The Odysseus lunar lander, part of NASA’s CLPS initiative and Artemis campaign, made a successful touchdown near the Moon’s South Pole on February 22. This marks the first lunar landing by a US robotic commercial mission, paving the way for future scientific endeavors and crewed missions to Mars.

Meanwhile, aboard the International Space Station, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 astronauts engaged in a live discussion with NASA leadership about groundbreaking research and technology demonstrations being conducted onboard. Topics ranged from studies on age-related bone loss to the deployment of remotely controlled surgical robots in space.

As preparations for the next space station crew rotation mission continue, members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8, including astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, have entered quarantine. This crucial step precedes their upcoming mission to the International Space Station, where they will conduct research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance tasks.

In other developments, NASA’s Artemis III mission progresses as rocket propellant tanks for the Space Launch System (SLS) reach completion at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility. With all major structures now in place, the stage is set for further advancements in NASA’s ambitious lunar exploration program.

Source : scitechdaily.com