Marcia Dunn

AP Aerospace Writer

In this handout photo released by Roscosmos Space Agency Press Service U.S. astronaut Chris Cassidy, left, Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin, centre, and Ivan Vagner, members of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), walk prior the launch of Soyuz MS-16 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, April 9, 2020.

Astronauts Leave Virus-Plagued Planet for Space Station

Not even family members could bid them farewell.

In this April 11, 1970 photo made available by NASA, the Saturn V rocket carrying the crew of the Apollo 13 mission to the moon launches from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Remembering Apollo 13 at 50

It is regarded as NASA’s most successful failure.

In this Feb. 7, 1984 photo made available by NASA, astronaut Bruce McCandless II, performs a spacewalk a few meters away from the cabin of the Earth-orbiting space shuttle Challenger, using a nitrogen-propelled Manned Maneuvering Unit.

NASA Call for Astronauts Draws 12,000

It was NASA's second-largest group of astronaut hopefuls.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, March 26, 2020.

Space Force Launches First Mission

The new branch launched a $1 billion national security satellite.

This March 26, 1971 photo made available by NASA shows astronauts Al Worden, center, Dave Scott, left, and Jim Irwin in the Command Module for an altitude chamber test at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Worden, who circled the moon alone in 1971 while his two crewmates tried out the first lunar rover, has died at age 88, his family said Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

Apollo 15 Astronaut Al Worden Dies at 88

He circled the moon alone in 1971.

A Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket with a payload of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX's Starlink broadband network lifts off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

SpaceX Success Despite Engine Failure

The engine failure happened shortly after liftoff on a recycled rocket flying a record five times.

In this image taken from NASA video, NASA astronauts Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir use the International Space Station's robot arm to capture the Dragon capsule Monday, March 9, 2020.

SpaceX's 20th Station Shipment Brings Candy, Science

Skittles, Reese's Pieces, Hot Tamales, and science.

In this Dec. 22, 2019 file photo, the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft jettisons its heat shield before it lands in White Sands, N.M., after an aborted test flight to the International Space Station. On Friday, Feb. 6, 2020, NASA said Boeing faces 61 safety corrective actions following the unsuccessful December test.

Boeing Capsule Faces 61 Safety Fixes

The fixes follow last year's botched test flight.

This Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019 file photo shows the Boeing Starliner spacecraft after it landed in White Sands, N.M. On Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, Boeing acknowledged it failed to conduct full and adequate software tests before the botched space debut of its astronaut capsule late last year.

Boeing Blames Incomplete Testing for Capsule Woes

Company says it failed to conduct full and adequate software tests.

This image made available by NASA on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 shows the Ophiuchus galaxy cluster viewed in a composite of X-ray, radio and infrared data. The inset image at bottom right shows data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory which confirmed a cavity formed by a record-breaking explosion from a super-massive black hole.

Biggest Explosion Seen in Universe, Black Hole

The explosion was so large it carved out a crater in the hot gas that could hold 15 Milky Ways.

This Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020 photo provided by Northrop Grumman shows the Intelsat 901 satellite as the Mission Extension Vehicle-1 approaches it in orbit around the Earth, bottom right.

Satellite Almost on Empty Gets New Life

A communication satellite almost out of fuel has gotten a new life after the first space docking of its kind.

This Feb. 18, 2020 photo made available by NASA shows the InSight lander's dome-covered seismometer, known as SEIS, on Mars. On Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, scientists reported that the spacecraft has detected hundreds of quakes and even aftershocks that are regularly jolting the red planet.

Lander Confirms Mars Quakes

Quakes and aftershocks are regularly jolting the red planet.