The total number of people in Earth orbit is now at a record high, though only for a short time. With Monday's (May 29) launch of China's Shenzhou 16 mission, the population in orbit grew to 17.
Space News & Blog Articles
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One Spacecraft Could Visit All of Saturn's Inner Large Moons
If you’ve ever played Kerbal Space Program, you know how difficult it can be to get your spacecraft into the orbit you want. It’s even more difficult in real life. This is why it’s pretty impressive to see a proposal to study all of Saturn’s large inner moons in one go.
Europe's JUICE Jupiter probe finishes deploying its instruments
Europe's JUICE spacecraft is now in its full flight configuration, six weeks after the flagship mission launched for Jupiter.
Webb maps surprisingly large plume jetting from Saturn’s moon Enceladus
Interaction between moon’s plumes and Saturn’s ring system explored with Webb
A water vapour plume from Saturn’s moon Enceladus spanning more than 9600 kilometres — long enough to stretch across the Eurasian continent from Ireland to Japan — has been detected by researchers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope. Not only is this the first time such water ejection has been seen over such an expansive distance, but Webb is also giving scientists a direct look, for the first time, at how this emission feeds the water supply for the entire system of Saturn and its rings.
Live coverage: U.S.-Saudi commercial astronaut crew heading for Earth today
Live coverage of the undocking, re-entry, and splashdown of Axiom’s Ax-2 mission at the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page. Follow us on Twitter.
NASA Undocking Coverage
North Korea May Launch Spy Satellite Soon
Enigmatic North Korea may attempt to put a satellite in orbit, as early as this week.
Scientists may be able to put Mars-bound astronauts into 'suspended animation' using sound waves, mouse study suggests
Firing ultrasound signals into rodent brains puts them in a torpor-like state. Scientists are wondering if it could be used on humans.
China is Planning to Have Humans on the Moon by 2030
As NASA prepares to return astronauts to the Moon with Artemis III, China is ramping up its efforts for a crewed lunar landing, targeting earlier than 2030. Lin Xiqiang, the deputy director of China’s Manned Space Agency announced that the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP) is preparing for a “short stay on the lunar surface and human-robotic joint exploration.”
Hungry black hole shoots out bright X-ray jet 60,000 times hotter than the sun
Observing a powerful feeding black hole in X-ray light has allowed astronomers to peer into the inner workings of what is the brightest quasar seen in the last 9 billion years of cosmic history.
The ultimate guide to planning epic stargazing road trips in the US southwest
Explore the U.S. Southwest's best sites for stargazing with our helpful guide. From canyons and valleys to snow-capped mountains and world-class observatories.
Watch private Ax-2 astronauts head back to Earth in SpaceX Dragon today
The four astronauts of the private Ax-2 mission are scheduled to head home to Earth today (May 30), and you can watch the action live.
Chinese astronaut launch breaks record for most people in orbit
A Long March 2F rocket climbs through the sky after lifting off from the Jiuquan launch base with the Shenzhou 16 astronauts. Credit: China Manned Space Agency
The launch of the next crew to China’s Tiangong space station late Monday (U.S. time) added three astronauts to the population of humans in space, which reached a record number of 17 people in orbit — six Chinese citizens, five Americans, three Russians, two Saudis, and one Emirati astronaut.
NASA Seeks Industry Proposals for Next-Generation Lunar Rover
As Artemis II gets ready to launch in November 2024, NASA recently announced it is pursuing contract proposals from private companies for the development of a next-generation Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) to be used for crewed missions starting with Artemis V, which is currently scheduled for 2029. NASA has set a due date for the proposals of July 10, 2023, at 1:30pm Central Time, with the announcement for rewarded contracts to occur in November 2023.
Live coverage: China launches three-man crew to Tiangong space station
Live coverage of China’s Shenzhou 16 mission, a planned six-month expedition to the Chinese space station. Text updates will appear automatically below. Follow us on Twitter.
CCTV launch coverage (with English commentary)
Three astronauts ready for ride to China’s space station
Chinese space officials announced the identities of the Shenzhou 16 crew members just one day before their launch to the Tiangong space station. From left to right: Payload specialist Gui Haichao, commander Jing Haipeng, and spaceflight engineer Zhu Yangzhu. Credit: China Manned Space Agency
The next three-man crew to live on China’s Tiangong space station will launch Monday night on a Long March rocket, heading for a half-year expedition on the orbiting outpost to replace an outgoing team of astronauts set to return to Earth this weekend.
NASA's UFO task force meets on May 31 and you can watch it online with this free livestream
On Wednesday (May 31), NASA will hold a meeting of the "independent study group" the agency created to study data related to unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP. Here's how to watch it live.
Watch China launch Shenzhou 16 astronauts to Tiangong space station tonight
China's next crew of three astronauts is all set to launch for the country's Tiangong space station tonight (May 29) on a Long March 2F rocket and you can watch it live.
Watch Apollo astronauts lead National Memorial Day Parade 2023 in US Capital today
Apollo lunar module pilots Charlie Duke, Harrison Schmitt and Rusty Schweickart will be joined by active NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik as they lead the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC.
Best space settlement games: Manage bases & build cities on other worlds
We're still a ways off from living on other planets in the real world, but the best space settlement games let you tame the unknown today.
Scientists discover giant crater from ice age explosion that has methane-spewing mud volcano inside it
The Borealis Mud Volcano is only the second found in Norwegian waters and releases a continuous stream of methane-rich, muddy liquid from deep below Earth's crust.
