Space News & Blog Articles
How changing levels of iron shaped the evolution of life on Earth — and why alien hunters should take note
During the development of life on planet Earth over billions of years, iron deficiency may have stimulated evolution.
Bounteous harvest in Antarctic greenhouse may bode well for Mars colonization
A greenhouse in Antarctica testing technologies that could one day grow food for Mars colonists has produced an abundant harvest of greens, vegetables and spices.
SpaceX's all-civilian Inspiration4 astronaut crew flew a meteorite back to space (briefly)
Astronaut Sian Proctor says it's the first time humans deliberately let a space rock revisit its home.
Michael Strahan's Blue Origin Launch on New Shepard: Live updates
On Dec. 11, 2021, Blue Origin will launch former NFL football player and Good Morning America host Michael Strahan to space alongside five crewmates on the New Shepard rocket's NS-19 mission. Liftoff is set for 9:45 a.m. EST (1445 GMT) with a live webcast to begin at 8:15 a.m. EST (1315 GMT). Strahan will launch on a suborbital flight on New Shepard with Laura Shepard Churchley, eldest daughter of famed NASA astronaut Alan Shepard, and paying passengers Dylan Taylor, Evan Dick, Lane Bess and Cameron Bess.
SpaceX launches NASA mission to study dead stars
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launches with NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer. Credit: Michael Cain / Spaceflight Now / Coldlife Photography
SpaceX launched a refrigerator-sized NASA X-ray observatory from Kennedy Space Center into an unusual orbit hugging the equator Thursday, beginning a $214 million mission to study black holes and super-compact neutron stars.
Michael Strahan taking football to space on Blue Origin flight Saturday
Michael Strahan, who played in the NFL from 1993 to 2007, will tote a football on his suborbital jaunt with Jeff Bezos' spaceflight company Blue Origin on Saturday.
FAA ending commercial astronaut wings program as more people reach space
The 17-year-old program met its goal in raising awareness and the names will still be listed online, the agency said.
Astronaut Alan Shepard's daughter says she's excited to follow him to space
Laura Shepard Churchley is set to launch on a Blue Origin flight Saturday (Dec. 11).
The Milky Way's supermassive black hole burps 'mini-jets,' scientists find
The supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy periodically hiccups, burping a "mini-jet" out into space.
The Constellation Fornax
Welcome to another edition of Constellation Friday! Today, in honor of the late and great Tammy Plotner, we take a look at “the Furnace” – the Fornax constellation. Enjoy!
Galaxies Have Been Found With no Dark Matter at all
One of the greatest cosmological mysteries facing astrophysicists today is Dark Matter. Since the 1960s, scientists have postulated that this invisible mass accounts for most of the matter in the Universe. While there are still many unresolved questions about it – i.e., What is it composed of? How do we detect it? What evidence is there beyond indirect detection? – we have managed to learn a few things about it over time.
Webb telescope fueled for flight, ready for lifting atop launcher
The James Webb Space Telescope is loaded with toxic propellants by technicians wearing protective self-contained suits. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/P. Piron
A crane at the Guiana Space Center in South America will hoist the nearly $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope more than 15 stories above the floor of a rocket assembly hangar this weekend to position the observatory on top of its Ariane 5 launcher for blastoff later this month.
After 10 Days of Dangerous, Careful Work, James Webb has Been Fully Fueled up
On Oct. 12th, 2021, after years of waiting and cost overruns, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) finally arrived safely at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The crews began unboxing the next-generation observatory and getting it ready for integration with the Ariane 5 rocket that will take it to space. Then, an “incident” occurred where a clamp band suddenly released, sending vibrations throughout the facility. Once again, the JWST’s launch date was pushed back while crews investigated the source of the problem.
Leonardo DiCaprio: How comet-themed 'Don't Look Up' shows climate crisis as an emergency
The star-studded cast spoke about Netflix's film, which debuts Dec. 10 in a select theater run.
'Don't Look Up' delivers a punch in comet-themed climate change film satire (review)
Science is perfectly at the forefront of this star-studded story, but will the jokes connect with a wide audience?
Geminid meteor shower 2021: When, where & how to see it
The Geminid meteor shower peaks the night of Dec. 13-14. This guide tells you the best times and places to see these shooting stars (no equipment necessary).
Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022 review
The release of the 2022 version of Photoshop Elements sees Adobe add more one-click edits and AI cleverness to the photo-editing software
Brrrr: Bundle Up For the 2021 Geminid Meteors
One of the best annual meteor showers of the year, the Geminids top off 2021.
The Geminids peak next week! Here's how to spot them despite the bright moon.
The December Geminid meteor shower is usually considered the most satisfying of the annual meteor displays, but this year, the moon will put a damper on the spectacle.
Best Star Wars Funko Pops
Here are the very best Star Wars Funko Pops that every collector should have.