SpaceX aborted the 13th Starship launch when automated safety systems detected a Raptor engine ignition failure during the booster's startup sequence.

The race for the lunar south pole involves U.S. and Chinese efforts to secure critical resources, potentially shaping the governance of cislunar space.

NASA has launched a search for volunteers to inhabit simulated deep-space environments at the Johnson Space Center. This initiative aims to validate essential hardware and health protocols for future lunar and Martian expeditions.

NASA's Flammability of Materials on the Moon experiment will analyze combustion in partial gravity to inform safety standards for future lunar habitats.

NASA has opened applications for a yearlong analog mission designed to simulate the challenges of deep space travel at the Johnson Space Center. Volunteers will reside in specialized habitats to help the agency develop health and psychological protocols for future lunar and Mars expeditions.

NASA named California Polytechnic State University the winner of the 2026 Human Lander Challenge for their project advancing life support technologies.