NASA Delays Artemis Missions, Jared Isaacman Nominated as Administrator
NASA's Artemis II mission is delayed to no earlier than April 2026, with Artemis III following in mid-2027. President Trump has nominated entrepreneur and private astronaut Jared Isaacman for NASA Administrator. Isaacman, CEO of Shift4 Payments, has no prior political experience, raising questions about his leadership of the $25 billion agency.
SpinLaunch Funding Update
SpinLaunch, a startup developing alternative satellite launch systems, recently secured $11 million in funding. This follows a $71 million Series B in 2022, but earlier this year, the company considered raising a significantly larger amount. The company's progress and future plans remain unclear.
Apollo 17 Anniversary
This week marks the anniversary of Apollo 17, the last crewed mission to the moon, which took place from December 7-19, 1972. This mission was the final lunar landing under the Apollo program.