Space observatories
Roman launches on Falcon Heavy and separates successfully
The space telescope left Kennedy Space Center on August 30, separated 31 minutes later, and is now beginning a three-month trip to the Sun-Earth L2 region.
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Missions
Human spaceflight, planetary missions and the engineering campaigns that turn programme intent into flight hardware.
Space observatories
Roman reaches Falcon Heavy hangar after fairing encapsulation
The observatory has completed flight-readiness review, entered Falcon Heavy’s payload fairing and reached the hangar for mating; NASA’s next formal go/no-go review is August 28.
International Space Station
Menon and Adenot install ISS spare antenna, completing deferred repair
The August 25 spacewalk finished the antenna replacement left incomplete a week earlier. NASA reported good initial power and data checks, while further testing continued overnight.
Lunar exploration
China postpones Chang’e-7 lunar south-pole mission beyond 2026 window
The lunar probe and its Long March 5 rocket had reached Wenchang’s launch area, but China says a launch-condition assessment means the planned window will not be used. No reason or replacement date has been disclosed.
Mars exploration
JAXA sets October 20 launch date for Phobos sample-return mission
MMX is scheduled to leave Tanegashima on H3 Flight 10 at 04:41:03 JST. Launch would begin a five-year mission; arrival, landing, sampling and Earth return all remain ahead.
International Space Station
EVA 97 removes failed ISS antenna but leaves spare for later
Anil Menon and Sophie Adenot secured the old unit after cables and bolts consumed the available work time. One antenna remains operational, while NASA has not assigned the replacement to a date.
Swift Boost Mission
LINK control problem ends planned capture and boost of Swift
NASA and Katalyst ruled out grappling or raising the observatory. LINK may still attempt rendezvous and proximity operations, but neither organisation says those manoeuvres have begun.
Starship Flight 13
Ship 40 reaches calmer water, giving SpaceX its first intact Starship to inspect
The upper stage survived its July 24 splashdown and about 24 days at sea. Its returned tiles and vehicle hardware can now be compared with reentry imagery and sensor data, although ocean exposure complicates the diagnosis.
Earth observation
Intuitive Machines outlines IM-300 role in EAGLE-VSWIR mission
The company would supply the spacecraft, integrate JPL’s imaging spectrometer and run ground and mission operations. NASA lists the Earth-observation launch no earlier than 2028.
Lunar cooperation
NASA invites ISRO to join Moon Base programme, but terms remain undisclosed
The offer was recorded after an August 5–6 bilateral meeting in Bengaluru. Neither side announced Indian acceptance, funding, hardware or a mission assignment.
Navigation
Only three NavIC satellites currently broadcast navigation signals
A Rajya Sabha reply shows a four-satellite gap against NavIC’s seven-satellite design. NVS-03 is ready, but the government gave only a launch sequence—not launch dates—for rebuilding the base layer.
Lunar infrastructure
Northrop outlines three lunar demos using HALO systems; no NASA award disclosed
The company says power, data and mechanical interfaces can be reused after Gateway’s cancellation. It does not identify the flight hardware, funding, launch dates or landing providers.