center Director.

Established in 1960, Marshall has played a central role in American space exploration for more than six decades, from developing the Saturn rockets that carried astronauts to the Moon during Apollo to advancing the propulsion systems, infrastructure, and technologies supporting the next era of human spaceflight.

For more information about NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/marshall/

-end-

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Contact

George Alderman / Cheryl Warner

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

george.a.alderman@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov

Lance Davis

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.

256-544-0034

lance.d.davis@nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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NASA to Host News Conference Previewing US Spacewalks 100, 101

2026-10-14T13:38:19Z

NASA News

MEDIA ADVISORY M26-082

OCT. 14, 2026

HUMANS IN SPACE

NASA to Host News Conference Previewing US Spacewalks 100, 101

NASA astronaut Anil Menon conducts a spacewalk on Aug. 6, 2026, to prepare the International Space Station for future upgrades to its power system. Credit: NASA

NASA will preview two upcoming spacewalks to complete solar array installation and power augmentation of the International Space Station during a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Oct. 20, from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA will stream the event through a variety of platforms. Learn where to watch online:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

NASA participants in the news conference include:

Gaurang Patel, operations integration manager, Low Earth Orbit Program
Garrett Hehn, spacewalk flight director, Flight Operations Directorate

United States-based media interested in attending in person must contact the Johnson newsroom no later than 3 p.m., Monday, Oct. 19, at: jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. Media joining by phone should request dial-in details by the same deadline. To ask a question, media must dial in no later than 15 minutes before the start of the news conference.

Thursday, Oct. 29

During U.S. spacewalk 100, NASA astronaut Anil Menon and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Joshua Kutryk will exit the station’s Quest airlock to install and deploy an International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) on the 2A electrical power channel. The solar array will be the seventh IROSA and will provide additional power to support critical station operations, including its safe and controlled deorbit.

Thursday, Nov. 5

During U.S. spacewalk 101, Menon and Kutryk will install and deploy the eighth and final IROSA on the 3B channel of the space station, completing the power augmentation upgrades.

The final two roll-out solar arrays will complete the space station’s power system augmentation. Together, the eight roll-out arrays will increase available power by up to 30%, boosting the station’s electric power generation capacity from 160 kilowatts to approximately 215 kilowatts.

NASA will share additional coverage details about U.S. spacewalks 100 and 101 closer to each operation on the agency’s live events web page and the space station blog. The spacewalks will be the 285th and 286th conducted in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

To learn more about International Space Station research, operations, and its crews, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

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Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1100

joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov

Sandra Jones / Anna Schneider

Johnson Space Center, Houston

281-483-5111

sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / anna.c.schneider@nasa.gov

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NASA to Discuss Artemis Acceleration, Status of Upcoming Moon Missions

2026-10-14T07:15:31Z

NASA News

MEDIA ADVISORY M26-081

OCT. 14, 2026

MISSIONS

NASA to Discuss Artemis Acceleration, Status of Upcoming Moon Missions

As the Artemis II crew members came close to passing behind the Moon and experiencing a planned loss of signal, they captured this image of a crescent Earth setting on the Moon’s limb on April 6, 2026. The edge of the visible surface of the Moon is called the “lunar limb." Credit: NASA

NASA will provide an update on its plans to return American astronauts to the surface of the Moon by 2028 at 2 p.m. EDT, Friday, Oct. 23, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Learn where to watch online:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

Participants in the briefing include:

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya
Jeremy Parsons, NASA’s Artemis program manager

The update will include details about NASA’s Artemis III mission that will send four astronauts to low Earth orbit next year to test critical systems needed for future lunar landings, and how plans to return American astronauts to the Moon by 2028 are progressing.

U.S. media interested in attending in person must apply online by 12 p.m., Friday, Oct. 16. To ask questions remotely, media must request the dial-in number from the Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour prior to the start of the update by emailing: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is online.

As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly difficult missions near the lunar South Pole to explore more of the Moon than ever before. In addition to providing economic benefits and advancing scientific discovery through its Moon missions, NASA will establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface and build on the agency’s foundation for the first crewed mission to Mars.

Learn more about Artemis:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

-end-

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Contact

Rachel Kraft

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600
rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov

Tiffany Fairley

Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

321-867-2468

tiffany.l.fairley@nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.

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NASA Names Astronaut Christina Koch Acting Deputy Chief Engineer

2026-10-13T14:30:31Z

NASA News

RELEASE 26-088

OCT. 13, 2026

NASA Names Astronaut Christina Koch Acting Deputy Chief Engineer

NASA astronaut Christina Koch stands inside Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building on July 14, 2021, in front of the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that ultimately powered the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I mission. Koch later served as a crew member on the Artemis II mission in 2026, and on Oct. 13, 2026, NASA announced she will serve next as the agency’s acting deputy chief engineer. Credit: NASA/Glenn Benson

NASA engineer and astronaut Christina Koch will serve as the agency’s acting deputy chief engineer beginning on Sunday, Nov. 1, following the retirement of Katherine Van Hooser, who will conclude more than 35 years of distinguished service to the agency on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

In her new role, Koch will help lead NASA’s engineering community, supporting technical oversight, mission readiness, and engineering excellence across the agency’s programs and projects. With this appointment, Koch will transition to management astronaut status and will no longer be eligible for future spaceflight assignments.

“Christina has seen NASA engineering from both sides of the equation: developing complex systems on the ground and trusting them with her life in space,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “After spending nearly a year living and working aboard the International Space Station and helping lead America back around the Moon on Artemis II this year, she brings an extraordinary combination of technical expertise, operational experience, and judgment to this role. I am excited to see the impact she will have across NASA as we return Americans to the lunar surface, build the Moon Base, get underway on nuclear power in space, and develop the capabilities that will ultimately take us on to Mars.”

“Katherine has been an extraordinary leader throughout her career, bringing technical expertise, sound judgment, and an unwavering commitment to mission success to some of NASA’s most complex engineering challenges,” said Amit Kshatriya, NASA associate administrator and chief engineer. “Her leadership has strengthened our engineering community and helped guide the agency through critical milestones and transitions. Christina brings a unique combination of engineering expertise, operational experience, and proven leadership, both on the ground and in space. I am grateful to Katherine for her exceptional service and confident Christina will continue the tradition of technical excellence that is essential to everything we do at NASA.”

Koch most recently served as a mission specialist aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission in April, helping carry out the first crewed flight around the Moon in more than 50 years. She previously spent 328 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station, setting the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman and participating in the first all-female spacewalks.

Koch began her NASA career as an electrical engineer at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, developing scientific instruments for space missions. Before her selection as an astronaut in 2013, her experience also included scientific field engineering in Antarctica and the Arctic. She has since held leadership positions within NASA’s Astronaut Office and at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, bringing a combination of technical expertise, operational experience, and firsthand understanding of the demands of human spaceflight to her new role.

Van Hooser joined NASA in 1991 at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, beginning a distinguished career in propulsion engineering and technical leadership. Her early work focused on liquid rocket engine turbomachinery before she became chief engineer for the space shuttle main engine, leading engineering efforts through the final 21 shuttle flights. She later served as the first chief engineer for the Space Launch System's Liquid Engines Element, helping advance the propulsion systems supporting NASA’s Artemis missions.

As Marshall’s chief engineer and, since 2023, NASA’s deputy chief engineer, Van Hooser provided critical technical leadership and oversight across the agency’s programs. Her steady guidance through complex engineering challenges and organizational transitions helped maintain continuity, strengthen collaboration, and keep mission readiness at the forefront of NASA’s work.

Learn more about NASA’s missions on the agency’s website:

https://www.nasa.gov/

-end-

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Contact

George Alderman / Cheryl Warner

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

george.a.alderman@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.

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NASA Science, Cargo Launch on 35th SpaceX Resupply Mission to Station

2026-10-13T04:30:33Z

NASA News

RELEASE 26-087

OCT. 13, 2026

MISSIONS

NASA Science, Cargo Launch on 35th SpaceX Resupply Mission to Station

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft launched on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida as part of the company’s 35th Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station for NASA. Credit: NASA

NASA’s SpaceX 35th commercial resupply mission lifted off at 6:33 a.m. EDT Tuesday aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, carrying more than 6,300 pounds of supplies and hardware, bound for the International Space Station. Following its successful launch, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will carry new scientific experiments, cargo, and the final pair of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays to the orbiting laboratory.

Dragon is scheduled to autonomously dock at 11 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 15, to the space-facing port of the space station’s Harmony module. NASA will stream rendezvous and docking coverage beginning at 9:15 a.m., through a variety of platforms. Learn where to watch online:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

The final pair of solar arrays will complete the space station’s power system augmentation, boosting available electricity for research, operations, and the station’s safe, controlled deorbit. Astronauts will install the arrays during a series of spacewalks planned for later this fall.

Dragon also is delivering several new experiments, including hardware to manufacture artificial retinas in microgravity that could help restore vision for patients on Earth and 3D heart tissue models to advance large-scale drug testing on future space missions. Dragon also will carry materials to study how a new type of glass is formed in microgravity, and brain organoids that could uncover potential treatment targets for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis.

These are just a sample of the hundreds of investigations conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory in the areas of biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth and space science. Research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lay the groundwork for other agency deep space missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis program, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars, inspiring the world through discovery in a new Golden Age of innovation and exploration.

The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the space station until mid-November when it will depart and return to Earth with time-critical research and cargo, splashing down off the coast of California.

Learn more about the International Space Station, its research, and crew, at:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

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Contact

Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1100

joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov

Steven Siceloff

Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

321-876-2468

steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov

Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski

Johnson Space Center, Houston

281-483-5111

sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.

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NASA to Conduct Flyover, Engage NFL Fans at MetLife Stadium

2026-10-10T07:45:31Z

NASA News

MEDIA ADVISORY M26-080

OCT. 10, 2026

NASA to Conduct Flyover, Engage NFL Fans at MetLife Stadium

As part of the agency’s Inspiration Tour flyover, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will pilot one of three F-5 fighter jets to kick off the New York Jets vs. Cleveland Browns game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, Oct. 11.

NASA team members will engage with fans at the agency’s Experience Zone, located at the Jets Tailgate Zone outside the stadium, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT before the game. Fans can learn more about NASA’s return to the Moon under the agency’s Artemis dome, enjoy interactive games, and capture photos with a large, inflatable SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.

Isaacman will be available for limited media interviews during the game. To arrange interviews, please contact Camille Gallo at: camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov or 202-531-8057.

With stops across the nation, NASA’s Inspiration Tour convenes academic, industry, and public sector stakeholders to connect the agency with the people, technologies, and organizations that drive American leadership in space.

The tour will culminate in MAX POWER, a public exposition of American air and space innovation, Saturday, Nov. 7, and Sunday, Nov. 8, on and near the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Held in honor of America’s historic 250th anniversary, the multi-day, family-friendly event will showcase the next-generation aircraft, spacecraft, autonomous vehicles, and technologies that will help define the future of transportation in air and space.

For more information about MAX POWER and the agency’s missions, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/maxpower

-end-

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Contact

Camille Gallo / Jessica Taveau

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / jessica.c.taveau@nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.

Visit nasa.gov

Follow NASA