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Cygnus NG-24 Lifts Off Aboard Falcon 9, Bound for the International Space Station Artemis II: A Complete Mission Review Artemis II Launches: Humanity Returns to Deep Space For the First Time in a Generation, Humans Are Heading Beyond Earth Orbit NASA Refocuses Artemis Around Sustained Lunar Operations From Launch to Port: The Complete Lifecycle of Falcon 9 Booster Recovery NASA Reshapes Artemis Program, Adds New Mission and Refines Lunar Exploration Architecture Artemis II Faces Delay as Helium Issue Prompts SLS Rollback to VAB Cygnus NG-24 Lifts Off Aboard Falcon 9, Bound for the International Space Station Artemis II: A Complete Mission Review Artemis II Launches: Humanity Returns to Deep Space For the First Time in a Generation, Humans Are Heading Beyond Earth Orbit NASA Refocuses Artemis Around Sustained Lunar Operations From Launch to Port: The Complete Lifecycle of Falcon 9 Booster Recovery NASA Reshapes Artemis Program, Adds New Mission and Refines Lunar Exploration Architecture Artemis II Faces Delay as Helium Issue Prompts SLS Rollback to VAB

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Artemis II: A Complete Mission Review

From rollout to splashdown, a full account of NASA's first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years — the rocket, spacecraft, crew, launch, lunar flyby, eclipse, reentry, and recovery.

Ryan Bale

·April 10, 2026·20 min read

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Cygnus NG-24 Lifts Off Aboard Falcon 9, Bound for the International Space Station

April 11, 2026

Artemis II Launches: Humanity Returns to Deep Space

April 2, 2026

For the First Time in a Generation, Humans Are Heading Beyond Earth Orbit

March 30, 2026

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Cygnus NG-24 Lifts Off Aboard Falcon 9, Bound for the International Space Station

A SpaceX Falcon 9 carried Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft to orbit Saturday morning, beginning a two-day journey to the ISS. Named for Space Shuttle veteran Steven R. Nagel, the S.S. Steven R. Nagel is delivering approximately 11,000 pounds of supplies and science hardware, including a new upgrade module for NASA's Cold Atom Laboratory.

Ryan BaleApr 11, 20265 min

Artemis II: A Complete Mission Review

Apr 10, 2026 · 20 min read

Artemis II Launches: Humanity Returns to Deep Space

Apr 2, 2026 · 3 min read

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For the First Time in a Generation, Humans Are Heading Beyond Earth Orbit

The First Human Mission Beyond Earth Orbit in Over 50 YearsWith launch now just days away, NASA is preparing to send astronauts beyond low Earth orbit for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972.The mission, known as Artemis II, is the second flight in NASA’s Artemis program and the first to carry a crew. It represents the next step in rebuilding the capability to send humans to the Moon, this time with the goal of staying and expanding deeper into the solar system.At the cen

Ryan BaleMar 30, 20266 min

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NASA Refocuses Artemis Around Sustained Lunar Operations

A Defining Moment for America’s Space ProgramOn March 24, 2026, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman delivered a major update outlining the agency’s direction for human spaceflight. The event, titled “Ignition,” laid out a faster, more execution-focused strategy for returning to the Moon and advancing toward Mars.The Artemis program remains the foundation of NASA’s plans, but the structure around it is changing. The emphasis is shifting toward sustained operations, higher mission cadence, and stron

Ryan BaleMar 25, 20263 min

From Launch to Port: The Complete Lifecycle of Falcon 9 Booster Recovery

When a Falcon 9 lifts off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station or Kennedy Space Center, the mission does not end once the payload reaches orbit. For SpaceX, the recovery of the first stage booster is an integral part of the launch architecture.The Falcon 9 system was designed from the beginning to support rapid reuse. Recovering and refurbishing the booster dramatically lowers launch costs while enabling higher launch cadence. Today, it is common for Falcon 9 boosters to fly more than a dozen

Ryan BaleMar 6, 20265 min

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Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

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Local Pad · Fri, Apr 17 · 12:10 PM GMT+8 // 04:10 UTC

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Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL

Local Pad · Mon, Apr 20 · 2:48 AM EDT // 06:48 UTC

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