Virgin Galactic is aiming for no earlier than Thursday (June 29) for the company's first commercial spaceflight aboard its reusable VSS Unity space plane.
Space News & Blog Articles
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Paris Air Show 2023: a memorable edition brought the future of space to Europe
The 54th edition of the Paris Air Show, held from 19 to 25 June, just came to an end. The week-long show, one the oldest and largest aerospace events in the world, welcomed institutional and trade visitors on the first four days, while on the last three days it opened its doors to space and aviation enthusiasts, students and children with their families. With more than 20 000 people visiting the ESA/CNES pavilion in the last three public days, the Paris Air Show 2023 showcased the successes and ambitions of the European Space Agency for a record-breaking number of visitors to the ESA pavilion.
Ariane 6 progress toward inaugural flight: ArianeGroup, Les Mureaux, France
Video: 00:02:58
In June 2023, representatives from ESA, the French space agency CNES, Ariane 6 and launch operator Arianespace met at ArianeGroup’s rocket factory in Les Mureaux, near Paris, to see how the all-new Ariane 6 is taking shape.
Webb makes first detection of crucial carbon molecule in a planet-forming disc
An international team of scientists have used data collected by the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to detect a molecule [1] known as the methyl cation (CH3+) for the first time, located in the protoplanetary disc surrounding a young star. They accomplished this feat with a cross-disciplinary expert analysis, including key input from laboratory spectroscopists.
Euclid meets Falcon 9 adaptor
Image:
On Friday 23 June, Euclid was secured to the adaptor of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Engineers attached the satellite to the adaptor that will be placed on the upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket, which will launch Euclid into space. ESA’s new cosmological mission Euclid is getting ready for lift-off with a target launch date of 1 July 2023 from Cape Canaveral in Florida (USA).
James Webb Space Telescope could determine if nearby exoplanet is habitable
The exoplanet LP 890-9c resides near the inner edge of its star's habitable zone, and if conditions are favorable it could potentially support liquid water and life.
Watch the world choke on CO2 in eerie NASA videos of manmade emissions
The animations highlight emissions from different human and natural sources, with the main contribution coming from the burning of fossil fuels.
Is dark matter fuzzy? Ultracold state of matter sheds light on dark matter candidate
An exotic, ultracold state of matter on Earth is helping scientists study the behavior of "fuzzy" dark matter.
Exotic new state of matter discovered by squishing subatomic particles into an ultradense crystal
By shining a strong beam of light through two chemical compounds, scientists discovered a unique new state of matter made of particles called excitons.
Final Ariane 5 launch scheduled for July 4 after fixes to booster separation system
The final Ariane 5 rocket inside the launcher integration building at the Guiana Space Center. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/S. Martin
Europe’s last Ariane 5 rocket is now scheduled to lift off July 4 after being grounded for more than two weeks due to a problem with the pyrotechnic systems required to jettison the launcher’s strap-on solid rocket boosters. Europe’s workhorse rocket is being retired after 27 years of service.
Ariane 6: mobile gantry removal test
Video: 00:02:37
On 22 June 2023 at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, engineers rolled back the mobile gantry protecting Ariane 6 on its launch pad. The exercise helped validate ground systems and prepare for a series of engine fire tests.
SpaceShipOne pilot's M&Ms, other mementos go on museum display
The first commercial astronaut has placed his archives on display 19 years after he made his first launch into space. The Mike and Sally Melvill collection is now on exhibit by the EAA in Wisconsin.
Supervillains Take Note. Here’s a New Way to Destroy a Star
If you’re an evil genius supervillain looking to freak out your enemy with a big messy space kablooie, here’s a novel way to do it. Smack a couple of ancient star remnants together right in front of your nemesis. The result will give you a gratifyingly huge, bright explosion plus a bonus gamma-ray burst visible across the Universe. And, it’ll scare everybody into doing your evil bidding.
Another Key Amino Acid Found in Space: Tryptophan
Astrochemistry is the study of how molecules can form and react in space. Its roots trace back to the 1800s when astronomers such as William Wollaston and Joseph von Fraunhofer began identifying atomic elements from the spectral lines of the Sun. But it wasn’t until recent decades that the field began to mature.
NASA just recycled 98% of all astronaut pee and sweat on the ISS (engineers are thrilled)
ISS systems hit a water recovery milestone of 98% with the better processing of water contained in brine created when crewmates’ urine is distilled.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and DARPA want to fix your PDFs. Here's how.
When NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory isn't piloting a rover on another world, it's apparently helping make PDF files more secure.
Bizarre object hotter than the sun is orbiting a distant star at breakneck speed
Scientists have discovered a weird celestial object that's blurring the line between planet and star.
1 year on 'Mars:' NASA analog astronauts begin mock Red Planet mission today
The next time the CHAPEA crew will see blue sky, a year will have passed on Earth. Not that the analog astronauts are leaving the planet, but for the next 12 months they will live in a mock Mars base.
Musk outlines major upgrades for Starship rocket
SpaceX’s Starship sits atop its Super Heavy booster prior to the the launcher’s first test flight in April 2023. Image: SpaceX.
SpaceX will need another six weeks or so to finish implementing hundreds of changes to its Super Heavy-Starship rocket and the gargantuan booster’s Texas launch pad before it will be ready for a second attempt to reach orbit, company founder Elon Musk said Saturday.
The Clouds of Venus Could Support Life
A recent study published in Astrobiology examines the likelihood of the planet Venus being able to support life within the thick cloud layer that envelopes it. This study holds the potential to help us better understand how life could exist under the intense Venusian conditions, as discussions within the scientific community about whether life exists on the second planet from the Sun continue to burn hotter than Venus itself.
