Theresa Cross

When a spacecraft lands on Mars or slams into an asteroid millions of miles away, chances are it came from one of two labs: the Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory or the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. NASA may be the face of American space exploration, but behind that iconic logo are world-class research centers shaping how we reach, explore, and understand the cosmos. JPL and APL are two of the most influential.

Austin, Texas’ ICON is quietly transforming how humanity builds – on Earth and beyond. The construction technology company, known for its innovative 3D‑printed homes, has begun applying its expertise to space. Its advanced robotic systems and signature material, Lavacrete, are being adapted to construct off‑world habitats and infrastructure using local planetary materials.

In a world of reusable rockets, lunar habitats, and interplanetary ambitions, it’s easy to focus on what’s next. But every launch, every orbit, and every mission we undertake still begins with the insights of those who came before us – most notably, Sir Isaac Newton.

In the wake of the Trump administration’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, a wave of headlines has described NASA’s future in stark, often dire terms. Phrases like “extinction-level event” and “gutting science” have circulated widely, creating the impression the agency is on the verge of collapse. The proposed cuts are indeed significant – but from a reporting standpoint, the broader picture appears more layered than many early reactions suggest.

As United Launch Alliance rolled out its second Atlas V mission of the year on June 23, it wasn’t just rockets taking center stage. An ambitious artificial intelligence initiative dubbed “RocketGPT” has quietly lifted off behind the scenes, signaling the company’s broader modernization agenda alongside the final missions of the reliable Atlas fleet.

Jared Isaacman, best known for commanding private astronaut missions such as Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn, has pivoted from his sudden departure as NASA’s Administrator nominee to lead a bold new front: mobilizing private capital for space science. At the June 21 International Space Development Conference in Orlando, where he accepted the National Space Society’s Wernher von Braun Award, he shared his vision for privately funded robotic science missions developed in partnership with top-tier universities. 

In an era where space exploration is transitioning from fleeting missions to lasting habitation, one question has emerged at the forefront: how do we not just survive, but thrive in environments beyond Earth? According to one company, the answer lies in the intersection of visionary design and advanced digital tools.

In two studies published this year, researchers have confirmed the discovery of previously unknown bacterial species aboard China’s Tiangong space station and within NASA’s high-sterility clean rooms. Though some of the sample collection dates back to earlier missions – most notably swabs taken aboard Tiangong in 2023 and NASA’s clean room linked to the 2007 Phoenix Mars lander – the timing of the publications is critical.

On May 20, President Donald Trump formally announced the “Golden Dome,” a sweeping national missile defense initiative designed to shield the United States from the most advanced modern threats, including ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles. The system, drawing structural inspiration from Israel’s Iron Dome, would differ vastly in scale and scope, incorporating next-generation technologies across land, sea, and space to provide a comprehensive, multilayered defensive shield. 

MDA Space, a leading Canadian aerospace company with a legacy in robotic systems, introduced its next-generation robotics platform – MDA Skymaker – at the 2024 Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. Built on the company’s flight-proven Canadarm heritage, Skymaker is a modular suite of robotics technologies designed to support a wide array of commercial and governmental space missions.

Vast Space is accelerating toward its goal of building a thriving commercial presence in low Earth orbit with the announcement of three new research payload partners for its Haven-1 space station. Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation (JAMSS), Interstellar Lab, and Exobiosphere are all expected to deploy experiments aboard the single-module space station, slated to launch no earlier than May 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. 

Monday evening, SpaceX’s “Fram2” lifted off successfully from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission marked the first human spaceflight to fly in a true polar orbit, passing directly over both the North and South Poles. The mission name references the historic Norwegian ship Fram, which was used during polar expeditions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, has announced a 10% reduction in its workforce, affecting approximately 1,400 employees across its Florida, Texas, and Washington facilities. The layoffs, disclosed February 13, signal a strategic shift for the company as it moves away from heavy research and development and focuses on scaling up production of its New Glenn rocket and other key projects. 

The Artemis program, officially named and accelerated during President Trump’s first term, aims to return astronauts to the Moon and establish a sustainable human presence. Building upon earlier initiatives, including the Constellation program under President George W. Bush, the program has faced significant delays and escalating costs. Estimates suggest that by 2025, the total expenditure could reach $93 billion.

Building upon recent developments in the United States’ missile defense strategy, two Republican senators have introduced legislation to fund President Donald Trump’s proposed “Iron Dome for America.” This initiative aims to establish a next-generation missile defense shield, leveraging space-based technologies to counter evolving threats from adversaries such as China and Russia. 

The European Space Agency has officially entered the lunar exploration race with the development of Argonaut, a next-generation lunar lander designed to transport cargo, scientific instruments, and technology to the Moon. This marks a major milestone in Europe’s space ambitions and its role in international lunar exploration efforts. 

President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to develop an advanced missile defense system, referred to as the “Iron Dome for America,” has sparked significant debate. While the initiative aims to protect the United States from a range of missile threats, including ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, it has elicited both support and criticism.

Last month, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a small commercial lunar lander toward the Moon. Among its payloads is a retroreflector designed to enable precise measurements of the distance to Earth’s nearest celestial body while also testing Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

For years, Blue Origin has been preparing for the moment when its New Glenn rocket would rise from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and now the company is poised to make history. Its maiden liftoff is set to occur as soon as later this week from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Varda Space Industries Inc., which specializes in in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing and hypersonic reentry technologies, is expanding its research and applications across multiple sectors. With innovations in microgravity-based drug development and reusable reentry systems, the company integrates space-based manufacturing processes with scalable solutions for defense and industrial applications.

Axiom Space announced a major revision to the assembly sequence for its Axiom Station, paving the way for it to operate as an independent orbital platform as early as 2028. This adjustment advances the timeline by approximately two years and appears to address both customer demands and national objectives, including NASA’s plans to retire the International Space Station by the end of the decade.