NASA engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California have tested next-generation Mars helicopter rotor blades in a simulated Martian atmosphere and driven rotor-tip speeds beyond Mach 1. During a 137-run campaign concluded in March, teams mounted a three-bladed rotor in JPL’s 25-Foot Space Simulator, evacuated the chamber and backfilled it with carbon dioxide to Martian pressures, then increased rpm and headwinds until tip speeds reached Mach 1.08 at about 3,750 rpm. That regime boosted lift by roughly 30%, a gain that could allow future aircraft to carry heavier science instruments, larger batteries and longer-duration flight systems. A two-bladed SkyFall rotor design reached comparable tip speeds at about 3,570 rpm. The rotors, built by AeroVironment, were tested to assess structural integrity near the sonic edge and to inform designs for the agency’s next-generation Mars aerial vehicles.

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft captured thousands of images during a gravity-assist flyby of Mars on May 15, 2026, as it continues its journey to the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche. Passing within roughly 2,864 miles (4,609 km) of the Martian surface, Psyche obtained high-resolution views including the double-ring Huygens crater, Syrtis Major wind streaks, the south polar ice cap, and broad views of Valles Marineris. Approach images showed Mars as a bright crescent with enhanced atmospheric scattering. The flyby increased Psyche’s speed by about 1,000 mph (1,600 km/h) and shifted its orbital plane by ~1 degree, adjustments mission teams say keep the probe on track for an August 2029 arrival at asteroid 16 Psyche. Engineers used the close pass to calibrate the spacecraft’s multispectral cameras and validate navigation using NASA’s Deep Space Network. Launched Oct. 13, 2023, and propelled by solar-electric engines, Psyche will orbit the large metallic asteroid to map its composition — a target thought to be an exposed planetary core — and to test instruments ahead of close study.

China launched the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft on May 24, 2026, sending three astronauts to its Tiangong space station in a mission that will for the first time see a Chinese crew member remain in orbit for about a year. The Long March-2F rocket lifted off from Jiuquan at 1508 GMT carrying commander Zhu Yangzhu, pilot Zhang Zhiyuan and payload specialist Lai Ka-ying (also reported as Li Jiaying), the first astronaut from Hong Kong. China’s space agency said one of the trio will extend their stay to study long-duration human physiology — including radiation exposure, bone and muscle loss and psychological stresses — and carry out scientific and materials experiments. The flight will perform an autonomous rapid rendezvous and docking with Tiangong and follows recent emergency and lifeboat flights after suspected debris damage to a previous Shenzhou vehicle. Shenzhou-23 is being framed as a stepping stone for Beijing’s ambition to mount a crewed moon landing by 2030 and to develop new lunar hardware such as the Mengzhou capsule, Lanyue lander and heavy-lift Long March-10 rocket.

SpaceX’s first planned liftoff of its overhauled Starship V3 was scrubbed late in the countdown on May 21, 2026, at the company’s Starbase facility in Texas after engineers encountered last‑second technical faults. Company spokespeople and Elon Musk cited a malfunctioning hydraulic pin on the launch tower and related pad hardware issues that could not be resolved within the launch window, and SpaceX said it would attempt another launch the following day. The high‑profile test was the inaugural integrated flight attempt for the V3 configuration and the first from Pad 2 — milestones tied to future lunar missions and heavier commercial payloads. Rap star Nicki Minaj made a surprise appearance on the live webcast, wearing a Starship T‑shirt and praising Musk and the project on camera. Her cameo, widely circulated on social media and re‑shared by Musk, added a celebrity and political dimension to the test; Minaj has been publicly aligned with conservative figures in recent months. SpaceX is conducting the test campaign as it prepares for more ambitious crewed and commercial operations and moves toward a proposed public offering.

During SpaceX’s aborted Starship V3 test launch on May 21, 2026, the company revealed plans for a private interplanetary flyby of the Moon and Mars led by cryptocurrency billionaire Chun Wang. Wang, who funded and commanded the private Fram2 Crew Dragon mission in 2025, appeared in a recorded announcement broadcast during the countdown from Bouvet Island. SpaceX described the mission as a Mars flyby that will also pass the Moon, with the round-trip profile expected to take roughly two years; no firm launch date, vehicle certification status or additional crew have been disclosed. The reveal came amid ongoing technical work on Starship V3 — the company’s largest megarocket, whose development is closely watched by NASA because of its potential role in lunar landings under the Artemis programme. SpaceX said the May 21 launch attempt was scrubbed for a ground-side mechanical issue and indicated further test flights are forthcoming. Wang’s backing and prior private-flown experience underline the growing role of wealthy patrons in commercial deep-space plans, even as Starship has yet to achieve orbital operations.

SpaceX conducted the first flight of its upgraded Starship V3 on May 22, 2026, from its Starbase facility in Texas, marking the 12th uncrewed test of the program. Liftoff from a newly completed second pad came after a one-day delay caused by a stuck hydraulic pin on the launch tower. The 407-foot vehicle completed stage separation and deployed 20 mock Starlink satellites plus two modified Starlinks that imaged Starship’s heat shield during re-entry. One of the Starship upper-stage’s six Raptor engines shut down during ascent; controllers compensated by running remaining engines longer. The Super Heavy booster failed to complete a planned boost-back burn and fell into the Gulf of Mexico; it was not slated for recovery on this flight. The upper stage performed a controlled re-entry and splashed down in the Indian Ocean about 65 minutes after launch and subsequently broke apart. SpaceX described the flight as largely successful and said it yielded critical engineering data as the company prepares for a proposed mid‑June initial public offering and pursues NASA lunar contracts and expanded Starlink capacity.