On Feb. 15, 2003, a meteor exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, showing why we need better methods of detecting and tracking near-Earth asteroids.
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Here's how China's astronauts keep fit aboard Tiangong space station (video)
China's astronauts are working up a sweat in orbit with a variety of exercise machines designed to keep them fit and fight the loss of bone density that comes with living in microgravity.
Chelyabinsk a decade on: the Sun's invisible asteroids
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No one saw the Chelyabinsk meteor of 15 February 2013 coming – the largest asteroid to strike Earth in over a century. Just after sunrise on a sunny winter’s day, a 20-metre, 13 000 tonne asteroid struck the atmosphere over the Ural Mountains in Russia at a speed of more than 18 km/s.
ESA signs Cooperation Agreement with Mexico
ESA and the Mexican space agency, Agencia Espacial Mexicana (AEM) signed a Cooperation Agreement on 14 February 2023. The objective of this agreement is to allow Mexico and ESA to create a framework for more-intensive cooperation in joint projects in the future.
Virgin Orbit traces failed UK rocket launch to 'dislodged fuel filter'
Virgin Orbit's first-ever launch from the United Kingdom was apparently doomed by a fuel filter that got knocked out of place.
Why are Jupiter’s Trojan Regions so Unevenly Balanced With Asteroids?
Solar systems evolve, especially early on in their lifetimes. While this evolution is primarily driven by gravity, there are some parts of our own solar system that are difficult to understand – especially how gravity forced them into their current configuration. One of the most prominent of these areas is the Trojan asteroids.
Mars rover completes first sample storage depot
NASA’s Perseverance took this selfie of itself looking down at one of 10 sample tubes deposited at the sample depot it created in an area nicknamed “Three Forks.” This image was taken by the WATSON camera on the rover’s robotic arm on Jan. 20, 2023, the 684th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
NASA’s Perseverance rover on Mars has cooly notched up another significant first by creating the first ever storage depot on another world for Martian soil samples. But if the rover’s mission goes to plan and it continues to operate as scheduled, the cached samples could be left on the Martian surface forever.
'Star Trek Annual 2023' is a holodeck trip through Trek history
"Star Trek Annual 2023" from IDW Publishing will arrive in May and Space.com has an exclusive look at the four main covers.
Big asteroid to zoom by Earth on Wednesday
A sizable asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth in four centuries on Wednesday evening (Feb. 15), but there's nothing to fear.
Another Meteoroid Discovered Right Before it Hits the Atmosphere
A meteoroid lit up the sky above the English Channel early Monday morning February as it streaked through the atmosphere, and because it had been detected just a few hours beforehand – with expert precision on where it could be seen — skywatchers were able to capture the event.
'Starspots' could improve our understanding of habitable zones
A new technique to measure starspots could help test stellar magnetism theories and improve our understanding of habitable zones.
South Korea's Danuri probe captures phases of Earth from lunar orbit (photo)
South Korea's first moon mission is now fully operational and unveiling new views of the Earth and moon from lunar orbit.
Astronomers Spot a Rogue Supermassive Black Hole, Hurtling Through Space Leaving Star Formation in its Wake
Supermassive black holes (SMBHs) lurk in the center of large galaxies like ours. From their commanding position in the galaxy’s heart, they feed on gas, dust, stars, and anything else that strays too close, growing more massive as time passes. But in rare circumstances, an SMBH can be forced out of its position and hurtle through space as a rogue SMBH.
Hubble spies strange spokes on Saturn's rings after 14-year hiatus (video)
The Hubble Space Telescope recently observed mysterious features known as spokes on Saturn's rings linked to the planet's fall equinox, which last occurred in 2009.
Europe's JUICE Jupiter spacecraft arrives at spaceport ahead of April launch
The European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft has arrived at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana for the final preparations for launch.
Sun storm may supercharge auroras for Valentine's Day
Minor or G1-class aurora storms may happen overnight in high-latitude areas due to a swarm of particles associated with a big solar outburst on Saturday (Feb. 11).
What is the U.S. Space Force and what does it do?
The U.S. Space Force was created as the sixth branch of the Armed Forces in order to protect U.S. space assets as Earth orbit becomes increasingly contested.
The Polaris Program: One big step for civilian spaceflight
Everything you need to know about the Polaris Program, a series of upcoming commercial space missions carried out by civilian astronauts.
Earth-size exoplanet spotted just 72 light-years away
The newfound exoplanet K2-415b is not within the habitable zone of its red dwarf host star, but it could have a neighbor that is.
An Extremely Lightweight Fission Rocket Could Reach the Solar Gravitational Lens in 15 Years
Novel propulsion ideas for moving around space seem like they’re a dime a dozen recently. Besides the typical argument between solar sails and chemical propulsion lies a potential third way – a nuclear rocket engine. While we’ve discussed them here at UT before, NASA’s Institute of Advanced Concepts has provided a grant to a company called Positron Dynamics for the development of a novel type of nuclear fission fragment rocket engine (FFRE). It could strike the balance between the horsepower of chemical engines and the longevity of solar sails.
Super Bowl trailer offers another peek at 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'
Marvel Studios delivers another sentimental trailer for May's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."
