NASA 18 January 2026 - 13 February 2026

NASA’s Artemis II Moon Rocket Beats Hydrogen Leaks in Key Fueling Test, Keeping March 6 in Play

NASA completed a successful fueling test for Artemis II late Thursday after hydrogen leaks spoiled the first attempt. Engineers reported no leaks beyond limits, clearing a major technical hurdle. The crew will enter quarantine Feb. 20 as teams review data and prep the pad. The earliest possible launch date remains March 6.

February 20, 2026

NASA·News·Space Exploration·Technology

SpaceX Crew-12 launch speeds to ISS, refilling station after NASA medical evacuation

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched four astronauts toward the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral at 5:15 a.m. Friday. Crew Dragon “Freedom” is scheduled to dock Saturday afternoon, restoring the station’s seven-person crew. The eight-month mission will focus on medical and technology research. The Falcon 9 booster landed back at Cape Canaveral after launch.

February 13, 2026

Astronomy·NASA·News·Space

Jupiter just got “smaller”: NASA’s Juno updates the planet’s official size and shape

NASA’s Juno spacecraft measured Jupiter’s equatorial diameter at 88,841 miles, about 5 miles less than previous estimates. The pole-to-pole diameter is now 83,067 miles, roughly 15 miles shorter than earlier figures. Scientists used radio occultation during 13 Juno flybys to obtain the new data, published this week in Nature Astronomy.

February 4, 2026

NASA·News·Space

NASA’s Suni Williams retires after Starliner saga, ending a record-setting run

NASA confirmed astronaut Sunita Williams retired Dec. 27, 2025, after 608 days in space and a record 62 hours of spacewalks for a woman. Her final mission, intended to last a week, stretched to nine months due to Boeing Starliner issues, forcing her return on SpaceX. NASA will delay crewed Starliner flights until technical problems are fixed, relying solely on SpaceX for now.

January 21, 2026

NASA·News·Technology

NASA’s Artemis II Moon Rocket Reaches Launch Pad, Putting February Launch Window in Play

NASA’s Artemis II rocket and Orion capsule arrived at Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39B on Saturday after a 12-hour, 4-mile rollout. A fueling test, or “wet dress rehearsal,” is planned by Feb. 2 ahead of a possible February launch. Backup windows are set for March and April. The crewed mission will loop around the moon and return, pending successful pad operations and testing.

January 18, 2026