Welcome to this week's NASA update. I'm your host, bringing you the latest from America's space agency.
Our top story: NASA and SpaceX are standing down from the launch of the SPHEREx and PUNCH missions, originally scheduled for March 10th. The agency cites the need for additional rocket checkouts ahead of liftoff. This delay affects two key science missions - SPHEREx, which will map the entire sky in optical and near-infrared light, and PUNCH, designed to study the Sun's outer corona and solar wind.
In other news, NASA's Kennedy Space Center is gearing up for a busy 2025. Center Director Janet Petro says, "The next year promises to be another exciting one at Earth's premier spaceport." The center anticipates over 90 government, commercial, and private missions launching from Florida's Space Coast.
NASA's Commercial Crew Program plans two crew rotation missions to the International Space Station in 2025: Crew-10 and Crew-11. These missions continue NASA's partnership with SpaceX to maintain a continuous U.S. presence on the orbiting laboratory.
Looking ahead, NASA's Launch Services Program is preparing for three ambitious missions in 2025. These include SPHEREx, PUNCH, and the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP). IMAP will study the boundary of the heliosphere, the protective bubble created by our Sun.
On the Moon front, NASA celebrated a milestone with Firefly Aerospace's successful lunar landing on March 3rd. The Blue Ghost lander delivered NASA science instruments to the lunar surface, paving the way for future Artemis missions.
Budget-wise, the White House has proposed $25.4 billion for NASA in fiscal year 2025, a 2% increase over 2024. This funding aims to support U.S. leadership in space exploration and climate science.
For space enthusiasts, NASA's Spinoff 2025 publication is now available, showcasing how space technology improves life on Earth. From medical advancements to agricultural innovations, these spinoffs demonstrate the wide-reaching benefits of space exploration.
That's all for this week's update. Stay tuned for more news as NASA continues to push the boundaries of exploration and scientific discovery. For more information, visit nasa.gov. Until next time, keep looking up!