NASA has nixed the idea of suborbital training flights for its astronauts aboard vehicles launched by Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic.

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — Following a thorough evaluation, NASA has extended the planetary science missions of eight of its spacecraft due to their scientific productivity and potential to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the solar system and beyond.

The missions – Mars Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover), InSight lander, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, OSIRIS-REx, and New Horizons – have been selected for continuation, assuming their spacecraft remain healthy. Most of the missions will be extended for three years; however, OSIRIS-REx will be continued for nine years in order to reach a new destination, and InSight will be continued until the end of 2022, unless the spacecraft’s electrical power allows for longer operations.

REDMOND, Wash. (Xplore PR) — Xplore Inc., a commercial space company providing Space as a Service® today announced they are opening a satellite manufacturing facility in Redmond, Washington. Their new, state-of-the-art campus is a key step in the company’s mission to expand mass manufacturing of the XCraft® the company’s highly-capable, ESPA-class satellite, and the LightCraft™, Xplore’s highly-maneuverable spacecraft for deep space missions. The company will move into its new headquarters in June 2021.

Angela Birney, Mayor of the City of Redmond, said, “We are delighted that Xplore is establishing its headquarters in Redmond and employing Washington space professionals to grow the space economy.” She continued, “Redmond is a magnet for vision, technology, and talent. Xplore joins our community of thriving aerospace, high tech, and biotech companies, and thousands of small businesses where over 85,000 people are employed. Thank you for choosing Redmond.”

Now 50 times as far from the Sun as Earth, History-Making Pluto Explorer photographs Voyager 1’s location from the Kuiper Belt

LAUREL, Md. (NASA PR) — In the weeks following its launch in early 2006, when NASA’s New Horizons was still close to home, it took just minutes to transmit a command to the spacecraft, and hear back that the onboard computer received and was ready to carry out the instructions.

DENVER, April 7, 2021 (Voyager Space Holdings PR) — Voyager Space Holdings, Inc. (Voyager), a global leader in space exploration, today announced Jim Bridenstine will join the company’s advisory board as chairman. The former NASA Administrator will join an esteemed group of industry experts guiding Voyager as it continues on its mission to create a vertically integrated, publicly traded NewSpace company.

As NASA’s 13th Administrator, Bridenstine led the agency in advancing American aeronautic, science, and space exploration objectives including the introduction of NASA’s new human lunar exploration mission, the Artemis program.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 16, 2021 (Southwest Research Institute PR) — One of the most profound discoveries in planetary science over the past 25 years is that worlds with oceans beneath layers of rock and ice are common in our solar system. Such worlds include the icy satellites of the giant planets, like Europa, Titan and Enceladus, and distant planets like Pluto.

DENVER (Voyager Space Holdings PR) — Voyager Space Holdings, Inc. (Voyager), a global leader in space exploration, today announced the appointment of Marian Joh to the company’s Board of Directors. Joh joins esteemed industry experts National Security Expert and four-star Air Force General William Shelton, leading investor Gabe Finke, world leading planetary scientist, Dr. Alan Stern, and former undersecretary of technology Dr. Cheryl Shavers. Joh will serve as an advisor to Voyager as the company moves closer to its overall goal of delivering any mission humans can conceive.

Joh joins Voyager on the heels of another recent appointment: in January, the company added noted public company director Dr. Cheryl Shavers to its Board. This continued momentum follows Voyager’s record-breaking 2020, which included the announcement of its intent to acquire X.O. Markets and its largest subsidiary, commercial space services provider, Nanoracks. Additionally, Eric Stallmer was tapped to lead Voyager’s East Coast expansion as Executive Vice President.

SANTA FE, NM (Solstar Space PR) — Solstar Space Company, the world’s first in-flight internet service provider for astronauts and space researchers is honored to announce that Dr. Alan Stern has joined Solstar as an advisor.

• First of three additional flight tests set for later this month
• Richard Branson scheduled to fly on third flight test in Q1 2021
• New SpaceShipTwo set to rollout in Q1 2021

LAS CRUCES, N.M., November 5, 2020 (Virgin Galactic PR)– Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) (“Virgin Galactic” or the “Company”), a vertically integrated aerospace and space travel company, today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, October 14, 2020 (SwRI PR) — A Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) planetary scientist has been chosen to be among the first group to conduct NASA-funded science experiments while flying aboard a commercial spacecraft, the space agency announced today.