Low Earth orbit might seem like empty space, but for the thousands of satellites circling our planet between 95 and 1,900 km up, it's actually a surprisingly hostile environment. Every moment, these spacecraft are bombarded by highly reactive oxygen atoms that corrode their surfaces, while collisions with atmospheric molecules create drag that gradually pulls them back toward Earth. Most satellites last only about five years before these relentless forces take their toll, and the spacecraft tumbles back through the atmosphere. Now, a team at the University of Texas in Dallas is developing a protective coating that could fundamentally change how long satellites survive in orbit.
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ESA's lunar lander on a simulated moon | Space photo of the day for Oct. 28, 2025
With the Argonaut lunar lander and the LUNA simulation facility in Germany, the European Space Agency is building the technology and training to have life on the moon.
SpaceX Starlink internet isn't fast enough for Ukraine's combat robots
The amount of bandwidth provided by SpaceX's Starlink satellites is limiting Ukraine's ability to operate ground robots on the frontline of the nation's war against Russia.
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 28 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from California
File: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands ready to launch the Starlink 7-14 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Image: SpaceX
SpaceX will continue its rapid pace of launches Monday with the flight of a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
How AI can improve storm surge forecasts to help save lives
Accurate storm surge predictions are critical for giving coastal residents time to evacuate and giving emergency responders time to prepare.
Space radiation can produce some organic molecules detected on icy moons
As missions prepare to visit ocean worlds like Enceladus and Europa, new findings show scientists must first learn to distinguish between radiation-made organics and those born in a subsurface sea.
WindFire LED flashlight review
A super-bright and heavy-duty rechargeable flashlight that won't break the bank.
See Comet Lemmon cross paths with a cosmic serpent tonight
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) will pass through the neck of the great celestial serpent represented by the constellation Serpens Caput on the nights of Oct. 26-27.
Could we blast space debris out of harm's way with ion beams?
A new space debris removal project, ALBATOR, plans to tackle the growing debris problem in orbit.
'No spacecraft would survive': Europe simulates catastrophic solar storm to warn of real risks
Europe has just run its most extreme space weather simulation yet — a scenario so severe that no spacecraft was left unscathed.
30 years ago, 'The Simpsons' introduced us to Kang & Kodos, the series's iconic alien invaders
"Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos"
SpaceX marks 5th anniversary of first Starlink customer with Sunday satellite launch
SpaceX launches its Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on the Starlink 10-21 mission on Oct. 26, 2025. Image: John Pisani / Spaceflight Now
Update Oct. 26, 1 p.m. EDT (1700 UTC): SpaceX confirmed deployment of its 28 Starlink satellites.
SpaceX surpasses 2024 orbital launch record with Saturday Starlink mission
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket flies away from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Starlink 11-12 mission on Oct. 25, 2025. Image: SpaceX
Update Oct. 25, 11:35 a.m. EDT (1535 UTC): SpaceX confirms deployment of the 28 Starlink satellites.
Milky Way dazzles over Vera Rubin Observatory | Space photo of the day for Oct. 24, 2025
Perched high in Chile's Andes, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory sees a breathtaking view of the Milky Way's southern arc.
Teach-And-Repeat Driving Could Automate Lunar Cargo Delivery
Driving on the Moon for the first time has got to be an exhilarating experience. But driving the same path on the Moon for the 500th time probably won’t be nearly as exciting to whatever poor astronaut got stuck with that duty for the day. With that in mind, a team of researchers led by PhD student Alec Krawciw and Professor Tim Barfoot of the University of Toronto are working on a way to automate the mundane task of driving goods back and forth from a lunar landing site to a nascent lunar exploration base.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 24 –November 2
The crescent Moon returns and waxes to first quarter. Two binocular comets are on the way out. And Arcturus is once again the Ghost of Summer Suns.
Focusing on NGC 3370
Image: Focusing on NGC 3370
