NASA’s Artemis II mission is gearing up for a mid-2026 launch, sending the Orion spacecraft and crew on a journey around the moon. Recent updates show the SLS rocket’s core stage being moved into an upright position for final preparations. Artemis II is a critical step towards Artemis III, aiming for a 2027 moon landing and marking the first time since 1972 that NASA astronauts will walk on the lunar surface.
NASA has announced a delay to its ambitious Artemis program, postponing the Artemis 2 lunar flyby to April 2026 and the crucial Artemis 3 moon landing mission to mid-2027. The delay allows for crucial improvements to the Orion spacecraft’s life support systems and heat shield following findings from the Artemis 1 mission.
NASA is set to make history with its Artemis III mission, aiming to land astronauts on the Moon’s previously unexplored South Pole. This landmark mission, scheduled for launch in 2026, will be the first crewed lunar landing in over 50 years and will mark the first time humans set foot on the lunar South Pole. The mission aims to advance scientific understanding of the Moon, unlock its potential resources, and pave the way for future lunar exploration.
India’s space agency, ISRO, has announced revised timelines for its upcoming missions, including Chandrayaan-4, Gaganyaan, and a joint moon landing mission with Japan. The new schedule sees Gaganyaan, India’s first manned space mission, launching in 2026, followed by Chandrayaan-4 in 2028. The joint lunar mission with Japan, initially planned for 2025, has been pushed to after 2028. ISRO Chairman S Somanath has provided insights into the challenges and objectives of these ambitious missions, highlighting India’s growing prowess in space exploration.
Prada has partnered with Axiom Space to design innovative space suits for NASA’s Artemis program, aiming to land the first woman and person of color on the Moon. This collaboration marks a new era in space exploration, merging fashion with cutting-edge technology for a visually striking and functional suit designed to withstand the lunar environment.
Prada, the renowned Italian fashion house, has collaborated with Axiom Space to design the spacesuit that will be worn by the first woman and first person of color to land on the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis III mission. The innovative suit, showcasing a striking red-line motif reminiscent of Prada’s Linea Rossa, is designed for both performance and visual inspiration, pushing the boundaries of space exploration and fashion.
India commemorated its inaugural National Space Day on August 23, 2023, marking the one-year anniversary of the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s successful soft landing on the Moon’s south pole. This achievement, a testament to the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) prowess, solidified India’s position as the first nation to achieve this feat. The day also celebrated the groundbreaking discoveries made by the mission, including the detection of sulfur and the measurement of lunar surface temperature, furthering our understanding of Earth’s celestial neighbor.
This week marks the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. A stunning photo taken by astronaut Michael Collins during the mission captures the moment he orbited the moon alone, with Earth visible in the background, creating an iconic image of humanity’s first steps on the lunar surface. This image, showcasing the loneliness of space and the vastness of the universe, stands as a testament to the incredible achievements of the Apollo 11 mission.
July 21st has seen pivotal moments throughout history, from the Apollo 11 astronauts’ departure from the moon to the first Battle of Bull Run, showcasing the day’s impact on space exploration and American Civil War history.
India’s space program is taking giant leaps forward with the upcoming Gaganyaan mission, aiming to send astronauts to space by 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi could potentially be among those astronauts. The mission’s success would make India the fourth nation to achieve human spaceflight. Furthermore, ISRO has set its sights on a moon landing by 2040, part of Modi’s ‘Amrit Kaal’ vision, requiring the development of more powerful rockets.
