The subsurface oceans of the icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter remain our best bet for finding life elsewhere in the solar system. NASA is developing a roadmap for cryobots that could investigate these ocean worlds.
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Top 10 Astronomy News Stories of 2023
This year, we heard the low hum of gravitational waves criss-crossing the cosmos, observed a "ring of fire" solar eclipse, and applauded the arrival of asteroid samples. Here are Sky & Telescope's picks for the top news stories in astronomy this year.
12 space medicine findings from 2023 that could help astronauts reach Mars one day
Space medicine is a continuously growing field — and for good reason, if humans want to settle Mars someday.
2023: The year UFOs descended on Washington, DC (but not like you'd expect)
For those who follow news related to UFOs, 2023 will be remembered as the year that UFOs came to Washington, D.C.
Dream Chaser enters final testing ahead of 2024 debut space flight
If all goes to plan, the spacecraft dubbed 'Tenacity' will launch on a Vulcan Centaur rocket in 2024.
NASA Astronauts are Trying Out the Starship Lunar Elevator
As NASA continues to ramp up efforts for its Artemis program, which has the goal of landing the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface, two NASA astronauts recently conducted training with a replica of SpaceX’s Starship human landing system (HLS), albeit on a much smaller scale. Given that Starship is 50 meters (160 feet) tall, and the crew quarters are located near the top of Starship, the HLS will need an elevator with a basket to transport crew and supplies from the crew quarters down to the surface. The purpose of this training is to familiarize astronauts with all aspects of this system, including elevator and gate controls and latches, along with how the astronauts perform these tasks in their bulky astronaut suits, which both astronauts wore during the training.
Members Bonus Content: Remains of Falcon 9 booster 1058 return to port (4K video)
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Historic SpaceX Falcon 9 booster topples over and is lost at sea
The remains of Falcon 9 booster 1058 arrive at Port Canaveral after the vehicle toppled over and broke apart in bad weather. Image: Steven Young/Spaceflight Now.
A piece of America’s space history is now on the ocean’s floor. During its return voyage to Port Canaveral in Central Florida, a SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage booster toppled over and broke in half.
Gold mine of kilonova explosions forged by neutron stars crashing together
The gold that forms the ring on your finger was formed in the collision between two neutron stars. Now, scientists have mapped the kilonova blasts powered by these collisions in detail.
Mold-A-Rama and the space shuttle over Earth: A space age toy story
The space shuttle reentered orbit this fall after a 15-month retirement, and this time it was bright blue. The new orbiters are identical to the first ones pulled out, but this time are from Chicago.
International Space Station astronauts hang stockings and light a menorah for the holidays (images, video)
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station celebrated Christmas and Hannukah this festive season with the hanging of stockings and "lighting" a felt menorah.
We Owe Our Lives to the Moon
Life appeared on Earth through a series of lucky coincidences, and that luck started with our Moon. None of the other planets of the inner solar system have significant moons. Space is lonely around Mercury and Venus. Mars does have two small moons, Phobos and Deimos (Fear and Despair, befitting companions for the God of War), but those are simply captured asteroids, lassoed in the not-too-distant past and doomed to eventually come close enough to their unloving parent to be torn to shreds by gravitational forces.
Hubble Space Telescope spots a festive gathering of spiral galaxies (image)
The Hubble Space Telescope spotted a gathering of spiral galaxies for a stunning image released Monday (Dec. 25). But this apparent togetherness may be an illusion.
Discovery of 'calendar' rock carvings from Ancestral Pueblo in US Southwest surpasses 'wildest expectations'
Spiral petroglyphs carved into a canyon wall on the Colorado-Utah border may have been used as a calendar by the Ancestral Pueblo.
Project Kuiper: Amazon's answer to SpaceX's Starlink passes 'crucial' test
Amazon's Project Kuiper, which uses optical inter-satellite link (OISL) technology to connect more than 3,000 satellites in a mesh network that blankets Earth, just cleared a final hurdle needed to launch next year.
How NASA's VIPER rover could revolutionize moon exploration with AI mission
NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover is set to revolutionize lunar exploration when it lands on the moon's Mons Mouton.
Top Astronomy Events for 2024
Astronomy 2024 features the final total solar eclipse for the CONUS until 2044, and much more.
One million astronomical objects
Video: 00:04:10
Embark on a cosmic journey with ESA as we explore the universe through the lens of ‘One Million’. From the scorching temperatures of the Sun's corona to the cosmic gaze of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope — discover the astronomical wonders that surround us. Join our space community in celebrating a momentous occasion — 1 MILLION subscribers on YouTube! Thank you for your enthusiasm and support.
NASA hails historic space milestones of 2023 in inspiring new video
The space agency shared a new video showcasing its 2023 achievements, ranging from its first asteroid sample return project to its outline of how to send humans to Mars — and beyond.
The Full Cold Moon of December comes late for Christmas tonight
The last full moon of 2023, December's Cold Full Moon, will miss Christmas by just a day this year, illuminating the sky over Earth on Tuesday (Dec. 26).
Will Artemis 2 launch to the moon in 2024? NASA has a lot of work ahead
NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission took some important strides toward launch this year, but it's unclear if the ambitious effort will get off the ground as planned in late 2024.
