The Martian surface shows ample evidence of its warm, watery past. Deltas, ancient lakebeds, and dry river channels are plentiful. When the Curiosity rover found organic matter in ancient sediments in the Jezero Crater paleolake, it was tempting to conclude that life created the matter.
Space News & Blog Articles
India launches nation's 1st 3D-printed rocket engine
India's Agnikul Cosmos successfully launched a test vehicle powered by a homegrown 3D printed rocket engine.
Shuttle fliers David Hilmers, Marsha Ivins enter Astronaut Hall of Fame
This year's U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony was a reunion of sorts, as honorees David Hilmers and Marsha Ivins took the stage under Atlantis, the shuttle on which they crossed paths.
See a Russian inspector satellite get up close and personal with a spacecraft in orbit
A Russian military satellite with a "history of unusual maneuvering" was spotted as it approached a satellite in geostationary orbit in April 2024.
Rogue planets may originate from 'twisted Tatooine' double star systems
"Twisted Tatooine" binary star systems could be a major player in ejecting rogue planets that go on to drift through the Milky Way without a stellar parent to heat or illuminate them.
What Impact Does Ozone Have on an Exoplanet?
As we discover more and more exoplanets – and the current total is in excess of 5,200 – we continue to try to learn more about them. Astrobiologists busy themselves analysing their atmospheres searching for anything that provides a sign of life. It is quite conceivable of course that the Universe is teeming with life based on very different chemistry to ours but we often look to life on Earth to know what to look for. On Earth for example, ozone forms through photolysis of molecular oxygen and is an indicator of life. Using the James Webb Space Telescope astronomers are searching stars in the habitable zone of their star for the presence of ozone and how it impacts their climate.
China's Chang'e 6 Lands on the Lunar Farside
China Chang’e 6 mission has landed on the Moon and is now set to perform another first: a sample return from the lunar farside.
China's Chang'e 6 probe starts collecting 1st lunar far side samples to be brought to Earth
China's Chang'e-6 lunar mission has carried out a successful far side touchdown and is already busily gathering specimens for send-off to Earth.
China's space plane releases another mystery object into orbit
China's experimental space plane released an unknown object into Earth’s orbit on May 24, which could be a subsatellite deployment or an indication the spacecraft is nearing the end of its third mission.
Watch China's Chang'e 6 probe land on far side of the moon in dramatic video
China's Chang'e-6 has successfully touched down on the far side of the moon, and its dramatic approach to the mysterious lunar region was captured in a stunning video.
Part 2: The History and Future of Planetary Radar
To reach the Green Bank Observatory, you take the road less traveled, winding through scenic and remote regions of the Allegheny Mountains and the Monongahela National Forest of West Virginia. About an hour away, you’ll start to lose cell phone service. The Green Bank Observatory – a collection of radio telescopes that search the heavens for faint radio signals from black holes, pulsars, neutron stars or gravitational waves — sits near the heart of the United States National Radio Quiet Zone, a unique area the encompasses an area of approximately 13,000 square miles, spanning the border between Virginia and West Virginia.
First metal 3D printing on Space Station
Image: First metal 3D printing on Space Station
The secrets of supernovas might be locked in moon dust
Supernovas spread the building blocks for new stars and planets throughout the cosmos, and evidence of these stellar explosions could be extracted from moon dust.
Why NASA's Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter's icy moon is such a big deal
How deep are Europa's ice sheets? Could the moon sustain life? The Europa Clipper Mission, which is due to launch in October, will help scientists answer these intriguing questions.
Astronomers Discover New Earth-size World Only 40 Light-Years Away
This nearby terrestrial world might just reveal the secrets of atmospheric composition and habitability for planets like Earth and Venus.
Swarm helps discover Steve's long-lost twin
Ever since aurora chasers discovered Steve, a mysterious ribbon of purple light in the night sky, scientists have wondered whether it might have a secret twin. Now, thanks to a photographer’s keen eye, and data from ESA’s Swarm satellites, we may have found it.
ESA to unveil Europe's future in space at ILA 2024
The 2024 edition of the Berlin International Airshow (ILA), Germany's largest aerospace trade show, returns to Berlin ExpoCenter Airport from 5 to 9 June. The European Space Agency is taking part to present Europe's future endeavours in space and the agency’s ambitions. On the first three days, an extensive programme of sessions awaits thousands of professional attendees, while the last two days will be open to the public, welcoming visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
Chinese Probe Lands on Moon’s Far Side to Collect Samples for Return
After touching down on the moon’s far side, China’s Chang’e-6 lander is collecting samples to bring back to Earth — and sending back imagery documenting its mission.
A New Way to Make Precise Maps of the Lunar Surface
There was a time when maps of the Moon were created from telescopic observations and drawings. Indeed Sir Patrick Moore created maps of the Moon that were used during the historic Apollo landings. Now researchers have enhanced a technique to create accurate maps from existing satellite images. Their approach uses a technique called ‘shape-from-shading’ and involves analyzing shadows to estimate the features and shape of the terrain. Future lunar missions will be able to use the maps to identify hazards on the surface making them far safer.
Japanese Billionaire Calls Off His Starship Trip Around the Moon
Six years after he announced a grand plan to fly around the moon with a crew of artists in SpaceX’s Starship rocket, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa said he was canceling the project due to delays in Starship’s development.
NASA foregoes Sunday launch, delaying Starliner takeoff to at least Wednesday
The seemingly star-cross Boeing Starliner — within minutes of its long-delayed blastoff on the spacecraft’s first piloted test flight — was grounded again Saturday when one of three redundant computers managing the countdown from the base of the launch pad ran into a problem, triggering a last-minute scrub.