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: The public is invited to visit NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC to tour through a newly-installed selection of space artifacts, models, murals and moon rocks. Stretching the "Golden Age of Space Exploration," as described by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, the displays extend to the Artemis program and the agency's work to return astronauts to the lunar surface. A shop is also open (don't miss the NASA-themed donuts).
: For the past 11 years, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution or MAVEN spacecraft provided new insight into why Mars' atmosphere had gone missing. Now, six months after it fell silent, the probe has been declared lost by NASA. Beyond its primary area of study, MAVEN also discovered new auroras, measured "atmospheric sputtering" and served as a communications relay, sending data back to Earth from rovers and a lander.
: A new set of five wristwatches embeds the motion of time into scenes from space history. Xeric's Asterisk Space Missions Collection, now available for pre-order, uses illustrator Peter Greenwood's artwork, not just as decoration but as a replacement for the hands on a watch's dial. As such, a Gemini capsule spins, an Apollo spacecraft soars and a Mars rover's dial ticks up, while a shuttle lifts off and an astronaut gazes at the future.
: Astrophilatelists may see something different in one of the United States Postal Service's four "Postcrossing" Global Forever stamps. The newly-released postage is intended to celebrate the hobby of sending postcards, though Jackson Gibbs' illustration of colorful, postcard-carrying astronaut could also be seen as a nod to the history of space mail. Either way, the stamp should prove popular among space and stamp enthusiasts.
: China launched its 17th human spaceflight on Sunday (May 24) for at least a six-month stay on the Tiangong space station. Shenzhou 23 commander Zhu Yangzhu, together with first-time fliers Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying, will conduct science and maintain the three-module complex. Lai is the first taikonaut to come from Hong Kong. One of the Shenzhou 23 members will be selected during the expedition to spend a full year in space.
: National Air and Space Museum curators, NASA officials, an astronaut, an archeologist and others met on Thursday (May 21) for a series of panel discussions on the why, what and how of preserving the International Space Station at the end of its life on orbit. A part of the AIAA's ASCEND conference, the Smithsonian-organized sessions addressed stakeholders' wishlists and the constraints of fulfilling such as the program concludes.
: More than 20 men and women who have traveled into space came together Saturday (May 16) to see two of their fellow fliers enter the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Both shuttle-era spacewalkers, Tom Akers and Joe Tanner were honored for their service to NASA on each of their four missions, including servicing the Hubble Space Telescope. Akers and Tanner's induction brings the Astronaut Hall of Fame's ranks to 113 members.
: Unlike the events that unfold on "For All Mankind," almost all of the Soviet Union's space history has changed at the start of the new spinoff series "Star City." So, can it still be called an alternate history? Eagle- (seagull?) eyed viewers may spy more of our reality in the Apple TV show than the audience at large may know. And that is the point, says "Star City" showrunners Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi in an interview with collectSPACE.
: Guests going Soarin' at Disney World's EPCOT will now take flight alongside NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket as it lifts off on an Artemis moon mission. On Soarin' Across America, the opening scene of the new semiquincentennial edition flies by the Kennedy Space Center to chase the rocket as it climbs into the sky. Guests at Disneyland's California Adventure will be able to see the same SLS launch when Soarin' opens there July 2.
: The first astronaut to catch a satellite in orbit, John Fabian died on Thursday (May 21). He was 87. Selected in 1978 with the first space shuttle candidate class, Fabian launched twice into Earth orbit. On STS-7 he flew with Sally Ride, and used the Canadarm to deploy and retrieve a free-flying science platform. Fabian then repeated his satellite feat on STS-51G. In total, across his two flights, he spent over 13 days and 4 hours in space.
: Inspired by their song "In a Daydream" being played by NASA to wake up the Artemis II crew on the way to the moon, the Freddy Jones Band has now released "reimagined and extended moon" versions of the 1993 single. Reid Wiseman, mission commander, selected the song as it filled him with joy. The band members felt the same about their track reaching into space, which set their tone for the remix and related merch.
: Before astronauts wore mission patches, they had their call signs painted on the side of their spacecraft. That "nose art" was short lived, ending after the six flights of the Mercury program, the last of which launched 63 years ago on Friday (May 15). Vintage space gear supplier Luna Replicas has now recreated the art-adorned heat shield shingles that bore the names such as "Liberty Bell 7," "Friendship 7," "Aurora 7" and "Faith 7."
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