The cause of mysterious methane spikes on Mars may be a strange form of alien life — or it may just be interesting chemistry. Either way, something odd is happening on the Red Planet.
Space News & Blog Articles
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NASA astronaut Don Pettit to make fourth trip to the International Space Station
NASA astronaut Don Pettit is seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 72 crew members: NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner, are scheduled to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft on September 11. Photo Image: NASA/Bill Ingalls
An astronaut and avid photographer is heading back to space for a fourth time on Wednesday. NASA astronaut Don Pettit, first ventured to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 6 in November 2003 and last returned from a trip to the orbiting outpost on July 1, 2012.
Mystery of dwarf planet Ceres' origin may finally be solved, thanks to retired NASA spacecraft
Was Ceres born in the main asteroid belt, or did it migrate there from the outer solar system? The answer is buried in data from NASA's Dawn spacecraft.
Episode 2 – Below the surface
Video: 00:04:29
Watch the second episode of the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission – Europe’s ambitious exploration journey to search for past and present signs of life on Mars.
Polaris Dawn crew flies higher than 1966 Gemini 11 orbital record
The private SpaceX Polaris Dawn crew has now flown farther from Earth than any astronauts have traveled since the last Apollo mission left for the moon.
Two Supermassive Black Holes on a Collision Course With Each Other
Galaxy collisions are foundational events in the Universe. They happen when two systems mingle stars in a cosmic dance. They also cause spectacular mergers of supermassive black holes. The result is one very changed galaxy and a singular, ultra-massive black hole.
The Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole Might Have Formed 9 Billion Years Ago
Large galaxies like ours are hosts to Supermassive Black Holes (SMBHs.) They can be so massive that they resist comprehension, with some of them having billions of times more mass than the Sun. Ours, named Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), is a little more modest at about four million solar masses.
Starliner Comes Home Empty
The Boeing Starliner module has been plagued with issues despite what seemed to be the dawning of a new commercial space giant. The module detached from the International Space Station on 7 September but without its crew! Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams journeyed to the ISS in June this year in what was supposed to be a mission lasting just a week. They are still there! Just a few days ago, their module returned under remote control while they stay in orbit until February!
What Did We Learn From Manufacturing the ACS3 Solar Sail Mission?
We recently reported on the successful deployment of the solar sail of the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) technology demonstration mission. That huge achievement advances one of the most important technologies available to CubeSats – a different form of propulsion. But getting there wasn’t easy, and back in May, a team of engineers from NASA’s Langley Research Center who worked on ACS3 published a paper detailing the trials and tribulations they went through to prepare the mission for prime time. Let’s take a look at what they learned.
Watch 1st look clip from 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Season 5 (video)
Watch new exclusive clip for Season 5 of "Star Trek: Lower Decks," the final season of Paramount+'s sci-fi comedy animated series that premieres Oct. 24.
Space MacGyver: NASA astronaut and inventor Don Pettit eager to return to ISS on Sept. 11
NASA's oldest active astronaut, Don Pettit, is set to return to space on Sept. 11. In his spare ISS time, he is known for stunning photography and tinkering with engineering.
These 2 monster black holes may be the closest pair ever discovered (video)
The tag team of NASA space telescopes Hubble and Chandra has demonstrated that two is definitely better than one when it comes to pairings of supermassive black holes and hunting for them.
A Stellar Flyby Jumbled Up the Outer Solar System
An ancient passerby may have visited the Sun and inadvertently helped shape the Solar System into what it is today. It happened billions of years ago when a stellar drifter came to within 110 astronomical units (AU) of our Sun. The effects were long-lasting and we can see evidence of the visitor’s fleeting encounter throughout the Solar System.
Legendary actor and 'Star Wars'' voice of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones dies at 93
An obituary for legendary actor James Earl Jones.
Want to get into Warhammer 40K? Here's what you need to know before playing Space Marine 2
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is out now. If you don't know anything about the universe or haven't played the original, we've got you covered.
Amateur Astronomer Discovers More Near-Earth Asteroids With Remote Telescopes
Three amazing recent asteroid finds show what’s possible in terms of astronomy online.
Satellites watch Tropical Storm Francine threaten Gulf Coast (video)
Satellites operated by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration watched Tropical Storm Francine strengthen as it approaches the Gulf Coast.
China moves Mars sample-return launch up 2 years, to 2028
China has moved the launch of its Tianwen 3 Mars sample return mission up two years, to 2028. The new timeline suggests China could get Mars samples to Earth as soon as 2031.
Partial lunar eclipse of the Harvest Moon: Everything you need to know
The upcoming Full Harvest Moon on Sept. 17 will feature a partial lunar eclipse. Here's what to expect and how to see it.
Elon Musk's pet dog inspires young girl's design for Polaris Dawn zero-g indicator
A privately-funded space crew aiming to set several records in orbit may not include the first child in space, but they have her hopes, wishes and furry spacesuit-clad creation aboard.
A long-lost moon could explain Mars' weird shape and extreme terrain
A long-lost moon could explain why Mars is so different from the other rocky planets in the solar system.
