With its Ingenuity Mars Helicopter's first flight compete, NASA has made history, opening the door to missions beyond landers and rovers. Also: what SpaceX's Human Landing System contract means for the SLS and the future of NASA leadership.

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Links and Show Notes:

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NASA Statement on Nomination of Pam Melroy for Agency Deputy Administrator

Artemis Moonwalkers, Space Station to Use NASA-Industry EVA Services | NASA

NASA and Boeing Targeting August/September for Starliner’s Uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 Launch

Crew-2 Flight Readiness Review Begins as Falcon 9 Rocket and Crew Dragon Reach the Launch Complex – Commercial Crew Program

NASA SpaceX Crew-2 ‘Go’ for April 22 Launch – Commercial Crew Program

An Astronaut's Heart Shrank From Space Travel, Study Finds - The New York Times

Artemis I Core Stage Being Readied for Shipment to Kennedy – Artemis

NASA Ground, Marine Teams Integral to Moving SLS Rocket to Pad | NASA

Elon Musk’s SpaceX will build NASA’s lunar lander - The Verge

NASA Picks SpaceX to Land Next Americans on Moon | NASA

Eric Berger on Twitter: "For perspective on what "commercial space" means: SpaceX's bid for the entirety of its Human Landing System, $2.9 billion, is about what NASA spends each year on SLS and associated ground systems development."

The Orbital Index | Space: weekly, technical, curated.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Succeeds in Historic First Flight – NASA’s Mars Exploration Program

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter achieves historic powered flight on Mars - The Verge

First Video of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter in Flight, Includes Takeoff and Landing (High-Res) - YouTube

NASA's Dragonfly Mission to Titan Will Look for Origins, Signs of Life | NASA