This is Mars exploration like I’ve dreamed of for 20 years: a fast, affordable, inspiring mission paving the way for 👩‍🚀🧑🏿‍🚀👨‍🚀. Ingenuity showed this could happen very soon, without breaking the bank. Thrilled to work w/ brilliant @aerovironment MacCready Works & @NASAJPL teams!

If you own Hartford Whalers gear … wear it tomorrow!

Tomorrow, I’ll be hosting a live Reddit AMA! Ask me anything about astronomy, SETI, SkyMapper, SkySphere, citizen science, UAP data or what it takes to build a global network that watches the sky continuously. 📅 June 11 ⏰ 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET Join me here: reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1…

Mars Exploration Rover Spirit launched on a Delta II rocket #OTD in 2003. The rover was en route to Gusev Crater, a place where mineral deposits suggested that Mars had a wet history.

Starting with some energy, and my inability to write brief updates, I am just extremely proud of the NASA crew, our industry, and our international partners. We are getting into a rhythm here at NASA. Earlier this year, setbacks put the Artemis II rocket back in the VAB for repairs, and we determined it was necessary to add another mission, Artemis III in 2027. Since then, we have unveiled the Ignition plans to build a Moon Base and nuclear-powered spaceships, launched a highly successful mission around the Moon, brought the crew home safely, and now watched the torch pass to Artemis III. There will be no shortage of major milestones to celebrate in the months ahead as we build the Moon Base and launch the Nancy Grace Roman telescope. I am beyond proud of the team and all the momentum and excitement around the space program. I do want to take this moment to address two of the questions I have been seeing since the crew announcement. Why are there no women assigned to Artemis III? I have seen reactions ranging from disappointment to outrage. I have personally been to space twice with 50% female crews. My closest advisors and some of the smartest engineers I know are women. In our latest NASA leadership organization, nearly 50% of the Center Directors and Mission Directorate leadership are women. The last astronaut candidate class selected under this Administration was majority female because they were the best of the best, including one astronaut I previously went to space with. In a world with so much controversy, I hope this can be a moment where we celebrate the astronauts selected, respect the integrity of the process, and recognize the extraordinary depth of talent across the entire corps. The crew selection does not involve any political appointees. The Astronaut Office assigns the crew that gives the mission the best chance of meeting its objectives, taking into account many factors, including the background and expertise of the astronauts, such as test pilot experience, development work on specific programs, and availability. For example, those raising this concern may not be aware of the pipeline of crews already preparing to launch to the Space Station, or those who have been undergoing lunar-specific training that would be a better fit for a future surface mission. The Artemis III astronauts are experienced, qualified, and deserve to be celebrated for the mission they have been assigned, just as the crews that follow will be celebrated when their time comes. We have an extraordinary astronaut corps, and every mission and every crew is part of a larger campaign to get America back to the Moon and to build the future we all dreamed about as children. What are the objectives for Artemis III if both landers will not be fully ready? Coming off a highly successful lunar mission like Artemis II, it is not surprising that the bar is set high for Artemis III. I think it is important to understand how difficult and dangerous it is to land astronauts on the Moon. We have not done it in a very long time, and we want to draw from a past playbook for success. That means getting into a cadence of launching, learning, and rolling improvements into the next mission. First and foremost, it is imperative for SLS to be flying with some frequency for operational currency and, honestly, safety. Earlier this year, it was very clear across NASA leadership that an additional mission was necessary in 2027. It is also imperative to gain interoperability data from rendezvous and docking with landers in Earth orbit. We do not need those landers that are still in development to be fully capable and certified for landing on the Moon on Artemis III, but we do need to test certain systems and controllability. Not to mention, we are moving quickly into a future where we do not require a single rocket to bring everything necessary for a mission to space, and as such, gaining experience with multi-launch campaigns and on-orbit assembly is directionally correct. The Blue Origin test lander for Artemis III will incorporate many of the most important systems and subsystems that have not previously been operated by the provider, including ECLSS in a crew cabin, and other avionics. With SpaceX, they have demonstrated many of those capabilities continuously on Crew Dragon, but other controllability tests are important based on the negative-X axis acceleration that will be necessary when Starship undertakes the TLI burn to the Moon with a docked Orion. After Artemis III, we will learn a lot and roll in further improvements, be that hardware, software, or procedural updates, as both providers undertake end-to-end uncrewed demonstrations to the surface in 2028, in advance of Artemis IV, where NASA astronauts will finally complete the grand return to the Moon. As I said in my remarks yesterday, when Gene Cernan left the lunar surface on Apollo 17, he said, “We leave as we came, and, God willing, we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind.” We are returning, and we are doing so with the fire carried forward from Apollo, the lessons learned from Artemis II, the crew of Artemis III, and all those who will follow. NASA will send the very best crews for the right missions. If the composition of our astronaut corps and our latest class of candidates says anything, it is that we have exactly the talent required to get the job done. Godspeed Artemis III, and all those who will follow.

Proud to continue our partnership with @esa as Luca Parmitano joins the Artemis III crew. Great things happen when trusted partners come together around bold goals. Together, Artemis III will prove the capabilities and operational rhythm needed for the next era of lunar exploration.

El evento empezó. Una aventura increíble. Artemis III va a ser una demostración de lo que podemos hacer en el futuro. Un futuro donde hacemos cosas increíbles en el espacio una tras la otra. @NASAAdmin @NASA @NASAJohnson

Superfeliz de celebrar 🎊el anuncio con la tripulación 🧑🏽‍🚀🚀 🌖🌎 de Artemis III hoy. @NASA @NASA_es @NASAJohnson

An easy way to get unstuck is to get up and take a walk. We generate more creative ideas during and after walking outdoors—and even on a treadmill facing a blank wall. Divergent thinking rarely happens when we're tethered to a desk. Moving our bodies frees our minds.

X-59 goes through the number! Congrats to the @NASA and @LockheedMartin🦨 teams! At @NASAArmstrong , we are rebuilding our X-plane portfolio and getting NASA back in the business of radical airframe and engine flight test!. Today was another small step in the right direction 🇺🇸

⏳ Reminder: Mike Simpson Scholarship deadline is approaching. Applications close June 15 (8 AM MST). If you’re a YP presenting at #IAC2026 in Antalya, apply now for funding support. 👉 bit.ly/3QN9RfB

What's next for the Red Planet? Tune in tonight at 8 pm ET as we discuss the history of Mars exploration and what exciting missions may be in the planet's future. Watch on YouTube: s.si.edu/3QkI6Lx Sponsored by @L3HarrisTech and @ULALaunch

Today at 1 p.m. ET, learn about NASA’s latest TechLeap Prize: the Robotically Manipulated Payload Challenge. Up to three winners will be selected to receive up to $500,000 each and the opportunity for a flight test. Join to hear tips for preparing an application: go.nasa.gov/4ocCLCI

Do you know a woman or ally making an extraordinary impact in aerospace? 🚀✨ Nominate her for a 2026 WIA Award! Nominations are due July 27: womeninaerospace.org/program… #WIAAwards #WomenInAerospace #WomenInSTEM

The 2027 Women in Aviation International (WAI) scholarship program is officially open, and members can review dozens of scholarships at wai.org/scholarships. ✈️🤩 Currently, there are over 50 scholarships valued at more than $200,000 offered for flight training, engineering, maintenance, dispatch, drones, and career advancement for individuals in all stages of life. This 2027 scholarship cycle includes two Harvard Emerging Leaders professional development courses–on campus in May 2027 and online in June 2027. There are more than 10 new scholarships to further members’ learning in flight training, space engineering, aviation management, and aircraft maintenance. Applicants are encouraged to check for new scholarships often and may apply for up to three scholarships per year. “WAI believes in shaping the future of our industry by investing in the people who will meet the needs of our growing global aviation workforce," says WAI CEO Lynda Coffman. "Our annual scholarship program is one of the most meaningful benefits of WAI membership, and we are deeply grateful for the generosity of our scholarship funders and supporters.” The total amount of scholarships awarded by WAI since 1995 is more than $17 million.  Recipients will be awarded during the 38th Annual Women in Aviation International Conference in Savannah, Georgia, from February 25-27, 2027. To qualify for a scholarship, the applicant must be a WAI member as of August 30, 2026. Applications must be submitted to  WAI by 11:59 p.m. EDT September 1, 2026, and winners will be notified by December 15, 2026. Details of each scholarship, application requirements, FAQs, plus tips for submitting a winning application can be found at wai.org/scholarships.

There's still time to submit your entry in the Space Ideation Contest! Follow the link to submit your idea and earn up to $25,000. bit.ly/3PKWP1V #BusinessKnights #ChargeOn

The shadows of things to come. NASA’s fleet of orbiters, rovers, and helicopters at Mars have helped us know before we go, providing key information about landing sites, weather conditions, and much more.

If you’re in DC, make @NASA HQ a stop. Completely transformed with a donut shop, incredible artifacts, models, interactive experiences, and more, it’s a reminder that exploration is no longer something of the past. It’s happening right now. The Golden Age of exploration is here.

Some LC-36 updates. Now that we’ve had access to the pad and integration facility we can share a bit of good news. The propellant farm, oxygen, liquid hydrogen and LNG tanks are all in good shape. This is good luck because these are very long lead items. The water tower is also good. The big support tower is damaged, but it can be repaired in place rather than torn down and replaced. The booster “Never Tell Me The Odds” and the three GS-2s that were onsite in the integration facility also look good. I’ve seen some speculation that we might move directly to the 9x4 configuration, but we won’t do that. Rate manufacturing of 7x2 is going well, and we’re going to continue that at pace as planned and store the stages for use. In addition, we had already been working for some time on eliminating our transporter-erector in favor of an alternative vertical conop, and we’ll now go directly to that; so we don’t need a new transporter-erector. We will fly again before the end of this year. Gradatim Ferociter.

🚀 Deadline extended! Apply to the Orbital Edge Accelerator by June 4, 2026 for a chance at $500K–$750K in funding a $100K Boeing prize. 👉 ow.ly/Wmsx50Z4tEN

Konsta Helenius with the second IIHF World Championship golden goal for the #Sabres in as many years — he joins Tage Thompson. Finland beats Switzerland, 1-0.