Space

Just days after NASA's announced working with Blue Origin and its Mark One Endurance Lander for the first Moon Base mission, Blue Origin's rocket booster New Glenn burst into flames in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Now, it' snot known how this will affect or perhaps push back NASA's agenda for building a permanent habitation on the moon.

Launch Complex 36 costs Blue Origin over $1 billion to build, but now  an explosion, triggered by an "anomaly" caused the launch pad to burst into flames. It's not known how much it will cost to fix the complex. If the pad is badly damaged, this will slow future launch plans down, experts say. 

Dr. Don Platt, Director of the Spaceport Education Center at the Florida Institute of Technology joins FOX 35's Garrett Wymer live via Zoom after SpaceX completed a successful launch following Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploding on a flight test. Dr. Platt dives into whether the Artemis program or NASA should be worried about the future of America's return to the moon.

FULL PRESS CONFERENCE | NASA has unveiled a three-phase strategic roadmap to establish a permanent moon base spanning hundreds of square miles, starting with three foundational robotic missions targeted for completion by late 2026. Backed by international and commercial partnerships, the initial phase will deploy Blue Origin and Astrobotic landers alongside advanced rovers to the lunar South Pole to test critical infrastructure and de-risk human landing systems.

NASA is working toward inhabiting the moon by its Moon Base project. On May 26, the space agency unveiled its Phase 1 plans, including the number of launches and learning more about the lunar surface. 

NASA administrator Jared Isaacman unveiled the first three of the planned 12 Moon Base missions. The first three missions are set to take place by the end of 2026. 

Ken Kremer, Managing Editor for Space UpClose joins FOX 35's Garrett Wymer live via Zoom ahead of NASA's planned news conference to share new details on their plans for a permanent lunar base on the Moon's surface and the next slate of rocket launches and missions from NASA and the new-age Space Race.

According to the newly released Space Debris Report by Accu, nearly half of the objects currently tracked in Earth's orbit are considered completely uncontrolled space junk. The Accu Orbital Tracking Report currently monitors 33,269 objects in Earth's orbit. Of those, only 17,682 are classified as functioning payloads (satellites). The rest consists of rocket bodies, unassigned objects, and thousands of pieces of debris.

NASA and SpaceX launched 6,500 pounds of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station.  This launch provided current astronauts onboard the ISS with scientific investigations, supplies and equipment. On its return trip, the spacecraft will transport items back to Earth for research and repairs. 

FULL | Watch a full look at the Falcon-9, Dragon Spacecraft launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 15, 2026. The Dragon is carrying 6,500 pounds of supplies and is expected to dock at 7 a.m., May 17.