Space News & Blog Articles
SpaceX aborts Starlink satellite launch with 5 seconds left in countdown
SpaceX aborted the planned launch of 15 Starlink internet satellites early Wednesday (July 19) with 5 seconds left in the countdown.
We Could Get Large Amounts of Water From the Moon by Directing the Sun At It
One of the most commonly discussed challenges when starting our species’ space exploration journey is how to get the resources necessary for life off of the Earth. Typically this is thought of as two things – water and oxygen, but, luckily, oxygen can be supplied by splitting apart a water molecule, so the most critical resource we could find in space is water. Commonly called a “volatile” in the language of space resources, water has been the focal point of many plans for in-situ resource utilization on the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere. Some of those plans have been well thought out, others not. One particular showed some promise when it was selected as part of NASA’s Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) funding back in 2019, and here we’ll take a closer look at it.
Live Coverage: Falcon 9 to launch first West Coast second-generation Starlink satellites
Live commentary will begin at 9 p.m. PDT / 12 a.m. EDT / 0400 UTC in our Launch Pad Live Stream. Live coverage of the countdown and launch of a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B on Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand with seven small satellites. Text updates will appear automatically below. Follow us on Threads or Twitter.
File photo: a SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket stands on its launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Credit: SpaceXFire-in-space experiment could soon make its way to the moon
The last of six planned fire-in-space experiments will soon launch toward the International Space Station. Now there's a proposal to bring a similar effort to the surface of the moon.
An ancient red giant star created a rare 'bipolar' nebula as it died (photo)
A dying red giant star and the remains of a stellar companion it shredded long ago have created a rare and short-lived planetary nebula that resembles an overflowing cosmic jug.
Cats in space! New 'Captain Ginger' comic unveils homage to classic 'Star Wars' poster (exclusive)
The intrepid Captain Ginger returns in "The Last Feeder," a comic series featuring an homage to one of the most classic 'Star Wars' posters.
A Dying Red Giant Star has Thrown Out Giant Symmetrical Loops of Gas and Dust
The Gemini South telescope has captured a new image of the glowing nebula IC 2220. Nicknamed the Toby Jug Nebula, this object got its name because it looks like an old English jug. But no fun drinking games are happening here.
China Will Use Two Rockets to Put Humans on the Moon
As of 2019, China began conducting preliminary studies for a crewed lunar mission that would take place by the 2030s. Two years later, the China National Space Agency (CNSA) and Roscosmos announced a partnership to create an International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) around the South Pole-Aitken Basin. The proposed timeline for development came down to three phases: Reconnaissance (2021-25), Construction (2025-35), and Utilization (2035-onward). Earlier this year, China announced that its space agency would send the first crewed mission to the lunar surface by 2030.
Auroras across the solar system are powered in the same way, Mercury results suggest
The way in which the radiant displays of colors in the sky known as auroras form on Earth may be how these lights arise throughout the solar system, according to new findings from Mercury.
NASA's Mars Sample Return in jeopardy after US Senate report
A budget review from the Senate Appropriations Committee is suggesting NASA consider canceling Mars Sample Return if the agency can't rein in the mission's growing costs.
Some Astronomers Claim Dark Star Candidates in Webb Images
Three distant galaxies imaged by the James Webb Space Telescope might actually be "dark stars" powered by dark matter annihilation, claims a team of astronomers.
Your Oven Gets Hotter Than This Star
Nuclear fusion is what separates stars from planets. Stars are massive enough to fuse hydrogen in their cores, while planets are not. But in between these two categories are brown dwarfs, which are massive enough to experience some nuclear fusion, just not hydrogen. The largest of them are hot and star-like. The smallest of them are barely warm enough to bake a pizza.
'Ghost stars' haunt the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Now we know why
The galactic bulge at the heart of the Milky Way is haunted by the ghosts of dead stars spread out as a mysterious arrangement of planetary nebulas.
James Webb Space Telescope stars in new Netflix documentary 'Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine' (exclusive trailer)
An exclusive look at the new trailer for Netflix's documentary, "Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine"
A Global Call for Innovation and Research: Humans In Space Challenge Seeks Startups and Researchers to Pioneer Human Life Beyond Earth
Applications for this exceptional competition are open until July 28 (11:59 PM US ET). Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to be a part of the Humans In Space (HIS) Challenge, initiated by Boryung Corp
Watch SpaceX launch 15 Starlink satellites to orbit early Wednesday
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 15 Starlink satellites to orbit early Wednesday (July 19), and you can watch the action live.
Five sci-fi cartoons to watch while you wait for the Futurama revival
Good news everyone, we've found some great sci-fi shows for you to watch while you wait for the new season of Futurama.
What's it like to have an asteroid named after you? Our night sky columnist Joe Rao explains
Space.com's night sky columnist Joe Rao explains what it was like to have asteroid 200009 Joerao named after him for his many years of astronomy outreach with the general public.
Indian Ocean gravity hole was caused by extinct ancient sea, scientists say
Scientists have puzzled over the origins of a gravity hole in the Indian Ocean for years. Now, researchers think the sunken floor of an extinct ocean could be the cause.
