NASA Ends VIPER Project, Continues Moon Exploration *JUL 17, 2024* *RELEASE 24-094* NASA’s VIPER – short for the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover – sits assembled inside the cleanroom at the agency’s Johnson Space Center. Credit: NASA Following a comprehensive internal review, NASA announced Wednesday its intent to discontinue development of its VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) project. NASA stated cost increases, delays to the launch date, and the risks of future cost gro ...Continue Reading

NASA, SpaceX Invite Media to Watch Crew-9 Launch to Space Station *JUL 17, 2024* *MEDIA ADVISORY M24-094* The crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station poses for a photo during training in Hawthorne, California. Credit: SpaceX Media accreditation now is open for the launch of NASA’s ninth rotational mission of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft that will carry astronauts to the International Space Station for a science expedition. This mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Cr ...Continue Reading

NASA Invites Media to Discuss Exploration Science Program Update *JUL 16, 2024* *MEDIA ADVISORY M24-101* NASA’s Galileo spacecraft took this image of Earth’s Moon on Dec. 7, 1992, on its way to explore the Jupiter system in 1995-97. The distinct bright ray crater at the bottom of the image is the Tycho impact basin. Credit: NASA NASA will hold a media teleconference at 4 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, July 17, to provide an update on a program within NASA’s Exploration Science Strategy and Integration Office. Audio of the te ...Continue Reading

NASA Ships Moon Rocket Stage Ahead of First Crewed Artemis Flight *JUL 16, 2024* *RELEASE 24-096* Move teams with NASA and Boeing, the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage lead contractor, position the massive rocket stage for NASA’s SLS rocket on special transporters to strategically guide the flight hardware the 1.3-mile distance from the factory floor onto the agency’s Pegasus barge on July 16. The core stage will be ferried to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it will be integrated with other parts o ...Continue Reading

July 16, 2024 *MEDIA ADVISORY: M24-098* * * *NASA to Provide Background on Space Station Deorbit Planning*** * * The International Space Station is pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during a fly around of the orbiting lab that took place following its undocking from the Harmony module’s space-facing port on Nov. 8, 2021. NASA is planning for the future in low Earth orbit for science, research, and commercial opportunities as the agency and its international partners maximize the use of the I ...Continue Reading

NASA Announces Leadership Changes *JUL 16, 2024* *RELEASE 24-097* Clayton Turner, director of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia (left), and Dawn Schaible, deputy director of NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland (right). Credit: NASA NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced Tuesday Dr. Kurt Vogel, associate administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), is retiring from the agency. NASA Langley Research Center Director Clayton Turner will become the acting associate administ ...Continue Reading

NASA Signs US, Saudi Arabia Agreement for Civil Aeronautics, Space Collaboration *JUL 16, 2024* *RELEASE 24-093* Credit: NASA The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a framework agreement that opens new possibilities for cooperation with NASA in areas such as space science, exploration, aeronautics, space operations, education, and Earth science. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson signed on behalf of the U.S., and CEO of the Saudi Space Agency Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi signed on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabi ...Continue Reading

NASA Johnson to Dedicate Building to Dorothy Vaughan, Women of Apollo *JUL 15, 2024* *MEDIA ADVISORY M24-100* A portrait of Dorothy Vaughan, a mathematician, computer programmer, and NASA’s first Black manager. Credit: NASA NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will recognize legendary human computer Dorothy Vaughan and the women of Apollo with activities marking their achievements, including a renaming and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the center’s “Building 12,” on Friday, July 19, the eve of the 55th anniversary of ...Continue Reading

NASA to Commemorate 55th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing *JUL 12, 2024* *MEDIA ADVISORY M24-097* Apollo astronaut Buzz Aldrin poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during an Apollo 11 moonwalk on July 20, 1969. The Lunar Module is on the left, and the footprints of the astronauts are clearly visible in the soil of the moon. Credit: NASA As the agency explores more of the Moon than ever before under the Artemis campaign, NASA will celebrate the 55th anniversary of the first astronauts la ...Continue Reading

July 11, 2024   *RELEASE: 24-095* * * *NASA Remembers Retired Astronaut, US Air Force Pilot Joe Engle * * * Portrait of retired NASA astronaut Joe Engle wearing flight suit in front of an X-15 fighter circa 1963. * * Retired NASA astronaut and U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Joe Engle died July 10, surrounded by his family at home in Houston. Among his many honors, he is the only astronaut to pilot both the X-15 and space shuttle. He was 91.   Engle became an astronaut at age 32 while flying the X-15 ...Continue Reading