
ALT The Moon is seen shining over the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft atop the mobile launcher on January 28, 2026. The sky is a dark blue gradient in the background. The core stage of the rocket is a burnt orange color. It is topped with the white Orion spacecraft and sandwiched between two white solid rocket boosters. The mobile launcher is a trussed structure that stands behind the rocket. The perspective of the image if from below the rocket looking upward. Credit: NASA/Brandon Hancock

ALT Photo of a Hall thruster identical to those on NASA’s Psyche operating in a vacuum chamber at JPL during tests. A ring of blue light emits a hazy stream of glowing material. The blue light is generated by xenon ions being accelerated through an electromagnetic field, which gives the spacecraft a gentle but steady acceleration. NASA/JPL-Caltech


































