If you’re a fan of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) and the Fermi Paradox, then it’s likely you’ve heard of a concept known as the Great Filter. In brief, it states that life in the Universe may be doomed to extinction, either as a result of cataclysmic events or due to circumstances of its own making (i.e., nuclear war, climate change, etc.) In recent years, it has been the subject of a lot of talk and speculation, and not just in academic circles.
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Don’t Worry About Bennu (Yet)
Careful measurements using the OSIRIS-REX spacecraft have refined astronomers’ predictions for how likely it is that this potentially hazardous asteroid will strike Earth.
One of Nigeria's satellites is on its last legs. Here's why it's worrying.
Nigeria has sponsored or co-sponsored six satellites, of which only two are currently operational.
Watch NASA fire up its SLS rocket engines to test far-out mission technologies (video)
While NASA has yet to launch an Artemis mission to the moon, the agency is already doing engine testing for far-future missions.
Astronomers Find a Nearby Star That a Spitting Image of a Young Sun
Our Sun is about 4.6 billion years old. We know that from models of Sun-like stars, as well as through our observations of other stars of similar mass. We know that the Sun has grown hotter over time, and we know that in about 5 billion years it will become a red giant star before ending its life as a white dwarf. But there are many things about the Sun’s history that we don’t understand. How active was it in its youth? What properties of the young Sun allowed life to form on Earth billions of years ago?
Mercury-bound spacecraft snaps selfie with Venus in close flyby (photo)
Mercury-bound spacecraft BepiColombo has zoomed past Venus at a distance of only 340 miles, taking a bunch of selfies and a lot of scientific measurements of the planet’s atmosphere.
Watch auroras paint the sky above Earth in these stunning astronaut photos and video
It's aurora season on the International Space Station and astronauts living and working in orbit are sharing some of their finest views of the stunning phenomenon with those of us on the ground.
Ghostly glow in alien skies: 'Zodiacal light' possibly spotted on 3 exoplanets
India will send a new Earth observation satellite to space tonight (Aug. 11) to keep an eye on natural disasters, agriculture and forestry regions.
Learn to Star-hop in the August Sky
Learn to star-hop your way to celestial treasures in the August sky.
It Turns out There Were Supernovae Exploding all Over, we Just Couldn’t see Them
When the poet Horace said “We are but dust and shadow”, he probably didn’t think that dust itself could create a shadow. But it can, and that shadow can obscure even some of the most powerful explosions in the universe. At least that’s the finding from new research from an international team using data from the recently retired Spitzer telescope. It turns out dust in far away galaxies can obscure supernovas.
Don't miss the Perseid meteor shower's peak tonight!
The stunning Perseid meteor shower will peak tonight (Aug. 11) in what could well be the most brilliant "shooting star" display of the year.
Artemis 1: Going back to the moon
The record-breaking 2021 wildfire season has seen widespread destruction on three continents. Here is what satellites could see from space.
Mars' atmosphere: Facts about composition and climate
Nora AlMatrooshi's first spaceflight equipment was made of paper and cardboard boxes, but she'll soon spend two years at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas training to use the real thing in orbit.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 4 – 12
SpaceX's next Starship prototype got the black-and-white treatment in a suave photo posted on founder Elon Musk's Twitter feed.
SpaceX remains the sole winner of NASA astronaut moon lander contract, GAO affirms
SpaceX remains the sole winner of NASA's Human Landing System (HLS) contract, despite ongoing protests from Blue Origin and Dynetics.
Northrop Grumman launches commercial resupply mission to space station
Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket lifts off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia at 6:01 p.m. EDT (2201 GMT) Tuesday. Credit: Alex Polimeni / Spaceflight Now
A successful launch from Virginia aboard an Antares rocket Tuesday kicked off Northrop Grumman’s 16th commercial resupply flight to the International Space Station, setting the stage for arrival of more than 8,000 pounds of cargo at the complex Thursday.
Antares rocket launches heaviest Cygnus cargo ship ever to space station for NASA
The Northrop Grumman rocket and spacecraft are packed with more than 4 tons of supplies.
Astronomy Jargon 101: Astronomical Unit
In this series we are exploring the weird and wonderful world of astronomy jargon! It’s easy to measure your interest in today’s topic: the astronomical unit!
We’ll Have to Wait About 3,000 Years for a Reply From Intelligent Civilizations
As a field, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence suffers from some rather significant constraints. Aside from the uncertainty involved (e.g., is there life beyond Earth we can actually communicate with?), there are the limitations imposed by technology and the very nature of space and time. For instance, scientists are forced to contend with the possibility that by the time a message is received by an intelligent species, the civilization that sent it will be long dead.
Webb on Ariane 5 poised for launch
This graphic illustrates the major events during the Antares rocket’s climb into orbit with the Cygnus supply ship on the NG-16 mission. Credit: Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket will deliver a Cygnus supply ship into orbit Tuesday to begin a pursuit of the International Space Station.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 24 – January 1
Because of anticipated delays in spacesuit development, it is "not feasible" for NASA to land humans on the moon by the agency's hopeful deadline of 2024, a report has found.
