NASA

NASA, NASA, NASA always sends rockets, rockets, rockets (but also balloons that turn the world)

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More modest and ignored than rockets, stratospheric balloons They are crucial for many scientific research NASA. The last of these huge balloons has just concluded its mission after 17 days circumnavating the southern hemisphere. 17 days back to the world. In early May, NASA ended the first flight of its 2025 superpression balloons campaign. A stratospheric balloon drew a route around the average latitudes of the southern hemisphere, furrowing the sky for 17 days, 13 hours and 47 minutes. Launched April 17 from Wanaka airportin New Zealand, the globe completed a complete circumnavigation on May 3, and merited the next day in the Pacific Ocean, 1,300 kilometers from the east coast of New Zealand. Straight to the bottom of the sea. Although the mission met the minimum requirements, NASA’s team had been monitoring a possible leak. The balloon lost altitude during the night when crossing areas with colder temperatures, so that their operators decided to finish the flight over the Pacific, without the possibility of recovering the payload. The space agency leaves nothing to chance, even in case of ruling. This type of balloons uses the two -tons payload itself as ballast to sink the entire flight train to the ocean bottom as quickly as possible. In this way, the globe is prevented from remaining in the primary zone of the water column, where most of the marine species. The mission. In addition to trying a new superpression balloon design, this first 2025 flight transported the Hiwind missionwhose objective was to measure the neutral wind in the thermosfera, the layer of the Earth’s atmosphere that is between the mesosphere and the exosphere, to help scientists understand and predict changes in the ionosphere, which can affect communication and navigation systems. Since the mission ended early (the globe that has been in flight lasted more time 57 days), NASA will thoroughly investigate the cause of altitude loss to reduce the probability that a similar problem occurs on future flights. The second campaign superpression balloon It was released on Saturday, May 3 and can be followed in real time on the NASA website. What are the superpression balloons. Are Pumpkin -shaped balloons whose structures, completely sealed, maintain a positive internal pressure and an almost constant volume, which allows them greater altitude stability and flights of much longer duration, since the loss of gas is minimal. With a diameter of 150 meters, the most common volume is 1.13 million cubic meters. A balloon of this size could house a football stadium inside when it is completely inflated. They fly to altitudes of up to 36 kilometers, more than double the altitude of commercial airplanes. And they have been playing for some time as an alternative to space releases For space tourism. What are these balloons for. NASA’s scientific balloons are a low cost form of accessing the stratosphere to do research on land or outer space. Some carry telescopes on board. The NASA scientific balloons program performs, between 10 and 15 individual flights every year. The heavens continue to offer valuable opportunities for science, without always turning on the engines of a rocket. Images | POT In Xataka | The mystery of the spy balloons as a result of an almost unknown phenomenon: the “garbage of the sky”

NASA has just left ESA with Artemis

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He Historic Tijeretazo to NASA On the part of the United States government has a clear victim: Europe. If Congress approves the cuts proposed by the Trump administration, the European Space Agency, one of NASA’s most faithful partners, will remain alone and with invoices payable in the most important projects that it shares with its American homologue. Context. The budget proposal of the White House for fiscal year 2026 includes a brutal cut for NASA, which would go from 24,800 to 18.8 billion dollars of annual budget, 25% less. The cuts are particularly primed With NASA’s scientific branchbut the United States lunar program and its partners have also placed upside down. He Artemis programthat Trump himself promoted in his first term, will remain in the hands of the private industry from 2027 with the cancellation of the SLS rocket and the Orion ship. The Lunar Gateway station, in which several international partners participate, has completely discarded. A slap to ESA. Although It was seen coming For a long time (Boeing herself He warned it to its employees at the beginning of the year), the cancellation of the SLS/ORION system has direct consequences for the European Space Agency. ESA is responsible for the European Service Module (ESM) that provides propulsion, energy and life support to the Orion ship and its crew. The first ESM was used in the mission without crew Artemis I. Two others will be used in the Artemis II and III missions. But in February 2021, ESA awarded Airbus a contract of 650 million euros for the manufacture of three additional modules (ESM-4, 5 and 6), which will now run out of use. The varapalo does not end there. Lunar Gateway was not an exclusively American project either. The Lunar Orbital Stationwhose launch was planned for 2027, was NASA designed In collaboration with the space agencies of Japan (Jaxa), Canada (CSA), United Arab Emirates and ESA itself. Of course, many of its components were in an advanced phase of development or manufacturing. Thales Alenia Space manufactured in Turin (Italy) The primary structure of the halo module, which was already in the United States for its final equipment. In addition, the ESA had in a test phase a model of Lunar I-Hab (A habitat type module developed in collaboration with Jaxa), and in the preliminary design phase the refueling and telecommunications module Lunar View (formerly known as Esprit). And the astronauts? These multimillionaires European investments, now in the air, They were currency to guarantee the presence of Astronauts of the ESA in the missions to the moon. The architecture of lunar missions will change completely from Artemis III. Taking into account that Artemis I was a mission without crew, that Artemis II has a Canadian on board as a non-American crewman, and that Artemis III is designed for NASA They step on the moon againIt is not clear at what time we will see Europeans step on the moon. After certifying for extravehicular activities at the International Space Station, Pablo Álvarez, The Spanish astronaut of the ESAhe planned to start his lunar training to use the future Gateway station. NASA looks at the private sector. The justification of the White House for this drastic change of course is “to return to the moon before China and put a man on Mars” (the references to place the first woman in Mars were eliminated from the NASA website as part of the measures to erase the initiatives of diversity, equity and inclusion). To do this, It will allocate 7,000 million dollars to a lunar program focused on “commercial systems that allow more ambitious later lunar missions.” All looks point to the Spacex Starship system and the Blue Moon Moon Module from Blue Origin. In addition, they reserve $ 1 billion to start a new manned program to Mars, Following Elon Musk’s recommendationswhose vision shares the future NASA administrator and also Jared Isaacman businessman. An approach that prioritizes the speed and reduction of costs through the private sector, leaving aside the traditional international collaboration models based on contributions from other agencies. Who looks at? The general director of ESA, Josef Aschbacher, has responded with the expected diplomacy. In A statementHe explains that follow -up meetings with NASA are already being held to evaluate the impact of cuts. “From here at the end of the year, ESA will celebrate the Council meeting at the ministerial level, determined to further enhance the role of Europe in space,” says Aschbacher, adding NASA to NASA in a subtle polish that that “undertakes not only to be a reliable partner, but also robust and desirable.” Will perhaps open a closer collaboration with China? China, of course, is willing to become “the new NASA.” Ha Open to international collaborators The tianwen-3 mission of marcian samples and the Robotic mission Chang-e’8 to the moon, perhaps aware that the power vacuum that the US leaves can be filled with a greater opening. Image | Halo Module Structure of the Lunar Gateway Station (Tales, ESA) In Xataka | Boeing has lost: NASA will cancel the SLS rocket and look for a cheaper alternative to colonize the moon and Mars

NASA will cancel the SLS rocket and look for a cheaper alternative to colonize the moon and Mars

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It was seen comingbut the impact is not less. The Trump administration has presented its budget proposal for fiscal year 2026. And in regards to NASA, it is a true earthquake. Goodbye to SLS. The huge and very expensive lunar rocket SLS of the NASA, whose development has led the Boeing spatial division for 14 years, will be removed after the Artemis III mission, scheduled for 2027. There will be no block 1B version, and therefore the ML-2 mobile launch tower (whose budget had been sentenced) will be presumably without using. Justification is economical. The own Budget document Openly criticizes the SLS, noting that it has a cost of 4,000 million dollars per launch and has exceeded its budget by 140%. Demolish figures that not only They have sentenced the heir to the legacy Apollo and space transforders, but to all NASA’s lunar architecture. Goodbye to Orion and Lunar Gateway. Designed to launch aboard the SLS, the Lockheed Martin’s space capsule now has the same expiration date: it will be removed after taking astronauts to the lunar orbit in the Artemis II and Artemis III missions. NASA will choose a more modern and affordable architecture for Artemis IV onwards. But the cuts do not stop here. The Lunar Gateway Space Station, a key international project in the now truncated plans of the Artemis program, is also canceled. This leaves NASA’s international partners in a very delicate position that participated in the station: the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan (Jaxa), Canada (CSA) and United Arab Emirates. ESA, which supplies the European Ship Module Orion and develops The I-Hab and Esprit modules of Lunar Gatewaysee how your investment and astronaut places (including a seat to travel for the first time to the lunar surface) are in the air. As Daniel Marín points out in Eurekathe “ugly” to the partners is considerable. Especially to Europe. The bet: commercial ships and Mars. According to a NASA statement, the objective of these cuts is “to accelerate human exploration to the moon and Mars with a tax portfolio.” In other words, the blank checks for usual partners of the space agency are over. The White House wants to “return to the moon before China and put an American on Mars.” The budget allocates more than 7,000 million dollars to lunar exploration, but focused on “next generation commercial systems, more profitable” to replace the SLS/ORion architecture. Starship/HLS of Spacex and New Glenn/Blue Moon of Blue Origin have, as is logical, many ballots. The budget also introduces an investment of 1,000 million dollars to start a program focused on Mars. Although the details are scarce, it is taken for granted that will also pivot the SLS to the Spacex Starship, following Elon Musk’s vision. However, it is a very long -term bet, with little chances of seeing fruits before the current presidential mandate ends. Less science, less flights to ISS. The budget is especially devastating for NASA’s Space Science Division, which suffers a cut of 2,265 million dollars. The Mars Sample Return mission is explicitly canceled to recover the Martian soil samples from Rover Perseverance, arguing that the same objective will be achieved with future manned missions. Emblematic projects such as the new Nancy Grace Roman (which is almost finished), the historic Hubble space telescope and even, According to Eric Berger of Ars TechnicaNASA’s participation in the Rosalind Franklin European mission. The International Space Station, although it will remain operational until 2030, is not fought. NASA will reduce the size of the American crew and on-board research (-508 million budget), decreasing “significantly” loading and crew flights, gradually leaving the low terrestrial orbit in the hands of commercial stations (and China). A cycle change. While the proposal has yet to go through Congress, the Republican majority makes it difficult to take great modifications, although programs such as SLS/ORION have important support within the giant lobby as Boeing. The big question is whether this bet will work to win the space race against China. The abrupt cancellation of the SLS could leave a vacuum that China would take the opportunity to establish a sustained lunar presence before commercial alternatives are ready. And it is that getting to the Moon is not easy for private companies, as the failed launches of the NASA Clps program have demonstrated. Needless to say how risky it is to bet on an accelerated arrival to Mars. Image | POT In Xataka | China is getting closer to overcoming NASA in its Martian mission. And just invited other countries to join

His distance with NASA is narrowing

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A long time ago that China set the year From his arrival on the moon by 2030, almost five years after the date initially planned by NASA to put the first woman on the satellite surface. NASA’s plans have been delayed, but China keeps theirs firm; and now the United States advantage in the new space race It is narrower than ever. Context. NASA sent 12 men to the moon Between 1969 and 1972. Apollo missions launched with Saturn V, one of the most powerful rockets in history. Astronauts were in a modular ship that orbit the moon, descended to the surface and returned, with different modules. Unlike the Apollo program, the New Artemisa program It raises the return to the moon with a SLS rocket for takeoff, an Orion capsule to orbit the satellite and a huge commercial ship, the Spacex starship, for the alunication. That the starship is not yet ready is one of the reasons for the delay of the Artemis III mission, now scheduled for not before 2027. Two rockets for two ships. Although its long -term plans are as ambitious as those of the United States (create A manned lunar base that serves as a springboard for future Martian missions), China plans to take astronauts to the moon with a much simpler architecture than Artemis III. He will do it with two consecutive releases of the new CZ-10 rocket, of the state company CASC. The first will launch the Mengzhou ship, where three astronauts will go. The second will launch the Lanyue ship, which will travel empty to the orbit of the moon, where it will be attached to the Mengzhou to access two of the three astronauts, which will then descend on it to the surface. Image published in Baidu that mentions the five launches of the Cz-10 rocket The Chinese lunar calendar. Although the date of the first mooning was already known, we have just known the road map of the Chinese manned space agency (CMSA) thanks to an image that appeared In a Baidu channel that collects Eureka. According to this filtration, the launch of the first Chinese astronauts who will step on the Moon will be the fifth mission of the CZ-10 rocket. The rocket debut is planned for 2027 in a mission without crew called Y1. The first CZ-10 will predictably launch the first Mengzhou ship to the moon. Two options. Most likely, the following year, in 2028, China lance another two CZ-10: the Y2 mission with the first Lanyue Empty ship and the Y3 mission with the second Mengzhou ship; In this case, manned by the first Chinese who will orbit the moon. It would be a general landing essay: the two ships would be attached and decoupled in lunar orbit, with the astronauts present, but Lanyue would go empty to the surface of the satellite to demonstrate that it is safe. It is also possible that the test is carried out directly next to the Y1 mission, coupling the first Lanyue to the first Mengzhou (both without crew), but it would be risky to try the rocket for the first time with a complete essay, which requires two releases. The Apollo 11 of China. Finally, not before 2029, but before the end of 2030, the Y4 mission would launch a Lanyue ship already validated for manned alunage. Shortly after, the mission Y5 would launch the Mengzhou ship with three astronauts, including the first two Chinese who will step on the moon. They will be the Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin from China, although predictably one of them would be an astronaut; Especially if Artemis III continues to delay and the symbolic milestone of putting the first woman on the moon is still available. In Xataka | NASA had marked two major short -term objectives. China threatens to defeat her in both In Xataka | The race to become the “China Spacex”: who is who in their private space releases sector

NASA breathes relieved, Jared Isaacman is not an Elon Musk puppet

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He has never worked at NASA. It does not have Background scientist, or university studies. None of that matters. He has flown twice to the space in missions he financed. He is a bold and billionaire entrepreneur; The values ​​that conquered Donald Trumppossibly under Elon Musk’s advice. Now Jared Isaacman It is one step away from being confirmed as the youngest administrator that NASA has ever had. The priority is to get to Mars. At his audience to the United States Senate, which will confirm his choice as NASA’s head, Isaacman has not diverted from the slogan of Trump, who appointed the conquest of Mars as the “manifest destination” of the United States In his inaugural speech. “As the president declared, we will prioritize the sending of American astronauts to Mars,” said the businessman before the Senatorial Committee for Commerce, Science and Transportation. In the public there were also the four crew of the future Artemis II mission to the moon. But Elon Musk is separated. The richest man in the world surprised NASA at the beginning of the year saying that “the moon was a distraction”, and that Spacex would focus on the conquest of Mars. Taking into account that Spacex is a key contractor in NASA’s return to the satellite, the industry took it as a sign that the Artemis missions They could cancel, leaving in the hands of China the opportunity to send to the first woman To the moon. During his audience, Isaacman was inquired in multiple occasions about the flights manned to the moon. Senator Tammy Duckworth asked him if he agreed to maintain the Lunar Objectives of NASA in the long term. “I think it is imperative that we do both,” Isaacman said. “I think we can get to the moon, Mars and beyond.” Ted Cruz was more direct: he asked if he promised to bring American astronauts to the moon surface before Trump ceased to be president. Isaacman defended the idea of ​​the springboard: “I want us to return to the moon while we also move towards Mars.” Cruz reformulated the question: “If China advances us in the conquest of the Moon, what consequences could the United States face?” “Certainly, we can’t lose,” Isaacman said. “The space is the maximum advantage; we cannot afford to give it up.” Another point where Isaacman separated from Musk was in his idea of destroy the International Space Station Before time. “Are you in favor of maintaining a sustained presence in the low land orbit?” They asked him. “Yes, reuse is a sustainable way to send US astronauts to orbit, I would like to understand the reasons that Elon Musk has to exorbit the international space station before 2030,” he said. It does not maintain contact with Musk. The fear of losing symbolic battles against China, such as sending the first woman to the moon or maintaining the presence in the low land orbit was a constant throughout the audience. But the most tense moments occurred when Isaacman had to answer questions about his relationship with Elon Musk. After all, there is a direct relationship between the nominee to direct NASA and Spacex, a company with which it was associated for the missions Inspiration4 and Polaris. Isaacman denied having been in contact with Elon Musk to talk about NASA, and noted that the businessman does not owe loyalty but to the United States. But when Senator Ed Markey insistently asked if Elon Musk was at the meeting that Isaacman had with Trump for his nomination, Isaacman was not honest. He always replied with the same phrase: “Senator, my meeting was with the president of the United States.” He did not deny or confirm that Musk was in the room (implying that, obviously, he was). There is money to do everything. It does not seem that Isaacman will complain about the cuts that Doge Government Efficiency Department Directed by Elon Musk, it is applying to NASA. The young entrepreneur believes that there is enough money to quickly get to the moon while advancing in the plans to conquer Mars as soon as possible. The speed is the key in Isaacman’s plans, which wants to revitalize the “Mission First” culture of the Apollo program: Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon just eight years after Alan Shepard became The first American to fly to spacethe name recalled to direct NASA. Instead, it does not seem that he is very excited about the idea of ​​launching the Lunar Gateway station or building a lunar base, as China looks for. He did not expressly said it, but commented that “we will have to determine the scientific, economic and national security benefits to maintain a presence on the lunar surface.” As for the SLS and the Orion ship. Boeing can breathe calm, at least for a few months. It seems that Isaacman is willing to respect the current architecture of Artemis missions, however expensive and inefficient it isat least for the moment, while an alternative architecture develops. “It’s the current plan. I think it’s the best and faster way to achieve it,” said Isaacman. But then he added that this architecture is not the way to follow for high frequency flights to the moon, a clear nod to the New Space launch options: The Spacex Starship and the ship Blue Moon from Blue Originwhich will be launched aboard the new Glenn rocket. Images | POT In Xataka | Elon Musk has said that Mars will be part of the United States. It is an unusual affront to the outdoor space treaty

No one has advanced NASA in the exploration of other planets from the USSR. China plans to do it even in Neptune

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While NASA applies Efficiency Department cuts Directed by Elon Musk, China has presented the most ambitious space exploration program in its history. A SCIENTIFIC MISSIONS directed by him newly created Deep space exploration laboratory that would not only advance to the US in several milestones: no one would arrive in the Solar System. Kamo’oalewa (2025). With the launch of the Tianwen-2 probe, scheduled for May of this year, China aspires to become the third country to collect samples of an asteroid near the Earth. Japan had only done (twice) and the United States (after the recent Osiris-Rex mission). 469219 KAMO’OALEWA is a “miniluna”a terrestrial quasisisatelite between 40 and 90 meters in diameter that China aspires to “touch” with Tianwen-2, a mission that will also study the Elst-Pizarro comet-asteroid and that will serve as a learning for the future mission of recovery of Mars samples. Mars (2028). Tianwen-3 is the mission for bruise that could mark the Sorpasso Symbolic of the Chinese Space Agency to NASA, since the American mission of return of Martian samples (in which the European Space Agency also participates) is found right now in pause. Tianwen-3 is simpler than Mars Sample Return. If what NASA wants is to go find the rocks that have Carefully selected the Rover PerseveranceChina forms to reach the red planet, pierce the ground, collect at least 500 grams of samples and take off with a small rocket so that a return probe brings them to the earth. 2015 XF261 (2028). The same year that China plans to launch Tianwen-3, it would also launch its First major planetary defense mission. Two Chinese probes will follow the steps of the missions NASA Dart and Hera of that. One will impact the near Asteroid 2015 XF261 and the other will observe the impact to confirm that humanity has diverted a second asteroid. Callisto and Uranus (2029). The Tianwen-4 mission, whose launch is scheduled for 2029, has a double objective. It would arrive in Jupiter in 2035. A first orbiting probe Callisto, one of the moons of the gaseous giant, at the same time as JUICE DE LA ESA Orbit Ganímedes, another of its moons. A second probe, equipped with thermoelectric radioisotope generators, would take advantage of Jupiter’s gravitational assistance to get to Uranus in 2045. It would be one of the first scientific missions to Uranus, which He received the visit of the Voyager 2 probe In 1986. Venus (2033). Another sampling recovery mission, but this time atmospheric. A Chinese probe would travel to neighbor Venus and take its “air” to analyze whether it has microorganisms or possible biological traces, such as Some recent studies suggest. Neptune (2033). A freshly proposed mission to the last planet of the solar system would orbit the ice cream giant and display an atmospheric probe equipped with a balloon, in addition to performing flycards from its Triton moon. With a useful life of up to 20 years to the thermoelectric generators of radioisotopes, it would be the first probe sent exclusively to Neptune. For its launch, the future CZ-9 rocket, the “Chinese starship” would be used. Mars (2038). In addition to a manned station on the moon, China plans to display an autonomous robotic station on Mars to investigate techniques for the use of Martian resources that could serve for future manned missions. China plans to step on Mars in the 2040s. Triton (2039). The second Chinese mission to Neptune and his Triton moon is the most ambitious of the program because he would use a nuclear fission reactor to feed the ship’s electrical thrusters. All that energy would not only allow you to orbit Neptune, but also penetrate the ice from the Triton surface to explore the hypothetical ocean that is hidden below in search of life. Image | Xinhua In Xataka | NASA has cut 420 million dollars following Doge’s guidelines. It is Elon Musk’s favorite number

If the question is where and when to see the solar eclipse of March 29, NASA has created a map to answer you

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This Saturday 29 we will have a new opportunity to see an eclipse (partial) of sun, at least if we are in an extensive region of the northern hemisphere that covers a good part of Europe (including Spain), but also parts of North America, Africa and Asia, and even a small region of South America. The eclipse, on a map. To help visualize where and when the Eclipse de Sol can be seen, the US space agency, NASA, has published a map in which the region is represented from which this partial eclipse will be visible. The map also includes time information with which to guide us. The yellow lines of the map They allow us to get an idea to what extent the sun covered by the moon will be depending on the place where we find ourselves. The area where more darkness is reached is located on Canada and Greenland, where more than 80% of the solar disc will be covered. The point of greatest concealment will see how it disappears about 93.1% of the disc area. The green lines, meanwhile, indicate the moment in which this maximum solar concealment occurs in each area. The hours are indicated in coordinated universal time (UTC), which during winter coincides with the time of the Canary Islands archipelago. One more hour in the Peninsula and in the Balearic Islands. The dawn line. The orange lines delimit the area where the eclipse will occur during dawn. The points that travel the orange line located further west are the places where the eclipse ends during dawn, while the orange line further to the east shows us where the eclipse begins with dawn. The blue line located between both joins the points where the eclipse will reach its peak during dawn. The map created by NASA to illustrate the eclipse route. NASA Scientific Visualization Studio. Where will you see better. Yes We focus on Spainthe darkness will be greater the more we find ourselves. Thus, for example in A Coruña, 31.6% concealment will be reached, while in Mahón the concealment will be 8.85%. In Madrid and Seville the concealment will be similar, about 20%. Less than in cities such as Gijón or Ponferrada (about 27%), but more than others such as Barcelona or Murcia (around 13.5%). Animated visualization of the areas that will be hidden during the partial eclipse of the sun of March 29. POT. When will it be seen. The eclipse will arrive in the morning and the first autonomous community in being able to see it It will be that of the Canary Islands. Specifically, it will be in the surroundings of the Punta de los Reyes, in El Hierro, where the eclipse will begin at about 9:11, local time. The shadow will move in a northwest direction so that the last point of the Peninsula in being able to see the eclipse will be Euskadi, more specifically in Hondarribia, where the sun will look again fully at 12:41 a.m. On the map We can see how in most of the Peninsula the maximum of the eclipse will occur between 10:30 UTC (11:30, local time or CET), and 11:00 UTC (12:00 CET). Caution. Eclipses are astronomical events easy to seebut dangerous for our view if we do not take precautions. It is essential to use protection if we want to see the eclipse but it is not enough with simple sunglasses, we need specialized glasses to be able to see this type of event without putting the health of our eyes at risk. We also have ways of seeing the eclipse indirectly and safely. In Xataka | The solar eclipse of March 29 is the starting gun for something historical: Spain will see four eclipses in four years Image | NASA Scientific Visualization Studio

NASA has cut 420 million dollars following Doge’s guidelines. It is Elon Musk’s favorite number

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NASA has announced a 420 million dollar cut in consulting contracts and other suppliers. It is a strangely familiar number. A cut commanded by Doge. Although NASA has not given many details, the contracts to be cut are considered “redundant” or “misaligned with the essential priorities” of the agency, following the guidelines of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), the auditor body created by Donald Trump and headed by Elon Musk. From canceled contracts, the largest cut comes from the NASA socio -economic application and data center, valued at about 30 million dollars, although with an effective savings of 19.4 million. Other of the confirmed cancellations are four agreements of 15 million dollars each with the firms of consulting Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, Guidehouse and McKinsey & Co. The termination of these and other contracts will mean a saving of 420 million dollars for NASA. Elon Musk’s favorite number. There is an extraordinary coincidence in this matter and it is Elon Musk’s love for number 420. The founder of Spacex He likes to remember which was born 69 days after April 20 (4/20, in American format). But the number 420 became more present in his life since a club was smoked during the Joe Rogan podcast. “420” It is a reference to the “time of smoking marijuana”, 4 and 20 in the afternoon. For Musk also represents the day that He withdrew the verified blue check to X users who had it for free since the time of Twitter (04/20/2023). Wave First starship in history to be stacked (Booster 4 + Ship 20). Or one of the most transcendental tweets of his career: when he announced that I was going to privatize Tesla at a price of $ 420 per share. NASA scientists are worried. While only consulting cuts have transcended, the scientific community that depends on the space agency is concerned about the possibility of even greater or layoffs (of which NASA, for now, for now only He has seen 23 for the closure of three offices). Although less affected than diversity programs, Doge cuts also focus on branches of health, climate and natural resources, which NASA investigates. In addition, it is rumored that the 2026 budget for the agency’s scientific programs could be drastically reduced (up to 50%, According to Space News). Musk’s conflict of interest. While Doge is not an official government department, and therefore Elon Musk is not a senior official, the most complicated issue of all is that the employer is positioned to obtain multimillionaire contracts from the federal government. The Pentagon has already demonstrated its interest in Starship as a military transport, and NASA depends on the rocket to take astronauts to the moon. Starlink is also a key strategic asset for the United States, and Spacex is building a spy version called Starshield for the NRO. Finally, Trump’s nominee to direct NASA is Jared Isaacman, Musk’s commercial partner in two of Spacex’s most important commercial missions. Image | Elon Musk (X) In Xataka | China is getting closer to overcoming NASA in its Martian mission. And just invited other countries to join

Starliner astronauts made nine months of extra hours. The bonus they are going to receive from NASA is ridiculous

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The image of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finally on earth It will be possibly one of the 2025 snapshots. To remember his HISTORY HISTORY in space after the multiple leaks and failures of the Boeing Starliner. If you are wondering if it is worth being an astronaut after such a case, the answer is given by the bonus that they will receive for that time “more” in orbit. It is not a matter of money. It goes for long. As We countAstronauts Williams and Wilmore finally returned to Earth after nine months have passed in space, a period much longer than initially planned. His mission aboard the Boeing Starliner began in June 2024 and had to last just over a week. However, a ruling in the capsule propellars prevented its correct coupling with the International Space Station (EEI), leaving astronauts stranded in orbit until the technical problems were solved. The delay generated Great anxiety in social networkswith many speculating about the safety and well -being of astronauts. However, Williams and Wilmore remained firm in their commitment to the mission and denied the statements that they were “abandoned” or “trapped.” In fact and according to Wilmore himself clarifiedthese types of unforeseen events are part of the work and are something for which they are prepared. The economic sacrifice. Despite the extreme challenges they face, the truth is that NASA astronauts do not receive additional compensation for the danger of their missions or for long hours of work in space. Williams and Wilmore earn a salary that is public: an upright annual 152,258 dollars based on updated NASA rates. However, and here is the Quid that differentiates it with other types of “ordinary” works, the salary does not include payment for extra hours, holidays or dangerous conditions, a notable difference with respect to many other well -paid professions on earth. According to Mike Massiminoformer NASA astronaut, “there is no extra pay due to danger, or compensation for working longer in space,” which means that, despite having spent nine months in orbit instead of a week, astronauts will not receive any additional remuneration. The closest thing to an “extra” pay you receive is a small daily stipendio of 5 dollars for being in space, a very small amount and we would say that ridiculous, adding just $ 1,430 for the 286 days that passed in the US. What does NASA say. For its part, the American space agency argues that astronauts They have all their expenses coveredincluding transport, accommodation and food during their stay in the US. Again, compared to other work of high salaries that do not imply physical risks, astronaut’s pay may seem disproportionate, especially if we take into account the danger they face. It is not a matter of money. This takes us to the other Quid of being an astronaut. While other professions with similar salaries, let’s put A bank workeror a notary, they allow working in comfortable environments without exposure to mortal hazards, space exploration implies isolation, uncertainty and constant risk. And, even so, many astronauts choose this race. The key seems clear: they do it by pure vocation and passion for space, rather than for economic reasons. Being Astronaut is still a dream of childhood for many. In fact, A 2019 study De Lego revealed that more than 10% of children in the United States and the United Kingdom continued to aspire to become astronauts, despite the rise of new professions such as digital content creators. For Williams and Wilmore, the possibility of contributing to space exploration and scientific research surely exceeds any financial sacrifice. It is not a wait, it is a mission. In addition, we must understand that, throughout their stay in the US, Williams and Wilmore not only expected their return home, but actively worked in the maintenance and improvement of the station. Nine months give a lot, and there they were with tasks such as inspection and repair of hardware, loading of loading and supplies, support of scientific experiments and technological demonstrations, configuration of a new air lock system or with physical activity tests in microgravity. In summary, his time in orbit contributed to NASA’s scientific knowledge and the maintenance of the EEI as a key center for space exploration. Resistance and commitment. No doubt, for many of us the simple idea of ​​being stranded in space may seem an unimaginable nightmare. But for astronauts like Williams and Wilmore, it is simply part of the work. According to Ken BowersoxNASA’s Head of Space Operations, astronauts are trained not to focus on when they will return, but in the success of the mission. Perhaps for this reason, and beyond the money they receive, what happened is a good reminder that, in space exploration, motivation and resilience are as important as technology itself. Image | POT In Xataka | “Stranded” astronauts in space say goodbye to the ISS with a script turn: supporting Elon Musk’s version In Xataka | The soap opera is over: the “stranded” astronauts in space have returned to Earth nine months later

China is getting closer to overcoming NASA in its Martian mission. And just invited other countries to join

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Mars Return’s drama. Since I arrived in Mars in 2021, NASA’s Perseverance Rover has been depositing Roca nuclei and Marciano Regolito in hermetic tubes dispersed by the red planet for your future collection. Mars Sample Return is NASA’s mission and the European Space Agency to recover those samples (38 tubes in total) and bring them to Earth. Last year, with a forecast of delays in sample return up to 2039 and an estimated budget of between 7,700 and 11,000 million dollars, NASA de facto canceled Mars Sample Return to control the cost overheads. The agency listened to alternative proposals and, at the beginning of 2025, delayed the decision for a year to Choose between two options: An internal architecture of the NASA JPL laboratory or a commercial ship of the private industry. China has taken the lead. With Mars Sample Return in suspense, China has many ballots to Become the first country to bring Martian soil samples. The launch of the Chinese mission Tianwen-3 is scheduled for 2028after Tianwen-2 launches up to an asteroid near Earth this year as proof of previous technological concept. Tianwen-3 is a simpler mission that Mars Sample Return because it would collect the samples of the landing place, instead of the carefully selected rock nuclei in different places by the Rover Perseverance. However, it has the same objectives as the NASA mission: analyze samples on Earth in search of organic substances and “biosignuras”, signs of past life. Tianwen-3 opens to other countries. The China Space Agency (CNSA) also announced that its sampling recovery mission will be open to international cooperation. Scientists and space agencies around the world can propose until June 30 scientific experiments or instruments to include in the Chinese mission. Tianwen-3 will carry 15 kg of foreign instruments on the ship that will return to the Earth with the samples and 5 kg of additional foreign instruments in the orbiter that will remain in Martian orbit. It could be the case that the European Space Agency, which already participated in Mars Sample Return with the return ship, made a proposal and ended up advancing NASA in this way. Multimillionaires to the rescue. Meanwhile, in the United States, Spacex and Blue Origin have proposed NASA to take advantage of the same ships they have in development for Artemis lunar missions (Starship and Blue Moon) with the aim of recovering Mars samples. However, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have already received numerous public contracts, and a third millionaire, Peter Beck, CEO of the Rocket Lab’s rocket company, It has a more concrete and simple proposal. A solution of 4,000 million dollars with simple technology to bring the samples in 2031, the same year as the Chinese nave Tianwen-3 would return to the earth. Rocket Lab architecture. Three launches in total for all ships of the mission. The orbiter Mars Telecommunications Orbiter would facilitate communication between Mars and Earth. The Lander Lander Lander lands would land on the surface of Mars to collect the samples with the same supersonic aerocies and parachutes that the Martian Rovers use. The Mars Ascent Vehicle, designed as a single rocket stage, would take off towards the Martian orbit with chemical propulsion Using Electron Rutherford engines from Rocket Lab. The Earth Return Orbiter ship would collect the samples in the Martian orbit to bring them back to the earth using similar engines. The three goals of the space race. Decide what NASA decides, China is determined to take advantage of the delays of Mars Sample Return to get the symbolic victory of bringing the first samples of Mars, as has already happened with the Chang’e-6 mission and the first samples of the hidden face of the moon. At the same time, there are two other goals in the space race. The United States announced to hype and saucer that would take the first woman to the moon with the Artemis III mission (planned by 2027), but its launch has been delayed and now the architecture of every Artemis program, as well as that of Mars Sampple Return, It is in question for the numerous cost overruns of the SLS rocket and Starship’s delays. China, meanwhile, plans to reach the moon in 2030. Then, both countries will try to take the first humans to Mars. Image | POT In Xataka | NASA had marked two major short -term objectives. China threatens to defeat her in both

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