NASA’s Artemis program has little room for error if it is to land astronauts on the moon by the end of 2028, but Blue Origin could be out of commission for at least a year.

Before Neil Armstrong ever touched down on the lunar surface, NASA was running classified landing simulations in a bizarre patchwork aircraft assembled from spare parts. The Bell X-14 was the hidden rehearsal tool that made the Apollo moon landing possible.

The agency has begun reaching out to lawmakers as it pushes to meet President Trump’s moon landing timeline.

NASA’s next giant leap to the Moon is getting a high-fashion upgrade through a groundbreaking collaboration between Prada and Axiom Space. Prada has co-developed special spacesuits for NASA astronauts to wear during their upcoming lunar mission.

NASA's Stereo Cameras for Lunar-Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS) captured the landing of Firefly's Blue Ghost landing on the moon. Credit: NASA/Olivia Tyrrell | edited by Space.com