National Aeronautics and Space Administration

2026 has been a busy year for NASA. Four astronauts flew to the moon for the first trip there by human beings there since Apollo 17 in 1972. The flight of Artemis two also highlights Alabama's role in the US space program. The Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville designed, built, tested, and manages the big Space Launch System rocket that sends Artemis missions to Earth orbit. Huntsville has its claim to fame when it comes to NASA, but Opelika does too. One of its favorite sons is retired astronaut Jim Voss. He flew four times on the space shuttle and served on the second full-time crew aboard the International Space Station. A conversation that's out of this world, is next on APR Notebook.

The Air Force announced the permanent location for many more U.S. Space Force units — and none of them are in Huntsville. This suggests the service may be moving ahead with at least part of the design it originally sought for the new force before it became entangled in politics.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Residents from across the nation are donating money to help refurbish a giant rocket in Huntsville.The rocket is the only standing…