NASA has authorized two heliophysics research missions worth potentially $108.3 million combined to study solar impact and space weather near the Earth’s atmosphere. The EUVST solar telescope will work to observe the release of solar wind as well as the eruption of solar material which impact the space radiation environment.

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, a joint U.S.-European satellite built to measure global sea surface height, has sent back its first measurements of sea level. "We're excited for Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich to begin its critical work studying sea level and helping us understand the many aspects of our planet's global ocean," said Thomas Zurbuchen.

NASA has identified its science priorities for the Artemis III mission, which have been included in a recent NASA report. “This report helps outline a path forward toward the compelling science we can now contemplate doing on the lunar surface in conjunction with human explorers,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

NASA has released an independent report detailing the agency’s readiness to conduct a campaign focused on obtaining soil samples from Mars to be used for Earth-based scientific research. “We know there are challenges ahead, but that’s why we look closely at these architectures,” said Jim Bridenstine, administrator of NASA and a former Wash100 Award winner.

NASA has gathered more than the required amount of rock samples for a mission to study the Bennu asteroid. The space agency said Saturday it collected over 60 grams of Bennu's surface material under the OSIRIS-REx mission. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft's Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) collected samples for the mission. 

NASA has picked five projects for an effort to study the changes exhibited by the Sun and space, as well as their effects on planet Earth. The space agency said Friday it will invest $1.25 million in each project for nine-month concept studies, and will eventually downselect a maximum of two proposals for full execution through the Heliophysics Explorers program.

NASA has announced progress toward reopening by taking the initial steps back to normal operations due to the recent recovery reports of the COVID-19 pandemic, the administration reported on Monday. 

NASA has partnered with its European and Japanese counterparts to leverage their respective geospatial intelligence resources to collect data on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. NASA that the agency has teamed up with the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to deploy Earth-observing satellites to document the pandemic’s potential long-term impacts as part of the initiative. 

Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA, has said the agency is delaying the launch of its James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) initially slated for March 2021, Space News reported Wednesday.

Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA, said the space agency plans to build a space-based telescope to identify and track near-Earth objects that could pose potential threats to the planet, GeekWire reported Monday.