NASA’s 2028 moon landing may be delayed because of lack of space suits, watchdog report warns NASA needs new space suits to land astronauts on the moon by 2028, but development is behind and in danger of slipping further, according to a report from the agency’s Office of Inspector General

Now on @sciam.bsky.social: Delays to lunar landing systems aren't the only things that could dash NASA's hopes of putting U.S. bootprints back on the moon by 2028. A lack of lunar spacesuits could push crewed landings to 2031 or later, a new report warns.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...

omg, Christina Koch shared the video from aboard Integrity during Artemis II when the chorus from Pink Pony Club didn't play

www.instagram.com/reel/DXSkG9_...

Venus isn’t just our nearest planetary neighbor. It’s one of the best tests we have for how rocky worlds diverge. If we want to understand habitability, climate evolution, and Earth-size exoplanets, we need the full Venus story.

Solar power transmission satellite was raised at Ignition event as something industry could propose by agency speakers, fwiw. But real push for nuclear power coming from administrator.

What’s the weirdest planet in the solar system? All the sun’s planets are oddballs. But some are more so than others

What's the weirdest planet in the solar system?

I bet your answer is different than mine!

Here's what I think:

www.scientificamerican.com/article/what...

🔭 🧪

Only one group of dinosaurs survived an asteroid impact. You can probably see them from your window How a few unique traits helped modern-style birds—the last living dinosaurs—survive the asteroid apocalypse that took out T. rex and other mighty beasts

The dinosaurs at your window: How birds survived the asteroid that killed all other dinosaurs

www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/epis...

How a few unique traits helped modern-style birds—the last living dinosaurs—survive the asteroid apocalypse that took out T. rex and other mighty beasts

Today is your FINAL DAY to vote for us in the Webbys! If our social videos have ever made helped you understand the world in a new way (or just made you laugh!), please vote here: spklr.io/6005Eyowc

Behold! This is the largest, sharpest 3D map of the universe yet A new map of the cosmos, including more than 47 million galaxies and other cosmic objects, represents one of the most extensive surveys of our universe ever conducted

Now on @sciam.bsky.social: Behold! The DESI project just released the biggest, best 3D map of the universe ever made—and it's beautiful.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/astr...

None of the Artemis astronauts were from Ohio though, so Jim Lovell's all-time Getting Out Of Ohio record remains intact.

Secrets of cosmic evolution may lurk in this black hole’s ‘dancing’ jets A first-of-its-kind observation shows how jets from voracious black holes can shape the growth of galaxies

Now on @sciam.bsky.social: For the first time ever, astronomers have managed to directly measure the power and speed of the jets spat out by a black hole. The key was catching the jets "dancing" in the intense winds blowing off a nearby star.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/secr...

🤣

How far from humanity were the astronauts of Artemis II? The answer will surprise you Artemis II’s crew went farther from humanity than anyone has been before. Here’s how one scientist determined whom, specifically, they were farthest from

Now on @sciam.bsky.social: When the Artemis II crew became the "most distant humans ever" in last week's moon flyby, @planet4589.bsky.social wondered where the corresponding "farthest" humans were back here on Earth. Turns out they weren't on Earth at all!

www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...

We don’t as of yet, chiefly just reporting the relevant policy moves at this point. But as you note there do indeed appear to be other ways to get that power, especially via beaming from space. So it’s something we’re paying attention to and will probably have more on before too long!

NASA needs nuclear power for its moon base. Here’s the Trump administration’s plan to get it If the U.S. is ever to set up a permanent outpost on the moon, it will need nuclear power. The White House just released a road map to get it as soon as 2028

Now on @sciam.bsky.social: NASA needs nuclear power for its moon base. Here's the White House's new plan for how to get it. By @clairehcameron.bsky.social.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...

n.b. related nice Artemis III report from @jfoust.bsky.social - thespacereview.com/article/5200/1

sez launch "no earlier than March 2027 and no later than June."

Op-ed by The Planetary Society's Casey Dreier.

100% agreed

Yeah, the Starship HLS feels like using a pile driver to hammer a nail. Overkill—at least at first (assuming it ever works; I worry re it toppling over). But if the moon base plan is “real,” Starship HLS would deliver lots more mass per pop than anything else, which could be a critical enabler.

SpaceX Starship Lunar Landing refueling needs - NASA Lori Glaze March 24, 2026 YouTube video by Argonaut

NASA's Lori Glaze really positioned the moon base project as "market research" to see if space industry could do this (see www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYi6... bit of an interview I posted from day of event). I do wonder if they will report back, answer is nope.

Thanks, Phil! I'm very skeptical of the timeline as well. Eek!

NASA's next Artemis mission pits SpaceX against Blue Origin in a race to the moon In 2027’s Artemis III mission, the space agency aims to test two challengers, SpaceX or Blue Origin, for a lunar landing mission

Now on @sciam.bsky.social: After the spectacular success of NASA's Artemis II moon mission, Artemis III's destination & purpose may surprise you: Earth orbit, to test the mettle of crewed lunar landers from SpaceX & Blue Origin. By @danvergano.bsky.social.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...

Space hotels are no longer science fiction With the rise of private orbital habitats, vacations in space are becoming a real possibility for the ultrawealthy

Now on @sciam.bsky.social: Space hotels, long the stuff of science fiction, are about to have their moment. (Not that most of us can afford to book a... Room? Berth? Unclear on nomenclature, but yeah...) Nice piece from @astrojonny.bsky.social.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...

Spotted what I suspect must be a SpaceX Falcon 9 second stage over NJ this morning.

I think that as economists we should be a lot more concerned that everyone feels like they've got poorer when the data show they haven't. We certainly shouldn't just be assuming that the customers are wrong, rather than that we're no longer measuring things that are most relevant to wellbeing

✨NASA: "Jesse, Steve, Laddy, and Vlad….such an incredible feeling to welcome you aboard Integrity after a nearly 700,000 mile journey. Forever thankful for your service to our crew and the nation." @astro_reid

You should tell Jared that, honestly! He’s surprisingly responsive on social media.

Feel however you want, man!

… Because ends and means aren’t the same thing, and because having nuanced and complex views of nuanced and complex matters isn’t necessarily a bad thing?

Thanks for reading & engaging! I maintain that SLS/Orion are objectively bad, but that Artemis II can still be good. Agree to disagree, I guess.

I mean, we’ve published lots of stuff very critical of SLS/Orion; I don’t think it’s accurate or fair to say we’re just cheerleading here.

And it’s also naive to assume any money taken away from HSF will just flow into science instead of somewhere else entirely in the federal budget. 🤷🏻‍♂️

You’re not exactly wrong, but I think the framing of “human spaceflight vs science” is a trap that doesn’t lead anywhere good.

It’s possible to celebrate the achievement of Artemis II while also noting the SLS/Orion architecture is unsustainable, and while advocating for more & better NASA science.