NASA BUDGET PROPOSAL DRAWS STRONG CRITICISM - he White House’s proposal to cut NASA’s budget by nearly 25% and cancel several major programs has drawn criticism from industry and members of Congress, while raising concerns among international partners. The top-level or “skinny” budget released by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget May 2 proposed $18.8 billion for NASA in fiscal year 2026, a $6 billion cut from the $24.9 billion the agency received in 2025. The budget called for the cancellation of the lunar Gateway, ending the Space Launch System and Orion programs after Artemis 3 and termination of science missions like Mars Sample Return. It also proposed curtailing use of the International Space Station and sharp cuts in space technology funding.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - May 7)

A SOVIET SPACECRAFT WILL CRASH TO EARTH THIS MONTH - A Soviet space probe stuck in orbit since a failed 1972 launch is expected to crash to Earth this month. The spacecraft, dubbed Kosmos 482, is predicted to reenter Earth’s atmosphere sometime overnight between May 9 and May 10, according to the U.S. Space Force as well as satellite analyst Marco Langbroek at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands.   More
(Source: ScienceNews - May 7)

SPACEX TO LAUNCH 28 STARLINK SATELLITES ON FALCON 9 ROCKET FROM CAPE CANAVERAL - SpaceX is preparing to launch its latest batch of Starlink V2 Mini satellites to low Earth orbit on Tuesday night. The Starlink 6-93 mission will be the company’s 470th Falcon 9 rocket launch to date and will add another 28 satellites to the constellation of more than 7,300 currently on orbit. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - May 6)

SCIENTISTS CHASED A FALLING SPACECRAFT WITH A PLANE TO UNDERSTAND SATELLITE AIR POLLUTION - A dramatic aircraft chase of a falling spacecraft has provided new insights into the fiery processes that accompany the atmospheric demise of retired satellites. The measurements will help scientists better understand how satellite air pollution affects Earth's atmosphere. In early September last year, a team of European scientists boarded a rented business jet on Easter Island to trace the atmospheric reentry of Salsa, one of the European Space Agency's (ESA) four identical Cluster satellites. The aircraft was fitted with 26 cameras to capture the brief occurrence in different wavelengths of light.   More
(Source: Space.com - May 6)

SPACEX LAUNCHES LARGEST BATCH OF STARLINK V2 MINI SATELLITES TO DATE - SpaceX launched its largest batch of Starlink V2 Mini satellites to date in a predawn Falcon 9 flight on Sunday. Onboard the Starlink 6-84 mission are 29 of what the company calls Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites, which were first publicly mentioned in the company’s 2024 Progress Report. These satellites are about 225 kg lighter than the previous versions of the Starlink V2 Mini.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - May 5)

CREW CLEANS UP AFTER SPACEWALK, STUDIES BIOLOGY, EARTH SCIENCE, AND MORE - The Expedition 73 crew members are cleaning up after a spacewalk on Thursday to upgrade power systems on the International Space Station. The lab residents also continued research and maintenance activities aboard the orbital outpost. NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers are reorganizing the Quest airlock and servicing a pair of spacesuits following their five-hour and 44-minute spacewalk on Thursday.    More
(Source: NASA - May 5)

PROPOSED 24 PERCENT CUT TO NASA BUDGET ELIMINATES KEY ARTEMIS ARCHITECTURE, CLIMATE RESEARCH - The White House released its proposed federal spending budget for Fiscal Year 2026 on Friday and with it a series of deep cuts to most areas of discretionary spending, including to NASA. The requested cuts come, ironically, on National Space Day. If adopted as proposed, America’s space agency is facing a 24.3 percent funding cut, dropping it from about $24.8 billion in FY25 to $18.8 billion in FY26. The agency was hoping for a funding increase to get a number of programs back on track following two years of what amounted to spending cuts due to budgets being held at FY24 spending levels.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - May 4)

SPACEX PUTS VANDENBERG LAUNCH ON HOLD - SpaceX is preparing for its third Falcon 9 launch of the month, which will send 26 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit. SpaceX decided to forgo its launch opportunity on Saturday, but didn’t announce a reason for the scrub. The Starlink 15-3 mission will fly a south-easterly trajectory when it takes off from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Liftoff is targeting Sunday, May 4, at 10:59 a.m. PDT (1:59 p.m. EDT, 1759 UTC).   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - May 4)

NEW IMAGES OF SOVIET VENUS LANDER FALLING TO EARTH SUGGEST ITS PARACHUTE MAY BE OUT - That soon-to-reenter Cosmos 482 is getting increased attention by satellite trackers – and new imagery provides some interesting details. The former Soviet Union's Cosmos 482 was lofted back in 1972. But that country's attempted Venus probe ran amuck during its rocket-assisted toss to the cloud-veiled world. Payload leftovers were marooned in Earth orbit, specifically the spacecraft's lander module/capsule intended to parachute onto the hellish landscape of Venus.   More
(Source: Space.com - May 3)

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