AIAA Opens New Year 2026 with 6,000+ at SciTech Forum in Orlando
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics hosts AIAA SciTech Forum 2026 on January 12–16 at Hyatt Regency Orlando, Florida, with theme Breaking Barriers Together: Boundless Discovery. Forum expects more than 6,000 attendees from 48 countries advancing aerospace research, development and technologies across civil, commercial and national security sectors. Program includes nearly 3,000 technical presentations spanning 65+ topics — aerodynamic measurement technology, applied aerodynamics, fluid dynamics, guidance, navigation, control, hypersonics, intelligent systems, spaceflight mechanics, propellants, combustion and more — plus plenary sessions, Forum 360 panels, and 100+ exhibitors showcasing innovations. Plenary speakers include Astronaut Peggy Whitson of Axiom Space, delivering opening remarks; Jonathan Arenberg, Fellow Chief Mission Architect Science Robotic Exploration, Northrop Grumman, sharing NASA James Webb Space Telescope insights; Arbi Karapetian, Director Innovation Technology, Formula 1, exploring cross-industry performance fuels. New Career Accelerator Program on January 12 equips university students with leadership tools, career strategies from experts including Hillary Coe, Vast; Amy Medina Jorge, Blue Origin commercial Astronaut; and others. Rising Leaders programming, speed mentoring, and Expo Hall HUB talks target young professionals building networks for 2030 lunar outposts, 2040 cislunar economy growth. Forum sets 2026 innovation pace toward sustained Moon presence, nuclear propulsion, quantum computing and autonomy. (Image Credits: AIAA)
Will Lunar Rover Selection Catalyze 2026 Moon Endeavors?
As 2026 dawns, lunar specialists await the NASA decision for primary provider of US$4.6B Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) Services contract. LTV Project Manager Steve Munday, Extravehicular Activity / Human Surface Mobility Program Manager Lara Kearney, Chief Exploration Scientist Jacob Bleacher and NASA Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche may all weigh in, with possible input from Lunar Exploration Analysis Group. The LTV program marks a shift toward service-based mobility – renting – beginning with Artemis V mission NET 2029. Industry leaders—Intuitive Machines (IM), Lunar Outpost (LO), and Venturi Astrolab (Astrolab)—have spent a year refining prototypes with initial US$30M awards. Astrolab FLEX rover has Swiss-developed hyper-deformable wheels, lunar-night-surviving batteries, and will benefit from its Mona Luna European rover development and precursor FLIP rover launching NET July 2026. LO Eagle rover leverages automotive expertise from GM and Goodyear. IM Moon RACER, developed with input from Apollo veterans, demonstrates breakthrough power-beaming capabilities with Star Catcher Industries, transferring 2.78 kWh via laser. It is expected the chosen LTV will serve as cornerstone for sustained South Pole operations through 2039, able to transport Astronauts safely, carry ~1,000 kg of tools and samples. The new era of crewed mobility reflects legacy of Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) and Apollo “Moon Buggy.” (Image Credits: NASA)
Humans in Space
International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: 3 members of Expedition 74 seven-member crew will handle all ISS operations for a time as the 4 members of Crew-11 return early in 1st-ever ISS medical evacuation; Kud-Sverchkov, Mikayev and Williams will remain; Cardman, Fincke, Yui and Platonov prepare their Dragon pressure suits, pack personal belongings; departure date and possible updated Crew-12 launch date not yet set.
Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou-21 three-member crew [Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, Zhang Hongzhang] advances key ongoing project: in-situ electrochemical and optical study of lithium-ion batteries, led by payload expert Zhang Hongzhang, conducting precise optical adjustments for real-time observation of lithium dendrite growth in microgravity to improve battery safety and performance; performing routine station maintenance, daily ~2-hour exercise, and regular health monitoring (bone density, ECG, blood pressure, pulmonary function).
Near-Earth Objects Close Approaches – Mon Jan 12: Apollo Asteroid 2025 YR7 (0.023 AU); Wed Jan 14: Apollo Asteroid 2022 OB5 (0.004 AU); Wed Jan 14: Apollo Asteroid 2025 XN1 (0.023 AU); Sat Jan 17: Apollo Asteroid 2025 BL (0.017 AU)
Finishing out the Original Trilogy is a 3rd Space Policy Town Hall at 9 pm EST / 8 pm CST / 7 pm MST / 6 pm PST / 4 pm Hawaii Time. After this Town Hall, feedback will be analyzed to see if there will be a sequel, reboot, or […]
At the Johns Hopkins University Mt. Washington campus in Baltimore MD and online. Early-career researchers and students are encouraged to apply for both early-career opportunities and travel support. Invited Early-Career Speakers: We will select approximately two early-career researchers who will each give a presentation (approximately 15 minutes, including Q&A). Lightning […]
From 1300-1600 JST at Miraikan Hall; led by the Artemis program, which is being carried out through international cooperation, humanity is returning to the Moon and even further afield, toward Mars. Human space exploration is now entering a new phase. The launch of "Artemis II", a lunar orbit mission by […]
Griffith Observatory broadcasts this public program live 19:00-20:30 PST from the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater. Join the Observatory's curatorial staff as they examine and explain the most-talked-about subjects in astronomy and space science. It is free to attend in-person or stream on YouTube.
18:00 CEST; Grégoire Danger, Professor at Aix-Marseille University (PIIM Laboratory – Physics of Ionic and Molecular Interactions) presents. What environmental conditions could have allowed the emergence of living systems on Earth 4.1 billion years ago? To try and find answers to this question, we will begin in the star-forming regions […]
1st meeting of the GW:UK initiative to bring researchers to celebrate 10 years of gravitational wave discoveries and engage in community-building activities; at University of Nottingham.
International Astronautical Federation recognizes achievements in the space community via many awards, such as World Space, International Cooperation, Hall of Fame, Diversity, Excellence in Industry, more. Submit to award@iafastro.org.
10-week paid internship runs June 8 - August 15 2026 in Houston TX to provide training in analytical and lab skills in planetary science, with focus on sample science.
Occurring until Jan 18-21; Topics, include but are not limited to: Satellite, Sustainability, Networking Technologies, Applications and Their Implications, Developing Regions and Emerging Markets, Governance and Ethics, Policies and Regulations, Subsea Networks, Business Opportunities, Emerging Technologies.
Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergey Mikayev and Christopher Williams set to undock from ISS in Soyuz MS-28, triggering the start to Expedition 75 with Commander Jessica...
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Astrophysics Group at the University of Exeter, we are pleased to announce the international...
Emanating from ~6km-wide comet with 5.3-year Solar orbit, visible in constellation Aquarius near star Delta Aquarii, fast, faint meteors peak on this night, best...
The International Research Conference is a federated organization dedicated to bringing together a significant number of diverse scholarly events for presentation within the conference...
Includes ~150 meetings covering the fields of COSPAR Scientific Commissions / Panels / Task Groups, such as SC B: The Earth-Moon System, Planets, and...
From 02 to 07 August 2026, a few thousand geoscientists across diverse disciplines will gather at the 23rd annual meeting of the Asia Oceania Geosciences...
NASA Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory) rover surpasses another full year of operations on Mars surface today; launched Nov 26, 2011 – landed Aug 5,...
This international lunar science meeting has two objectives: to provide a platform for leading experts to review recent advances across lunar research, from the...
As 2026 dawns, lunar specialists await the NASA decision for primary provider of US$4.6B Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) Services contract. LTV Project Manager Steve Munday, Extravehicular Activity / Human Surface Mobility Program Manager Lara Kearney, Chief Exploration Scientist Jacob Bleacher and NASA Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche may all weigh in, with possible input from Lunar Exploration Analysis Group. The LTV program marks a shift toward service-based mobility – renting – beginning with Artemis V mission NET 2029. Industry leaders—Intuitive Machines (IM), Lunar Outpost (LO), and Venturi Astrolab (Astrolab)—have spent a year refining prototypes with initial US$30M awards. Astrolab FLEX rover has Swiss-developed hyper-deformable wheels, lunar-night-surviving batteries, and will benefit from its Mona Luna European rover development and precursor FLIP rover launching NET July 2026. LO Eagle rover leverages automotive expertise from GM and Goodyear. IM Moon RACER, developed with input from Apollo veterans, demonstrates breakthrough power-beaming capabilities with Star Catcher Industries, transferring 2.78 kWh via laser. It is expected the chosen LTV will serve as cornerstone for sustained South Pole operations through 2039, able to transport Astronauts safely, carry ~1,000 kg of tools and samples. The new era of crewed mobility reflects legacy of Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) and Apollo “Moon Buggy.” (Image Credits: NASA)
International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: 3 members of Expedition 74 seven-member crew will handle all ISS operations for a time as the 4 members of Crew-11 return early in 1st-ever ISS medical evacuation; Kud-Sverchkov, Mikayev and Williams will remain; Cardman, Fincke, Yui and Platonov prepare their Dragon pressure suits, pack personal belongings; departure date and possible updated Crew-12 launch date not yet set.
Lunar Enterprise News: 2026 Proposed Moon Missions to Advance Science, Prepare for Human Landings │ Artemis Human Landings Anticipated with Preparatory FLIP, then FLEX Rovers
Near-Earth Objects Close Approaches – Mon Jan 12: Apollo Asteroid 2025 YR7 (0.023 AU); Wed Jan 14: Apollo Asteroid 2022 OB5 (0.004 AU); Wed Jan 14: Apollo Asteroid 2025 XN1 (0.023 AU); Sat Jan 17: Apollo Asteroid 2025 BL (0.017 AU)
