May 25, 2026

Mars & Deep Space — 2026-05-25

NASA's Psyche spacecraft completed a precision gravity-assist flyby of Mars on May 15, capturing striking images of the Red Planet before continuing its journey toward the metal-rich asteroid Psyche. Perseverance rover is approaching a major milestone near its marathon distance on the Martian surface, while newly discovered asteroid 2026 JH2 made a close flyby of Earth this week. Meanwhile, the legacy of Ingenuity Mars Helicopter continues to shape NASA's next generation of Mars aircraft.

5 min read/15 sources

May 18, 2026

Mars & Deep Space — 2026-05-18

NASA's Perseverance rover is on the verge of completing a marathon-distance drive across Mars while capturing a striking new selfie from the edge of Jezero Crater, as the mission approaches its sixth year on the Red Planet. Meanwhile, the Psyche spacecraft completed a Mars gravity-assist flyby on May 15 en route to its metallic asteroid target, and a newly discovered near-Earth asteroid made a close approach to our planet today — viewable via livestream. Adding to an eventful week, astronomers also uncovered pre-discovery images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS hidden in archival telescope data.

5 min read/15 sources

May 11, 2026

Mars & Deep Space — 2026-05-11

NASA's Curiosity rover made headlines this week after a 29-pound rock held it hostage for six days, while Perseverance captured a sweeping panorama of the ancient "Crocodile Bridge" terrain on Jezero Crater's rim. In deep space, a Brazilian cosmologist's accidental discovery in asteroid data suggests a potential 33-day transit route to Mars, and new research confirms the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has cold, ancient origins stretching back 10–12 billion years.

4 min read/15 sources

May 4, 2026

Mars & Deep Space — 2026-05-04

NASA's two active Mars rovers have captured striking new panoramas of dramatically different Martian terrains this week, while Curiosity's detection of surprising organic molecules — including DNA-like building blocks — is generating major scientific buzz. Meanwhile, a California company has unveiled a commercial mission to asteroid Apophis, and comet PanSTARRS made its closest Earth approach with a newly visible second tail.

5 min read/15 sources

Apr 20, 2026

Mars & Deep Space — 2026-04-20

Europe's Rosalind Franklin rover finally has a confirmed ride to Mars aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, ending years of delays and broken promises. Meanwhile, NASA's cancellation of the Mars Sample Return program has left China positioned to be the first nation to retrieve Martian material. On the fifth anniversary of Ingenuity's historic first flight, the solar system buzzes with activity from interstellar comets to the approaching Apophis asteroid encounter.

6 min read/15 sources

Mar 31, 2026

Mars & Deep Space — 2026-03-31

This week's most significant development is NASA's Artemis II countdown now underway at Kennedy Space Center, with a historic crewed lunar flyby targeted for April 1, 2026 — humanity's first journey to the Moon's vicinity since the Apollo era. Meanwhile, fresh Webb Telescope observations confirm asteroid 2024 YR4 will safely bypass both Earth and the Moon in 2032, removing all remaining impact concerns. NASA's ESCAPADE twin spacecraft, currently in a loiter orbit near Lagrange point 2, remain on track for their November 2026 Earth flyby before heading to Mars.

6 min read/15 sources

Mar 29, 2026

Mars & Deep Space — 2026-03-29

NASA's sweeping "Ignition" realignment initiative, unveiled March 24, dominated this week's space news, introducing a 2028 nuclear-powered Mars mission called SR-1 Freedom that will carry a fleet of Skyfall helicopters to the Red Planet. Meanwhile, Artemis II is locked onto an April 1 launch, and NASA's ESCAPADE twin spacecraft continue their loiter orbit en route to Mars. This edition also covers a car-sized asteroid that safely buzzed Earth on March 24, new confirmation that the 2032 asteroid threat has been ruled out, and updates from active outer solar system missions.

6 min read/15 sources

Mar 27, 2026

Mars & Deep Space — 2026-03-27

NASA's "Ignition" initiative, unveiled March 24, dominated the week's headlines with major announcements including a first-ever nuclear-powered Mars mission targeting 2028 and ambitious plans for a permanent lunar base. The Skyfall helicopter mission to Mars also captured attention as a new nuclear propulsion demonstration, while ESA's JUICE spacecraft made an unexpected detour to observe the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS en route to Jupiter.

6 min read/15 sources

Mar 22, 2026

Mars & Deep Space — 2026-03-22

This week's biggest story in Mars and deep space exploration is NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft, launched to study how Mars lost its atmosphere — a mission now loitering in Earth orbit ahead of a late-2026 trajectory to the Red Planet. Meanwhile, NASA's MAVEN orbiter remains silent after losing contact in December 2025, casting uncertainty over Mars atmospheric science, and open data from interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS continues to fuel new discoveries.

4 min read/15 sources

Mars & Deep Space

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