Top Stories

NASA’s FY2027 Budget Proposal Would Cut Agency Funding by Nearly 25%

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman publicly defended a fiscal year 2027 budget proposal that would reduce NASA’s funding by close to 25%. No replacement programs or offsetting investments have been announced to cover the shortfall.

The cuts come while Artemis 2 is actively in flight and while NASA is simultaneously winding down infrastructure like Mobile Launcher 2. Budget reductions at this scale will force prioritization decisions across science, exploration, and operations programs.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

NASA Halts Work on SLS Mobile Launcher 2

NASA has stopped work on Mobile Launcher 2, the second ground support platform built for an upgraded Block 2 variant of the Space Launch System. The agency has shelved plans to develop that SLS variant entirely.

Mobile Launcher 2 was under construction at Kennedy Space Center. Stopping work mid-build adds sunk costs with no return and narrows future heavy-lift options for deep space missions.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

Artemis 2 Crew Enters Lunar Sphere of Influence

The four Artemis 2 astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — entered the lunar sphere of influence early Monday morning, April 6. This is the first crewed arrival at the moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972.

The close lunar flyby is the mission’s primary trajectory milestone before the crew returns to Earth. No lunar orbit insertion is planned — Artemis 2 is a free-return trajectory.

Read the full story: Space.com

Orion Spacecraft Conducting Mid-Flight Science During Lunar Approach

As Orion approached the moon, NASA’s science team finalized a set of observations they want the crew to perform during the flyby window. The observations focus on lunar surface features and Earth-moon geometry data that can’t be replicated robotically from this trajectory.

The crew will also attempt to recreate Apollo 8’s 1968 “Earthrise” photograph from a matching orbital geometry. Apollo 8 captured that image on December 24, 1968, during the first crewed lunar orbit.

Read the full story: NASASpaceFlight.com

NASA Science Team Locks In Artemis 2 Flyby Observation Plan

NASA confirmed its science observation plan for the Artemis 2 lunar flyby is finalized. The crew has specific windows and targets assigned for data collection during the close approach.

This is the first time astronauts have conducted real-time lunar science observations in over 50 years. The data gathered will inform surface characterization work ahead of the Artemis 3 crewed landing attempt.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

Artemis 2 Crew Reports First Visual Contact with Lunar Surface

The Artemis 2 crew made visual observations of the moon during their approach this weekend, including views of lunar mare — the dark basaltic plains visible from Earth. The crew’s reactions were broadcast publicly.

These are the first direct human observations of the lunar surface from proximity since Apollo 17. The flyby itself occurs April 6, with closest approach distance and timing still being confirmed by mission operations.

Read the full story: Space.com

Satellite of the Day

SUPERBIRD-A3

SUPERBIRD-A3, also known as Superbird C, is a Japanese communication satellite operated by Space Communication Corporation (SCC) that has been delivering Ku-band services since its launch on July 28, 1997. Lofted aboard an Atlas IIAS rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, this spacecraft was built using the HS-601 bus configuration by Hughes Space and Communications—a proven platform known for reliability in geostationary orbit. Equipped with 24 Ku-band transponders and spanning 26.2 meters across its deployed solar arrays, SUPERBIRD-A3 was designed to provide approximately 13 years of communication services to the Asia-Pacific region.

This satellite represents Japan’s sustained commitment to satellite-based telecommunications infrastructure during the late 1990s. With a launch mass of 3,130 kg and positioned in a near-equatorial orbit, SUPERBIRD-A3 exemplifies the commercial communication satellite architecture that emerged during the digital revolution. Its extended operational lifespan and proven transponder capacity made it a workhorse platform for regional broadcast and data relay missions throughout its service life.

Track this satellite in real-time: Track SUPERBIRD-A3

Upcoming Space Launches

April 6

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:
  • Starlink Group 17-35 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (23:03 UTC) Batch of 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites into low Earth orbit. Watch Live Launch Preview

April 7

• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 8:

  • Unknown Payload from Commercial LC-1, Wenchang Space Launch Site, People’s Republic of China (13:24 UTC) Details TBD.

• Northrop Grumman Space Systems Minotaur IV:

  • STP-S29A from Space Launch Complex 8, Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (11:30 UTC) STP-S29A is a U.S. Department of Defense Space Test Program mission delivering up to 200 kg of cubesats to low Earth orbit. The primary payload, STPSat-7, is an ESPA-class satellite hosting research and technology demonstration payloads for the DoD, including the Naval Research Laboratory’s LARADO instrument, which uses lasers to detect and characterize lethal non-trackable orbital debris.

April 8

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:

  • Cygnus CRS-2 NG-24 (S.S. Steven R. Nagel) from Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (12:51 UTC) A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services program. The spacecraft is named the S.S. Steven R. Nagel, honoring the former NASA astronaut who flew four Space Shuttle missions and logged 723 hours in space. Watch Live

• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 6A:

  • Unknown Payload from Launch Complex 9A, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People’s Republic of China (19:30 UTC) Details TBD.

April 9

• Avio S.p.A Vega-C:
  • Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) from Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana (06:29 UTC) A joint mission between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, SMILE will deploy into a highly elliptical Earth orbit 57 minutes after liftoff. Equipped with four science instruments, the spacecraft will study how Earth’s magnetosphere and ionosphere respond to the solar wind, advancing our understanding of solar storms, geomagnetic storms, and space weather. The mission has a planned operational life of three years. Watch Live

April 10

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:

  • Starlink Group 17-21 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (02:39 UTC) Batch of 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites into low Earth orbit. Watch Live

• China Rocket Co. Ltd. Smart Dragon 3:

  • Unknown Payload from South China Sea (Launch Location 1), Haiyang Oriental Spaceport (11:00 UTC) Details TBD.

April 12

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:
  • Starlink Group 10-24 from Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (06:57 UTC) Batch of 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites into low Earth orbit. Watch Live

April 14

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:

  • Starlink Group 17-27 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (02:00 UTC) Batch of 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites into low Earth orbit. Watch Live

• Blue Origin New Glenn:

  • BlueBird Block 2 #2 from Launch Complex 36A, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (10:45 UTC) Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket will launch AST SpaceMobile’s second next-generation BlueBird satellite into low Earth orbit. The BlueBird constellation is designed to deliver space-based cellular broadband to commercial and government customers. This will be the third flight of the New Glenn vehicle to date.

Schedule Changes

• New Glenn | BlueBird Block 2 #2: Launch status has been updated from To Be Determined to To Be Confirmed, indicating increased confidence in the April 14 launch window.

Note: Launch dates and times are subject to change due to technical or weather considerations.