We’ve reported before on the conceptual mission known as the Interstellar Probe. This ambitious mission would visit the interstellar medium about 1,000 AU away from the Sun. But how exactly would the probe get there in a reasonable time frame? It has taken Voyager 35 years to travel less than 10% of that distance. The answer might lie in an old technology that has been given new life by advances in material science – the solar thermal propulsion system.
Space News & Blog Articles
Ukraine's proud space industry faces obliteration, but country's former space chief has hope for the future
Ukraine has a mighty space industry whose Zenit rocket is Elon Musk's favorite. But the country's potential might soon lie in ruins together with its dreams as Russia continues its bloody siege.
Distant galaxies appear to overlap in new Hubble telescope image
A new Hubble Space Telescope image shows two deceivingly close galaxies located in the constellation Virgo.
Ion Engines Could Work on Earth too, to Make Silent, Solid-State Aircraft
Ion engines are the best technology for sending spacecraft on long missions. They’re not suitable for launching spacecraft against powerful gravity, but they require minimal propellant compared to rockets, and they drive spacecraft to higher velocities over extended time periods. Ion thrusters are also quiet, and their silence has some scientists wondering if they could use them on Earth in applications where noise is undesirable.
Largest shock wave in the universe is 60 times larger than the Milky Way, new study finds
A new study shows what happens when the two largest objects in the universe collide.
Stonehenge may have been used as a solar calendar
Stonehenge may have been used as a solar calendar, with each of the stones representing a day and sections of the circle of stones possibly corresponding to weeks.
Scientists uncover the largest crater on Earth under 100,000 years old
A crescent-shaped crater in Northeast China holds the record as the largest impact crater on Earth that formed in the last 100,000 years.
Russia refuses to launch UK's OneWeb satellites unless demands are met
Roscosmos will not launch three dozen OneWeb internet satellites as planned on Friday (March 4) unless the company meets new demands.
Where to stream Star Trek Picard season 2
Paramount Plus is likely your best bet if you want to see the anticipated return of the infamous captain in Picard season 2.
Stunning Photos from Air, Space and Ground of the Atlas V GOES-T Launch
NASA and NOAA now have a sophisticated new weather satellite in space. The GOES-T satellite launched on the powerful United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket on March 1, and it will provide forecasters with high resolution weather imagery. It will also provide real-time monitoring of events on the ground like wildfires, floods and landslides, while monitoring atmospheric and climate dynamics over the Western US and Pacific Ocean.
The closest black hole to Earth doesn't actually exist
In a paper published today, an international team of researchers has disproved the existence of a black hole in HR 6819.
Uncovering Secrets of Earth's Shadow
The daily rising and setting of Earth's shadow is a beautiful sight anyone on the planet can view. It's also an opportunity to witness the rapid changes that accompany sunset or sunrise, but at the opposite end of the sky.
Magnetic "Spoon" Feeds Supermassive Black Hole
Astronomers have imaged the magnetic field along which gas flows to a galaxy's central black hole.
25 weird and wild solar system facts
Explore our 25 weird solar system facts and see how our neighborhood is stranger than we could ever imagine.
Satellites support latest IPCC climate report
Human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature, affecting the lives of billions of people around the world, according to the latest state of the climate report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published this week.
The Terminator movies in order
Come with me if you want to watch The Terminator movies in order.
Netflix's Marvel shows jump ship to Disney Plus, which now has parental controls
Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, The Punisher and more join Disney Plus, along with parental controls to stop your kids watching the brutal fight scenes.
4K Video: Atlas 5 launches GOES-T weather satellite
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Two black holes locked in cosmic dance near galaxy's center are doomed to crash
A new study shows two huge black holes locked in each other's gravity as they inevitably spiral towards a collision.
Russian rocket to launch OneWeb satellites Friday despite Ukraine invasion
Three dozen private broadband satellites are scheduled to launch atop a Russian rocket on Friday (March 4), and not everyone is happy about the situation.
Possible massive 'kilonova' explosion creates an epic afterglow
Two hyper-dense neutron stars potentially merged to create the event.