When it comes to astronomy, the more instruments watching the sky, the better. Which is why it has been so frustrating that the world’s rising superpower – China – has long lacked focus on space-science missions. In recent years, with some notable exceptions, China’s space agency has focused on lunar exploration and human spaceflight, as well as some remote monitoring capabilities, leaving the technical know-how of arguably the world’s second more capable country on the sidelines when it comes to collecting space science data. Now, a team led by Jian Ge of the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory has suggested the most ambitious Chinese-led space science mission to date. And it plans to search for one of the holy grails of current astronomy research – an exoplanet like Earth.
Space News & Blog Articles
A Dormant Black Hole has Been Discovered Just Outside the Milky Way
What happens when a massive star dies? Conventional wisdom (and observational evidence) say that it can collapse to form a “stellar-mass” black hole. Astronomers detect black holes by the X-ray emissions they emit.
NASA tentatively targeting Aug. 29 for maiden flight of SLS moon rocket
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS & USED WITH PERMISSION
SpaceX going for record-breaking 32nd launch of the year
File photo of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket standing vertical at Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX is poised to launch 46 more Starlink internet satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket Thursday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission will mark SpaceX’s 32nd launch since Jan. 1, breaking the company’s record for Falcon 9 flights in a year.
Mattel to launch SpaceX vehicles as new Matchbox toys and collectibles
Mattel has entered into a multi-year agreement with SpaceX to create and market toys based on SpaceX rockets and spacecraft.
NASA considers sending scientists to International Space Station: report
NASA is considering sending "hyper-specialized" scientists to the International Space Station to work alongside career astronauts.
You can see Where JWST Took a Direct hit From a Micrometeorite on one of its Mirrors
The world is still reeling from the release of the James Webb Space Telescope‘s (JWST) first images. These provided a comprehensive overview of the kind of science operations that Webb will conduct over its 20-year mission. They included the most sensitive and detailed look at some iconic astronomical objects, spectra from an exoplanet atmosphere, and a deep field view of some of the most distant galaxies in the Universe. Since their release, we’ve also been treated to glimpses of objects in the Solar System captured by Webb‘s infrared instruments.
Solar wind blowing from the sun could trigger aurora displays
Solar wind is blowing from the sun with unusual intensity these days, and space weather forecasters think it might make polar lights brighter.
China launches SuperView remote-sensing satellites on Long March 2C rocket
China launched the SuperView Neo 2 (01) and (02) commercial sensing satellites into near-polar orbit with its 24th orbital launch of 2022.
Uh Oh, NASA is Reviewing Psyche and May Terminate the Mission
NASA is reviewing its mission to visit the asteroid 16 Psyche. The Administration has convened a 15-member review board to examine the mission and its failure to meet the scheduled 2022 launch. The review began on July 19, and the board will present their findings to NASA and JPL in late September.
NASA picks SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to launch Roman Space Telescope
NASA chose SpaceX's heavy-lift rocket to send a wide-field telescope into space that will search for dark matter.
NASA's Artemis 1 moon rocket gets Aug. 29 launch date
NASA officials say the Artemis 1 moon rocket may be ready to launch as soon as late August, but that timeline depends on tweaks at the Vehicle Assembly Building and on the pad.
McDonald's moonman: Apollo astronaut statue erected at Houston-area restaurant
A new statue of an Apollo astronaut now stands near NASA in Houston, just in time for the anniversary of the first moon landing. To find it, just follow the Golden Arches.
Giant Black Holes Make Tiny, Ghost-like Particles
Blazars, the gas-guzzling black holes at the center of galaxies, could make most of the tiny particles known as neutrinos we catch on Earth.
A booster with no name
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To search for alien life, astronomers will look for clues in the atmospheres of distant planets — and the James Webb Space Telescope just proved it's possible to do so
Scientists who study exoplanets explain how the James Webb Space Telescope will study exoplanet atmospheres.
Catch the moon and Mars cozying up to each other on Thursday
In the early hours of Thursday (July 21) morning, the waning crescent moon will pass close to Mars. They will be close enough to share the view in binoculars.
Boom Supersonic and Northrop Grumman team up to build superfast US military aircraft
The companies plan to deliver variants of Boom's Overture aircraft for military and emergency response missions.
Star Wars movies in chronological order
Looking for all the Star Wars movies in chronological order? Found them, you have!
Drift back to Arrakis in 'Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 2: Muad' Dib' (exclusive)
Abrams ComicArts releasing the next volume in Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's "Dune: The Graphic Novel" project.
Earth has Clouds of Water. Hot Exoplanets Have Clouds of Sand
A team of astronomers studied brown dwarfs to figure out how hot exoplanets form clouds of sand. They found that sand clouds can only exist in a narrow range of temperatures.
