nasa group visit

• Park Overview Explore Missions Zones
• Heroes and Legends Space Pioneers
• Behind the Gates Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour
• Race to the Moon Apollo Moon Landing
• Shuttle: A Ship Like No Other NASA's Space Shuttle Program
• NASA Now + Next Preparing for Journey to Mars
• All Attractions
• Plan Your Visit
• Hours Of Operation
• Hotel Packages
• Travel Information
• Events Overview
• Event Calendar
• See A Launch
• Groups Overview Plan Events and Tours
• Youth Groups Programs and Field Trips
• Scouts Adventures for Scout Troops
• Private Events Events and Custom Tours
• International Programs and Custom Tours
• Camp KSC Day Camp for Students
• Educators Resources for Teachers
• Programs Educational Programs at KSC
• Accessibility Information

TICKETS & PACKAGES

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex℠ offers a variety of ticket options and add-on enhancements to create the best experience for your next visit! 

Savings for Florida Residents

Offer valid: may 1, 2024 - august 18, 2024.

Florida residents save with this exclusive offer featuring discounted tickets for a party of four to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Download and print the coupon before visiting. Plan your trip today!

Offer only available May 1 - August 18, 2024. Must be redeemed on site by August 18, 2024. *Proof of Florida residency is required. Valid for up to four (4) admissions purchased in one transaction. Restrictions apply. No cash value. Not valid with any other discount or specially ticketed event or rocket launch packages.

*Proof of residence includes, but is not limited to a valid Florida Driver's License or utility bill.

Check back throughout the year for offer updates

1-Day Admission Ticket

Included with Admission

• Gateway™: The Deep Space Launch Complex featuring Spaceport KSC
• Space Shuttle Atlantis® and the Shuttle Launch Experience®
• Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour
• Apollo/Saturn V Center
• Heroes and Legends featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®
• Astronaut Encounter
• Planet Play
• Rocket Garden guided tours
• Journey to Mars
• 3D Space Films
• Character Appearances
• Other scheduled presentations and films

Not Included with Admission

The following experiences are add-on enhancements and are not included with daily admission.

• Chat with an Astronaut
• Special Interest Tours (extended bus tours)
• Astronaut Training Experience®
• Astronaut Training Experience Training Stages

A 1-Day Admission Ticket is valid ONLY for the day selected during the ticket purchase process.

This ticket does not include parking.

2-Day Admission Ticket

A 2-Day Admission Ticket is valid beginning on the day selected during the ticket purchase process. Both admissions must be used within 6 months of that selected date.

Senior 1-Day Admission Ticket

Seniors age 55+ experience special savings on 1-day admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Tickets must be purchased at the ticket kiosks or at Will Call upon arrival.

Senior 2-day admission ticket.

Seniors age 55+ experience even more savings on 2-day admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Military 1-Day Admission Ticket

U.S. military receives a discount on adult and child admission.

VERIFY WITH ID.ME OR PRESENT VALID PROOF OF SERVICE AT WILL CALL.

Members of the U.S. Military (active, retired and veterans) receive $5 off adult and child one-day or two-day admission tickets. There are three ways to receive the discount: on-site at the ticket kiosks, on-site at Will Call, and online.

KennedySpaceCenter.com*

Tickets may be purchased online after ID.me verification. You will be directed to log in or create an account with ID.me during the purchasing process. Once verified, you may purchase your discounted ticket(s).

On-Site (Ticket Kiosks)*

At the kiosks, you will be given a barcode to scan with your mobile device which will take you to ID.me for log in and verification. Follow on-screen prompts. Once verified, you may purchase your discounted ticket(s). This option for purchase will be coming soon.

On-Site (Will Call)

If you do not have an ID.me account, you may bring your proof of service (such as DD-214, Choose VA card, retiree ID, driver’s license with the Veterans designation, or active duty military ID) to the Will Call agents upon arrival. They will verify your service and apply the discount.

The discount can be applied to up to 6 guests per transaction.

*Please note that it is highly recommended you have an ID.me account before purchasing. ID.me may not verify your credentials immediately if this is the first time documentation is submitted.

Military 2-Day Admission Ticket

U.S. military receives a higher discount on a 2-day adult and child admission.

ATLANTIS ANNUAL PASS

Enjoy a year of unlimited admission, including free parking, 10% off admission for up to six accompanying guests per visit, and discounts on food and retail.

Atlantis annual pass perks

Included with the Atlantis Annual Pass:

• Admission for one year*
• 10% off admission for up to six guests per visit
• Lanyard to match the pass level
• Monthly Newsletter plus rocket launch and event alerts (when providing an email address)
• Free parking each visit ($15 value per visit)
• 10% off retail and food and beverage purchases
• 10% off Astronaut Training Experience® and Camp Kennedy Space Center®
• Exclusive access to special passholder events

* Annual passes are not valid for separately priced tickets such as special launch viewing and events. ** Passholder must check the box to sign up for exclusive emails during the purchasing process.

Annual passholders receive a 10% discount on many separately priced activities when admission is included. Terms and conditions are subject to change.

• Rocket Garden rocket tours

NOT INCLUDED WITH ADMISSION

The emailed tickets received online allow for the first entry to the visitor complex. You may print your Atlantis Annual Pass or display it on your mobile device. Upon arrival to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, go directly to the turnstiles at the main entrance. Scan the barcode on one ticket at the turnstile and once verified, you will be admitted. Visit Guest Services to exchange each ticket for an annual pass. Your photo will be taken at the time the annual pass is issued.

Cosmic Club Family Annual Pass

INCLUDED WITH the Cosmic Club Family Annual Pass

With a Cosmic Club Family Annual Pass, your entire family will enjoy: 

• Admission for one year* 
• Two adult annual passes, which will also permit entry for four children ages 3-11 per visit 
• Save $50 on select birthday party packages in Planet Play 
• Free parking each visit ($15 value per visit) 
• 10% off daily admission for up to 6 additional guests per visit 
• 10% off most retail and food and beverage purchases 
• 10% off Camp Kennedy Space Center and Virtual Camp Kennedy Space Center 
• Up to six Collectable Souvenir Cups with $0.99 refills 
• Front of the line access for Planet Play 
• Exclusive access to special passholder events 

*Annual passes are not valid for separately priced tickets such as special launch viewing and events. ** Passholder must check the box to sign up for exclusive emails during the purchasing process.

INCLUDED WITH ADMISSION

• When purchasing the Cosmic Club Family Pass, you will be asked to provide the names of the two adults associated with the family pass. Each adult will have their own annual pass card, redeemed on site during their first visit.   The emailed tickets received online allow for the first entry to the visitor complex. You may print your Cosmic Club Family Annual Pass or display them on your mobile device.  Upon arrival to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, go directly to the turnstiles at the main entrance. Scan the barcode on one ticket at the turnstile and once verified, you will be admitted. Each ticket is valid for one entry only.  
• Visit Guest Services to exchange each ticket for an annual pass. Guest Services is located inside the turnstiles and to the right.   Each named passholder must redeem this ticket on site within 30 days of the purchase date. Your photo will be taken at the time the annual pass is issued. The family annual pass begins as soon as one passholder redeems this ticket at the visitor complex. 

Annual passes are not valid for separately priced tickets such as special launch viewing and events. Annual passholders receive a 10% discount on many separately priced activities when admission is included. Terms and conditions are subject to change. 

KSC Explore Tour

Ignite your imagination on the KSC Explore Tour . Get closer to restricted areas such as launch pads and the Vehicle Assembly Building at America’s multi-user spaceport. This 2 hour tour includes stops for photo opportunities along the way before concluding at the Apollo/Saturn V Center.

With a space expert as your guide, tour America’s multi-user spaceport and make stops along the way for iconic photographic views. Ignite your imagination on the  KSC Explore Tour .

Go beyond the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour, included with admission, with this Explore Tour, stopping to capture photo opportunities and view icons of NASA spaceflight operations. Tour availability and routes may be altered at any time with or without any notice due to operational requirements. Safety protocols require an alternate tour bus route during days leading up to a launch from Launch Complex 39A.

Fly With An Astronaut

Discover Something Real ™ while exploring behind the gates of Kennedy Space Center as part of a small group with a veteran NASA astronaut guide.

Fly With An Astronaut includes a one-day admission ticket in the pricing. There is no need to purchase a separate admission ticket.

• Annual passholder discounts for Fly With An Astronaut tickets are only available by calling 855.456.6597
• Tour is scheduled from 9:15 AM to approximately 2:15 PM.
• Space is limited to 43 participants
• Guests will receive a special pin with their experience
• This tour may not be suitable for young children due to the length of the tour and minors must be accompanied by a participating, paying adult over the age of 18.

* In addition to daily admission ticket or annual pass. Multiple tours are not recommended.

Chat With An Astronaut

Sit down in a casual, small-group setting, enjoy a sampling of food and beverages and ask a NASA astronaut your most pressing questions. 

INTRODUCING CHAT WITH AN ASTRONAUT  

Enjoy a sampling of food and beverages while having a group conversation about what it is really like to live and work in space. with plenty of time for an engaging Q & A session.

Inclusions:   

• A continental breakfast in the morning, or chef’s choice of culinary samplings in the afternoon 
• 1 alcoholic drink per adult ticket (more available for purchase)
• A commemorative gift and lithograph (signed portrait) of the astronaut

Due to the small setting of this experience, Chat With An Astronaut is not available to groups. There is a maximum of 6 tickets purchased per transaction.  This experience is indoors with social distancing practices in place. For more information on our Trusted Space efforts against the spread of COVID-19, visit our  Health & Safety Procedures  page. 

Land and Drive on Mars Training Stage

Navigate the Martian surface! This full-motion simulator will place you in the Commander or Pilot seats where you hone your skills and drive over the rough Martian terrain. With varying degrees of motion intensity, everyone can drive on Mars. 

All ATX Training Stages are perfect for guests looking to kick off their space exploration training during their visit without doing the full ATX program. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ATX TRAINING STAGES:  

• ATX Training Stages must be purchased in addition to daily admission.  
• All ATX Training Stages are for individuals and groups ages 10 and older. Trainees that are ages 10 - 17 will require a paying, participating adult.  
• Allow 30 minutes in your day for your ATX Training Stage. 
• Program is presented in English both verbally and in text.   
• Minimum height for this simulator is 51 inches/1.3 meters tall. 
• Maximum weight for all simulators is 275 pounds/127 kilograms. 
• Closed toed shoes are required.  

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS: 

• All Astronaut Training Experience Simulators:  For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this experience.  Expectant mothers should not participate.  
• Land and Drive on Mars Simulator: Those who have had recent surgery or injury should not ride.  Participants must be at least 51” tall.

Due to limited capacities and enhanced sanitization practices, availability is limited to a first come, first served basis. We highly recommend you pre-book your training stage before you arrive . 

Walk on Mars Training Stage

Time to step onto the Red Planet. Walk on Mars through immersive virtual reality with the help of your crew. Nowhere else on Earth can you explore Mars quite like this.  

Requirements For All ATX Training Stages:  

• Minimum height for this simulator is 48 inches/1.22 meters tall. 

Safety Precautions: 

• All Astronaut Training Experience Simulators: For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this experience.  Expectant mothers should not participate.  
• Walk on Mars Virtual Reality: If you experience seizures, loss of awareness, eye strain, altered vision or other visual abnormalities, dizziness, disorientation, or any symptom related to motion sickness, you should not participate.  Guests who have pre-existing binocular vision abnormalities should not participate. 

Microgravity Training Stage

Train for weightlessness and conduct your own spacewalk in the Microgravity Simulator. You and your crew will work together in order to successfully complete a series of training challenges needed to set you on a path to Mars, all while in a frictionless environment.  

*In addition to daily admission ticket or annual pass.

Astronaut Training Experience

Nowhere else on Earth can you train to go to Mars and experience astronaut training. Through exciting and immersive simulation technology, prepare for the next mission to Mars.

Trainees do not need daily admission to experience ATX.

• ATX is a 5 hour program, beginning at 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM on the dates available. 
• ATX is suitable for ages 10 and older. Trainees that are ages 10 - 17 will require a paying, participating adult.

SAFETY AND RESTRICTIONS:

English Flue ncy:   Due to safety instructions and the interactive content essential to this program, each guest must be fluent in English in order to participate in ATX.

All Astronaut Training Experience Simulators:  For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this experience.  Expectant mothers should not participate.

Lander/Rover Simulator:  Those who have had recent surgery or injury should not ride.  Participants must be at least 51” tall.

Walk on Mars Virtual Reality:  If you experience seizures, loss of awareness, eye strain, altered vision or other visual abnormalities, dizziness, disorientation, or any symptom related to motion sickness, you should not participate.  Guests who have pre-existing binocular vision abnormalities should not participate.

Spacewalk Training:  Participants must be at least 48 inches/1.22 meters tall. Max weight 275 pounds/127 kilograms.

Admission is not included, but it is not required for the Astronaut Training Experience.

Mars Base 1

Travel to Mars to live and work for the day, solving authentic science and engineering challenges. Rookie Astronauts manage the Base Operations Center on Mars, harvest plants in the Botany Lab, program robots to optimize solar energy and adapt to the challenges of living on Mars.

Due to safety instructions and the interactive content essential to this program, each guest must be fluent in English in order to participate. 

• Mars Base 1 begins at 9:00 am and is an all-day program.
• Appropriate for ages 10 and older.  Trainees that are ages 10 - 17 will require a paying, participating adult.
• Wheelchair accessible, but with some possible mobility challenges.

Learn more about Mars Base 1 . 

Mars Base 1 does not include daily admission to the visitor complex, but daily admission is not required to participate. Add  admission  to visit on your second day and have the complete Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex experience!

Admission is not included.

Kennedy Under the Stars After Hours Event

August 31, 2024 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm.

Kennedy Under the Stars returns August 31, 2024! This exclusive after-hours event combines your favorite visitor complex attractions with a galactic glow party!

The main visitor complex’s key attractions will remain open with lower wait times, so you’ll have more time to venture to other worlds in Spaceport KSC, get up close with actual flight-flown artifacts like space shuttle Atlantis and a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster, feel the rumble aboard the Shuttle Launch Experience ® and more.

Select visitor complex restaurants and retail stores will also be open during this specially ticketed event.

Finally, the evening event would not be complete without your best space-themed costume. Dress to impress and have fun, but for security reasons, costumed masks that conceal your face are prohibited, as are any props that resemble weapons.

August 31, 2024 • 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Tickets for all ages are $65 (plus tax). annual passholders attending the event will receive discounts on food and a 30% savings on retail items..

Parking to this event is complimentary.

This ticket is valid for EVENT ENTRY ONLY. The Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour and the Apollo/Saturn V Center will not be operational.

Enhance Your Visit

Play on the Planets

Planet Play®

Experience a ship like no other.

Space Shuttle Atlantis®

Kennedy Space Center Official Guide

Save a Map. Download the free App!

• Kennedy Space Center Official Guide App is available for free from the App Store
• Plan your trip with features such as maps, FAQ’s, and detailed descriptions of shows and attractions.
• Enhance your visit with information on guest services, dining and shopping, and for updated information including rocket launches.
• Use the wayfinding maps to maneuver your way around the visitor complex and the Apollo/Saturn V Center

Admission prices are plus tax. Daily Admission tickets are good for a one-day visit to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex℠, excluding special promotional offers and black out dates. Prices are subject to change without notice. KSC Special Interest Tours, ATX and Chat With An Astronaut are only valid for date of reservation.

Military Discount: Price good with proof of valid ID for United States active duty military at the ticket window. Reservist, retiree and active duty military receive discount when purchasing tickets through a participating MWR/ITT Travel office.

Annual passes are non-transferable and nonrefundable. Purchases of annual passes may be made at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex℠ front gate or guest services, online or by calling the reservations office at 855.433.4210.

Seating is limited at Chat With An Astronaut, and KSC Special Interest Tours are limited and subject to availability. Due to the special nature of these tours, space is limited. Advance reservations are suggested for both special programs. All exhibits are subject to change, and tours may be altered or closed due to operational requirements or launch preparations.

• Register for a new account
• Request new password
• Map of Members
• Competitive Program

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Visitor Center

Visitors must register ahead of time.  See the webpage for details.

All tours are 2 to 2.5 hours in duration and commonly include a multi-media presentation, and seeing our array of models and Solar System gallery, including our full scale Voyager and Galileo spacecraft models.

Guests may also visit the von Karman Visitor Center, the Space Flight Operations Facility, and the Spacecraft Assembly Facility.

Shaping the world of tomorrow

By developing technologies that will enable further exploration of the universe and revolutionize air travel

Proud to be a part of the Ohio community!

See full report

Engage with us!

We’re powering the exploration of the universe

We’re with you when you fly

World-class facilities

• In-space Propulsion
• Aircraft Propulsion
• Extreme Materials
• Space Communications
• In-space Biomedical Research

Are you ready to reach for the stars?

Thanks for contacting us! We will get in touch with you shortly.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

JPL DARES MIGHTY THINGS .

Creating robots to go where humans can’t

Exploring our solar system

Exploring the universe and searching for new worlds

Developing technology to improve life on Earth

Looking for life beyond Earth

Studying our home planet from air and space

Currently active

TIME ON MARS

Mars Perseverance

ASTEROID WATCH

Next close approach (safe)

June 1, 2024

226,000 Miles

Have you been awed by views of desolate Martian Valleys, swirling storms above Jupiter, and the icy blades ringing Saturn? Then you have journeyed with NASA JPL spacecraft and rovers.

Our missions have flown to every planet and the Sun in a quest to understand our place in the universe, and to search for the possibility of life beyond Earth.

JPL is federally funded by NASA and managed by Caltech.

Exploring the Universe

Spacecraft developed at JPL have flown to every planet in the solar system and the Sun, and beyond.

Driving, Folding

Environment

Ground, Surface

is a place for

• Communicators
• Problem Solvers
• Roboticists
• Visualizers
• Oceanographers
• Astrophysicists
• Data Scientists
• Storytellers

NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium

About the isgc, isgc mission and goals, idaho space force (staff), isgc newsletters, annual reports.

Watch CBS News

NASA group studying UFOs stresses need for better data in first public meeting

By William Harwood

Updated on: May 31, 2023 / 10:21 PM EDT / CBS News

An independent group of scientists and experts convened by NASA to study unidentified anomalous phenomena , known as UAPs or UFOs, said Wednesday there is "absolutely no convincing evidence" of extraterrestrial activity in any sightings to date.

That doesn't mean the panel has ruled out aliens, military adversaries or any other explanation — just that of the 800 or so sightings of strange flying objects or other phenomena that defy easy explanation, the data are simply not sufficient to draw any definitive conclusions. 

The 16-member panel stressed the need for better data about the encounters in its first and only public meeting Wednesday. The group was  formed last October  to "lay the groundwork for future study on the nature of UAPs for NASA and other organizations," the agency said at the time, and will produce a report of its findings.

NASA defines UAPs as "observations of events in the sky that cannot be identified as aircraft or known natural phenomena from a scientific perspective." 

Widely replayed Navy fighter pilot video of strange objects maneuvering at high speeds in ways no known aircraft can, along with other unexplained sightings in recent years, have added fuel to the UFO fire, generating widespread public interest and strong feelings from those on both sides.

Panel members said they have faced online harassment since the study was announced by NASA last year from those who believe UFOs in the traditional sense are, in fact, behind some of the unexplained incidents, and similar objections from those who believe the research is a complete waste of time.

"We steer between the rocks and the cyclone," said panel chairman David Spergel, a widely respected cosmologist. "We have a community of people who are completely convinced of the existence of UFOs. And we have a community of people who think addressing this question is ridiculous, everything can be explained."

Nicola Fox, director of NASA's space science directorate, said "it is really disheartening to hear of the harassment that our panelists have faced online, all because they're studying this topic."

"NASA stands behind our panelists and we do not tolerate abuse," she said. "Harassment only leads to further stigmatization of the UAP field, significantly hindering the scientific progress and discouraging others to study this important subject matter. Your harassment also obstructs the public's right to knowledge."

Spergel said one of the goals of the panel is to help reduce that stigmatization to encourage airline pilots and others to come forward when they see a UAP, not to fear ridicule or embarrassment.

"Despite NASA's extensive efforts to reduce the stigma, the origins of the UAP remain unclear," Spergel said. "And we feel many events remain unreported. Commercial pilots, for example, are very reluctant to report anomalies. And one of our goals, and having NASA play a role, is to remove stigma and get high-quality data.

"In fact, if I were to summarize in one line what I feel we've learned is we need high-quality data."

The Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study was chartered by NASA to assess available detection techniques and technology and to develop recommendations for improving the detection of UAP, ensuring the collection of reliable data needed to better understand what they might be.

Unlike the Pentagon's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office, which has access to classified UAP data and is focused more on national security, NASA's study is based on unclassified reports and sightings to improve transparency and cross-agency communications.

"Unidentified anomalous phenomena sightings themselves are not classified, it's often the sensor platform that is classified," Fox said. "If a fighter jet took a picture of the Statue of Liberty, then that image would be classified, not because of the subject in the picture, but because of the sensors on the plane."

The panel plans to issue its report later this summer. As for what might be recommended, Spergel offered one interesting possibility: a cellphone app that would allow users to collect and send along valuable data.

"There are three to four billion cell phones in the world," Spergel said. "Cell phones record not only images, we're all used to cell phone cameras, but they measure the local magnetic field, they are gravitometers, they measure sound, they encode enormous amount of information about the environment around them."

Not to mention GPS location data and accurate time stamps. He said someone capturing a UAP could then use a custom app to feed that data to a central website where it could be compared with similar observations.

"If you have something seen by multiple cell phones, with good timestamp data, at multiple angles, you're able to infer the location and velocity of that object," Spergel said. "Most of the time that will tell you it's a plane, it's a balloon, whatever. And if it's something novel, you have high-quality, uniformly selected data that could be used."

That data could be combined with radar and information collected by other sensors to help "eliminate the normal," leaving the true UAP for analysis with more detailed data than what's available now.

"I think that's the way a number of us are thinking about how we might approach this," he said.

As for aliens, David Grinspoon, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Houston, put it like this:

"We haven't seen any evidence that indicates that UAPs have anything to do with extraterrestrial phenomena," he said. "If the data leads us to realize that it does ... of course, we'll be enthralled and fascinated by that and will want to pursue it. But at this point, we don't really have any explicit data that suggests there's a connection between UAPs and extraterrestrial life."

Stefan Becket contributed reporting.

Bill Harwood has been covering the U.S. space program full-time since 1984, first as Cape Canaveral bureau chief for United Press International and now as a consultant for CBS News.

More from CBS News

Boeing's Starliner with crew on board cleared for second launch try

Hacking group claims Ticketmaster breach yielding data of 560 million customers

Princess Kate to skip major public event over 2 months after cancer announcement

What to know about the purported theft of Ticketmaster customer data

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow warns it could go to war with NATO over US move - as Germany follows Washington in approving strikes inside Russia with its weapons

Germany has followed the US in approving strikes inside Russia using its weapons - as Moscow warns the moves could cause a war with NATO. Meanwhile, Ukraine reportedly launched a large missile and drone attack overnight.

Saturday 1 June 2024 08:31, UK

• Biden partially lifts ban on Ukraine using US arms to attack Russia, US officials say - with cross-border strikes allowed  
• Moscow warns it could go to war with NATO over US move - as Putin ally says Russia 'not bluffing' over nuclear threats
• Germany follows US in announcing Ukraine can now use its weapons to strike targets in Russia
• At least four dead in Kharkiv from overnight Russian missile strikes
• Watch: Freed Ukrainian prisoners weep as they sing on way home after two years in captivity
• Analysis: Sharp change of US policy increases chance of direct confrontation with Russia
• The big picture : What you need to know about the war right now
• Live reporting by Lauren Russell and Dylan Donnelly

We'll be back with live updates soon.

Scroll down to read today's news.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has wrapped up a flurry of negotiations in Sweden and signed long-term security deals with Norway and Iceland.

Earlier, we reported that the Ukrainian president had struck an agreement while in Stockholm (see 13.26 post).

Now, Mr Zelenskyy has signed a 10-year deal with Norway, through which Oslo will focus on supporting Ukraine's maritime and air defence needs.

Norway would be "open" to the Norwegian defence industry localising production in Ukraine under the deal. Iceland has also committed to a 10-year pact.

The new agreements mean Mr Zelenskyy now has 15 written pacts with Western nations, including all five Nordic countries - which are all NATO countries.

He previously agreed security pacts with Denmark and Finland in February and April respectively.

Sweden's agreement means Stockholm will transfer two ASC 890 surveillance aircraft as well as its entire stock of armoured tracked personnel carriers.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said earlier: "You are literally fighting not only for your own freedom but also for our freedom and our security."

A Russian-American journalist will be detained until at least 5 August ahead of an investigation and trial.

Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor for the US government-funded Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty’s Tatar-Bashkir service, was taken into custody on 18 October.

She's been charged with failing to register as a foreign agent while collecting information about the Russian military.

Later, she was also charged with spreading "false information" about the Russian military.

Ms Kurmasheva told reporters she suffered from various health conditions which could not be properly treated in detention. 

She also said she had last heard her children's voices in October, and held up two children's drawings for reporters which she said had been sent to her and had lifted her spirits.

She was the second American journalist detained in Russia last year, after Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

He was arrested on espionage charges in March. A year later, President Joe Biden said  the US was "working every day"  to secure his release.

Read more about her charges  here...

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia is trying to disrupt Ukraine's peace summit in June by blackmailing world leaders.

Speaking in Stockholm after signing a security pact with Sweden, the Ukrainian president said: "The most important thing right now is the peace summit. It should become a truly global summit.

"At this moment, we already have about 100 states and international organisations that will participate in the summit, but Russia is blackmailing some leaders and trying to block the participation of some countries."

Earlier, China's foreign ministry spokesperson defended Beijing's refusal to attend the summit - held 15-16 June in Switzerland - which Russia is not invited to.

Mao Ning insisted its demands for an international peace conference that is recognised by both Russia and Ukraine are "fair" and "impartial" (see 10.53 post).

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said China's decision shows Beijing understands that holding a peace summit without Russia would be futile.

Mr Zelenskyy also said it's "a question of time" before Ukraine uses Western weapons to strike targets inside Russia (see 13.26 post).

The Kremlin has dismissed France's refusal to invite Russian officials to events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in the Second World War.

Yesterday, the French presidency said Russia would not be invited next week over what Paris called "Moscow's war of aggression" against Ukraine.

Despite Vladimir Putin and officials accusing the West of trying to "erase" Russia's contributions to the war effort, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was planning for next year's Victory Day.

He said "next year, you know, is an extremely important year for us", as it marks 80 years since the Soviet Union defeated Nazi Germany.

"This is our main priority in terms of memorial actions."

Earlier this week, Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Western countries of presenting D-Day as "the main event that decided the outcome of World War Two".

She said: "Of course, nothing is said in the West about the fact that no landing in Normandy would have been possible without the successes of the Red Army. 

"They are trying not only not to remember, but to erase it."

Kremlin officials have today been issuing various statements - including dire threats of war with NATO - in response to Western powers' decisions to let Ukraine use weapons they have supplied to attack inside Russia.

But Jens Stoltenberg, the military alliance's secretary-general, has dismissed the threats and insisted NATO was simply helping Kyiv defend itself.

"This is nothing new. It has… been the case for a long time that every time NATO allies are providing support to Ukraine, President Putin is trying to threaten us to not do that," he said in Prague.

"And an escalation – well, Russia has escalated by invading another country."

Citing Russia's northern offensive against the Kharkiv region in Ukraine, Mr Stoltenberg added: "Ukraine has the right for self-defence, we have the right to help Ukraine uphold the right for self-defence, and that does not make NATO allies a party to the conflict.

"That was the case back in February 2022, that was the case last year, that remains the case."

Ten foreign ministers, including Lord Cameron, are demanding North Korea stop supplying weapons to Russia.

Earlier this month, Russia dismissed claims it was working with Pyongyang on military matters and said the relationship between the countries was not a threat to others.

But the ministers say Russia is using North Korean arms transfers "to strike Ukraine's critical infrastructure, prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people".

They also called for North Korea to end its nuclear weapons programme.

Yesterday, North Korea fired a barrage of ballistic missile to show it is willing to strike South Korea's "gangsters' regime" pre-emptively.

Meanwhile, some of the officials are in Prague for a two-day NATO summit, where they've discussed allowing Ukraine to use weapons they have supplied to strike inside of Russia.

Germany announced it will allow Kyiv to do so, to the anger of Russian officials (see 10.30am post).

Earlier, we reported that Ukraine and Russia had carried out their first prisoner swap since February (see 13.05 post).

Now, Ukraine's defence ministry has shared a video of freed prisoners singing Ukraine, originally by Taras Petrynenko, as they're brought back home.

Leading the sing-along is Kostyantyn Myrhorodskyi, who was in Russian captivity for more than two years.

Some of the men with him on the coach can be seen weeping as they are overcome with emotion by the moment. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has confirmed Joe Biden approved for US weapons to be used inside Russia. 

Speaking to reporters in the Czech Republic following a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Mr Blinken said Ukraine asked for authorisation to allow its forces to defend itself against Russian attacks, particularly in the city of Kharkiv.

The meeting of NATO foreign ministers comes before a summit in Washington from 9 -11 July. 

Mr Blinken said during the summit, "concrete steps" will be taken to bring Ukraine closer to NATO and the US will "ensure there's a bridge for Ukraine to NATO membership".

He said the summit is happening at a "pivotal time" when Russia is intensifying its attacks against frontline regions in Ukraine.

After last night's missile strike on a block of flats, Russia's defence ministry says it has carried out 25 attacks in Kharkiv.

According to the Interfax news agency, the strikes were carried out between 25 May and 31 May with precision-guided weapons, and targeted Ukrainian military facilities.

The ministry adds Russian troops are advancing in several directions - and have captured two villages - Berestove and Ivanivka - in the Kharkiv region.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Suggested Searches

• Climate Change
• Expedition 64
• Mars perseverance
• SpaceX Crew-2
• International Space Station
• View All Topics A-Z

Humans in Space

Earth & climate, the solar system, the universe, aeronautics, learning resources, news & events.

NASA Mission Flies Over Arctic to Study Sea Ice Melt Causes

NASA Releases New High-Quality, Near Real-Time Air Quality Data

Twin NASA Satellites Ready to Help Gauge Earth’s Energy Balance

• Search All NASA Missions
• A to Z List of Missions
• Upcoming Launches and Landings
• Spaceships and Rockets
• Communicating with Missions
• James Webb Space Telescope
• Hubble Space Telescope
• Why Go to Space
• Astronauts Home
• Commercial Space
• Destinations
• Living in Space
• Explore Earth Science
• Earth, Our Planet
• Earth Science in Action
• Earth Multimedia
• Earth Science Researchers
• Pluto & Dwarf Planets
• Asteroids, Comets & Meteors
• The Kuiper Belt
• The Oort Cloud
• Skywatching
• The Search for Life in the Universe
• Black Holes
• The Big Bang
• Dark Energy & Dark Matter
• Earth Science
• Planetary Science
• Astrophysics & Space Science
• The Sun & Heliophysics
• Biological & Physical Sciences
• Lunar Science
• Citizen Science
• Astromaterials
• Aeronautics Research
• Human Space Travel Research
• Science in the Air
• NASA Aircraft
• Flight Innovation
• Supersonic Flight
• Air Traffic Solutions
• Green Aviation Tech
• Drones & You
• Technology Transfer & Spinoffs
• Space Travel Technology
• Technology Living in Space
• Manufacturing and Materials
• Science Instruments
• For Kids and Students
• For Educators
• For Colleges and Universities
• For Professionals
• Science for Everyone
• Requests for Exhibits, Artifacts, or Speakers
• STEM Engagement at NASA
• NASA's Impacts
• Centers and Facilities
• Directorates
• Organizations
• People of NASA
• Internships
• Our History
• Doing Business with NASA
• Get Involved
• Aeronáutica
• Ciencias Terrestres
• Sistema Solar
• All NASA News
• Video Series on NASA+
• Newsletters
• Social Media
• Media Resources
• Upcoming Launches & Landings
• Virtual Events
• Sounds and Ringtones
• Interactives
• STEM Multimedia

NASA’s Hubble Temporarily Pauses Science

Space Station Research Advances NASA’s Plans to Explore the Moon, Mars

Welcome Back to Planet Earth, Expedition 70 Crew! 

Astronaut Exercise

Ongoing Venus Volcanic Activity Discovered With NASA’s Magellan Data

C.12 Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations POC Change

June’s Night Sky Notes: Constant Companions: Circumpolar Constellations, Part III

What’s Up: June 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA

Hubble Views the Lights of a Galactic Bar

Travel Through Data From Space in New 3D Instagram Experiences

Discovery Alert: Spock’s Home Planet Goes ‘Poof’

NASA, Industry to Start Designing More Sustainable Jet Engine Core

Aviary: A New NASA Software Platform for Aircraft Modelling

NASA’s X-59 Passes Milestone Toward Safe First Flight 

Tech Today: Measuring the Buzz, Hum, and Rattle

NASA to Measure Moonquakes With Help From InSight Mars Mission

NASA Around the World: Interns Teach Virtual Lessons in Kenya

The Moon and Amaey Shah

NASA Stennis Helps Family Build a Generational Legacy

Diez maneras en que los estudiantes pueden prepararse para ser astronautas

Astronauta de la NASA Marcos Berríos

Resultados científicos revolucionarios en la estación espacial de 2023

General counsel organization – headquarters.

General Counsel Iris Lan

Deputy General Counsel Christine Pham (Acting)

Director of Legal Operations Bryan R. Diederich (Acting)

Associate General Counsel for Contracts and Acquisition Integrity Law Practice Group Scott Barber

Associate General Counsel for General Law Practice Group Katie Spear

Associate General Counsel for Commercial and Intellectual Property Law Group Karen M. Reilley

Associate General Counsel for International and Space Law Practice Group Rebecca Bresnik

Agency Counsel for Ethics Adam F. Greenstone

Director, Acquisition Integrity Program Monica Aquino-Thieman