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Key developments: On April 1 2026 NASA launched the Artemis II crewed lunar‑flyby mission, a pivotal step toward a sustainable return to the Moon and future Mars exploration. Later in the year, on October 13 2026 the agency’s 35th Commercial Resupply Services flight (CRS‑35) lifted off at 6:33 a.m. EDT, delivering artificial retinas, mini‑brain organoids and the International Space Station’s final roll‑out solar arrays aboard a SpaceX Dragon.
Why they matter: Artemis II demonstrates the performance of the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft for deep‑space crewed travel, confirming critical systems needed for upcoming lunar landings and eventual Mars missions. CRS‑35 showcases NASA’s continued reliance on commercial partners to supply the ISS with cutting‑edge biomedical experiments and the last power‑upgrade hardware, extending the station’s scientific capabilities while shaping the future commercial‑station market.
What to watch next: Follow the post‑flight analysis of Artemis II’s Orion systems and crew health data, which will inform the planning of Artemis III and subsequent lunar landing missions. Keep an eye on the return of CRS‑35’s Dragon capsule in mid‑November, when researchers will analyze the retina‑printing and brain‑organoid results, potentially advancing treatments for vision loss and neurodegenerative diseases. [[1, 2, 3]]