Space News for Sunday, May 03, 2026

Artemis 3 plans remain uncertain as schedule slips

Original Publication Date: 2026-05-03 00:42

NASA has shifted Artemis 3 from a lunar landing attempt to a low‑Earth‑orbit test flight, mirroring Apollo 9’s early 1969 mission. The change means Orion will rendezvous with Blue Origin and SpaceX landers while the Space Launch System rolls out its core and booster segments at Kennedy Space Center. Yet mission details—including orbit, duration, crew and suit‑testing plans—remain largely undisclosed, raising questions about the program’s cadence. If the launch slips to late 2027, NASA may miss its goal of two human lunar landings in 2028.

XDLINX Space Labs Inaugurates Advanced Satellite Integration Lab with ISRO Leadership

Original Publication Date: 2026-05-02 18:50

XDLINX Space Labs opened its new Advanced Space Systems Integration and Testing Lab on Saturday, May 2, marking a milestone in the company’s push toward next‑generation space technology. The ribbon‑cutting ceremony featured a visit from senior company executives and industry leaders who praised the lab’s state‑of‑the‑art facilities. Designed to streamline the development and validation of satellite and propulsion components, the lab will accelerate testing cycles and reduce time to launch. This expansion underscores XDLINX’s commitment to advancing space innovation and strengthening its competitive edge in the rapidly evolving aerospace market.

Why do some stars become 'supernova impostors'? Astronomers still don't quite know

Original Publication Date: 2026-05-03 10:00

Astronomers have long been puzzled by “supernova impostors” – massive stars that erupt violently, ejecting huge amounts of material without actually exploding. A new study by a Harvard‑Smithsonian team used wide‑field surveys of red supergiants in nearby galaxies and sophisticated stellar models to calibrate the previously unconstrained efficiency parameter that governs eruptive mass loss. They found the parameter rises with metallicity, meaning metal‑rich stars experience more violent eruptions. With this calibrated physics, stars over about 20 solar masses no longer evolve into red supergiants but shed enough material to skip that phase entirely.

SpaceX launching 45 satellites to orbit early May 3: Watch it live

Original Publication Date: 2026-05-02 16:00

SpaceX is set to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sunday morning, May 3