Space debris, which consists of pieces of spent rocket stages, satellites, and other objects launched into orbit since 1957 – is a growing concern. According to the ESA Space Debris Office, there are roughly 40,500 objects in LEO larger than 10 cm (3.9 inches) in diameter, an additional 1.1 million objects measuring 1 and 10 cm (0.39 to 3.9 inches) in diameter, and 130 million objects 1 mm to 1 cm (0.039 to 0.39 inches). The situation is projected to worsen as commercial space companies continue to deploy “mega-constellations” of satellites for research, telecommunications, and broadband internet services.
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NOAA satellites watch Hurricane Rafael make landfall in Cuba (video)
Rafael made landfall in Cuba Wednesday (Nov. 6), and NOAA's GOES satellites have been monitoring the storm every step of the way.
Teeny tardigrades can survive space and lethal radiation. Scientists may finally know how
A new species of tardigrades with thousands of genes that become more active when exposed to radiation could help in devising better protection for astronauts on long missions.
Moon RACER: Intuitive Machines takes lunar rover out for debut drive
Intuitive Machines' lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) is not your grandfather's moon buggy. The company's Moon RACER, or Reusable Autonomous Crewed Exploration Rover, just made its public debut.
'God of chaos' asteroid may be transformed by tremors and landslides during 2029 flyby of Earth, study finds
When the 'God of chaos' asteroid Apophis makes an ultraclose flyby of Earth in 2029, our planet's gravity may trigger tremors and landslides that totally change the asteroid's surface.
You Can Build a Home Radio Telescope to Detect Clouds of Hydrogen in the Milky Way
If I ask you to picture a radio telescope, you probably imagine a large dish pointing to the sky, or even an array of dish antennas such as the Very Large Array. What you likely don’t imagine is something that resembles a TV dish in your neighbor’s backyard. With modern electronics, it is relatively easy to build your own radio telescope. To understand out how it can be done, check out a recent paper by Jack Phelps.
Astronaut Suni Williams 'in good health' on the ISS, NASA says, refuting tabloid claims
NASA astronaut Suni Williams is in good health aboard the ISS, despite some speculation in the media to the contrary, agency officials stress.
'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Season 5 episode 4: Who is Doctor Migleemo and why is he so obsessed with food?
The USS Cerritos' avian psychologist gets a taste of his homeworld.
Space stations are loud — that's why NASA is making a quiet fan
NASA's building a quiet fan to help future astronauts have some peace and quiet.
Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 monocular review
With its purposeful design, does the Hawke Endurance live up to its good looks?
NASA's X-59 'quiet' supersonic jet test fires engine for 1st time
NASA's revolutionary X-59 jet is steadily progressing toward its first flight test after completing a set of engine run tests at the storied Lockheed Martin Skunk Works facility in California.
Snow returns to Mount Fuji
Image: Snow returns to Mount Fuji
How comet Hale-Bopp can reveal the origins of life on Earth — and maybe beyond
Scientists are tracking the evolution of comet Hale-Bopp, one of the brightest comets ever seen.
Meet ESA’s SME Office at Space Tech Expo 2024
Space startups and SMEs can meet ESA’s SME Office at Space Tech Expo, a space technology trade fair and conference in Bremen, Germany from 19–21 November.
Proba-3 will constantly measure Sun’s energy output
Proba-3 is such an ambitious mission that it needs more than one single spacecraft to succeed. In order for Proba-3’s Coronagraph spacecraft observe the Sun’s faint surrounding atmosphere, its disk-bearing Occulter spacecraft must block out the fiery solar disk. This means Proba-3’s Occulter ends up facing the Sun continuously, making it a valuable platform for science in its own right.
Live coverage: SpaceX California launch slips two days
File: A Falcon 9 rocket stands ready to launch a Starlink mission. Image: SpaceX
SpaceX has delayed a Falcon 9 rocket launch from California on Wednesday, just hours after it scrubbed a Falcon 9 launch from Florida.
SpaceX launching 20 Starlink satellites from California early Nov. 9
SpaceX plans to launch 20 Starlink internet satellites, including 13 with direct-to-cell capability, from California early Saturday morning (Nov. 9).
Sun erupts with powerful X2.3 solar flare, triggers radio blackouts (video)
A X2.3 solar flare Wednesday morning (Nov. 6), leading to shortwave radio blackouts for parts of the southern hemisphere.
'Fastest-feeding' black hole of the early universe found! But does it break the laws of physics?
The hungriest known black hole in the early universe has been found, thanks to teamwork between NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory.
'What's Starlink?' Trump talks Elon Musk, Starship and SpaceX in election night victory speech (video)
President-elect Donald Trump had high words of praise for Elon Musk and SpaceX during his election night victory speech, mentioning twice that he did not know what Starlink satellites were.
SpaceX targeting Nov. 18 for next Starship megarocket launch
SpaceX's Starship megarocket will fly for the sixth time ever on Nov. 18, on a test flight that will include another dramatic booster catch.
