#orionspacecraft

What's next for NASA? A quick look at some of the big things coming up:

1. We will add to our existing robotic fleet at the Red Planet with the InSight Mars lander set to study the planet's interior.

This terrestrial planet explorer will address one of the most fundamental issues of planetary and solar system science - understanding the processes that shaped the rocky planets of the inner solar system (including Earth) more than four billion years ago.

2. The Mars 2020 rover will look for signs of past microbial life, gather samples for potential future return to Earth.

The Mars 2020 mission takes the next step by not only seeking signs of habitable conditions on the Red Planet in the ancient past, but also searching for signs of past microbial life itself. The Mars 2020 rover introduces a drill that can collect core samples of the most promising rocks and soils and set them aside in a "cache" on the surface of Mars.

3. The James Webb Space Telescope will be the premier observatory of the next decade, studying the history of our Universe in infrared.

Webb will study every phase in the history of our Universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own solar system.

4. The Parker Solar Probe will "touch the Sun," traveling closer to the surface than any spacecraft before.

This spacecraft, about the size of a small car, will travel directly into the sun's atmosphere about 4 million miles from our star's surface. Parker Solar Probe and its four suites of instruments – studying magnetic and electric fields, energetic particles, and the solar wind – will be protected from the Sun’s enormous heat by a 4.5-inch-thick carbon-composite heat shield.

5. Our OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrives at the near-Earth asteroid Bennu in August 2018, and will return a sample for study in 2023.

This mission will help scientists investigate how planets formed and how life began, as well as improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth.

6. Launching in 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will search for planets around 200,000 bright, nearby stars.

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is the next step in the search for planets outside of our solar system (exoplanets), including those that could support life. The mission will find exoplanets that periodically block part of the light from their host stars, events called transits.

7. A mission to Jupiter's ocean-bearing moon Europa is being planned for launch in the 2020s.

The mission will place a spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter in order to perform a detailed investigation of Europa -- a world that shows strong evidence for an ocean of liquid water beneath its icy crust and which could host conditions favorable for life.

8. We will launch our first integrated test flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, known as Exploration Mission-1.

The Space Launch System rocket will launch with Orion atop it. During Exploration Mission-1, Orion will venture thousands of miles beyond the moon during an approximately three week mission.

9. We are looking at what a flexible deep space gateway near the Moon could be.

We’ve issued a draft announcement seeking U.S. industry-led studies for an advanced solar electric propulsion (SEP) vehicle capability. The studies will help define required capabilities and reduce risk for the 50 kilowatt-class SEP needed for the agency’s near-term exploration goals.

10. Want to know more? Read the full story.

After traveling 694,481 miles through deep space — farther than any human in history — NASA's Artemis II crew is finally home. 🌍

On April 10, 2026, the world watched in real time as the Orion spacecraft dramatically separated from its European Service Module, exposing its heat shield before a fiery plunge through Earth's atmosphere at 25,000 mph and temperatures reaching 3,000°F.

Four brave astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — splashed down safely off the coast of San Diego, California, completing humanity's first crewed Moon mission in over 50 years. 🌕

🔥 Here's what made this mission unforgettable: ✅ Broke Apollo 13's 1970 distance record — 252,756 miles from Earth ✅ First humans to see the Moon's far side up close in 50+ years ✅ Survived 3,000°F re-entry heat & 3.9G forces ✅ 11 parachutes deployed for a perfect 20 mph splashdown ✅ Named two new lunar craters: Integrity & Carroll

💬 Were you watching the live stream? Drop a 🚀 in the comments if this gave you chills!

👉 Read the full story → https://universalnewspost.blogspot.com/2026/04/watch-moment-orion-spacecraft-detaches.html

I honestly got chills when that telemetry data hit my screen: 406,771 kilometers. Watching the Artemis 2 crew completely shatter the legendary Apollo 13 distance record wasn't just another tech update for me. Sitting at my desk, it genuinely felt like I was watching the next era of humanity unfold right in front of my eyes.

Think about it—no human being has ever traveled this far into the absolute void. Apollo 13 set their record back in 1970 out of pure survival necessity, slinging in a wide arc around the Moon just to get home alive after an explosion. But today? We went out into that pitch-black darkness on purpose, trusting our modern engineering, and knowing exactly what we were doing.

While researching this milestone, what really got to me was trying to imagine the psychology of the astronauts inside that Orion capsule. At that incredible distance, the big, comforting "Blue Marble" we are so used to seeing from the ISS is gone. When they look out the window, all they see is a fragile, tiny pale blue dot suspended in an endless, silent sea of black.

Digging into the details of the mission, I was blown away by the technological leaps required to keep them alive. From next-gen radiation shielding to overcoming the massive communication latency at that terrifying distance, the Orion spacecraft is a beast. We aren't just taking a victory lap around the Moon; we are literally running the ultimate dress rehearsal for our future journey to Mars.

I took a deep dive into the engineering marvels behind this massive step and the psychological realities of deep space over on our main site. If you're a space nerd like me, I promise you'll find it fascinating. Check out my full breakdown here:

👉 Breaking the Ultimate Distance Record in Human Spaceflight

Now, I have to ask you guys:

If you had the chance to sit in that capsule, knowing that when you looked out the window, Earth would just be a tiny speck of dust... would you take the ride? Or would the absolute isolation of deep space be too terrifying?

Reblog and let me know your thoughts—I'd love to hear what you'd do! 🌌🚀