NASA 2023: Nothing is Beyond Our Reach

Space Station Solutions for Artemis Missions to the Moon and Beyond - NASA

Space Station Solutions for Artemis Missions to the Moon and Beyond: Getting a spacecraft to the Moon or Mars is quite literally rocket science. How ISS research is developing solutions for deep space human exploration missions.

Caught in a Solar Storm on the Way to Mars - Sky&Telescope

Caught in a Solar Storm on the Way to Mars: A chance alignment between Earth and a Mars-bound spacecraft has given us a rare glimpse at the motions of high-energy particles from the Sun.

X-37B: NASA Experiments Prepare for Mars Journey

On its current mission,launched on 17 May 2017 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, the US Space Force X-37B,a small, highly classified space plane,will deploy the US Air Force Academy's FalconSAT-8 satellite,used for technology demos and to train cadets in space operations.FalconSAT-8 also contains two NASA experiments related to the Journey to Mars.The studies will examine the effects of the harsh outer space environment, especially cosmic radiation,on materials samples and seeds.The Materials Exposure and Technology Innovation in Space (METIS) will expose a plate of quarter-sized materials samples to help spacecraft designers choose optimal materials for specific aerospace applications, such as thermal protection for antennas and other space hardware.Data from the samples testing will increase the lifespan and improve the operations of future spacecraft and systems needed for the Journey to Mars, NASA said.METIS took over from a previous ISS experiment, the Materials on ISS Experiment (MISSE),in 2015 aboard the X-37B.*
The new seeds experiment will evaluate the effects of ambient space radiation on seeds for food plants.This is crucial for deep space explorers who may need to grow some of their own food.The X-37B reportedly facilitates exposure to different radiation types than are possible on the ISS,which is locked in a particular orbit.*