Space
The latest news about space and space exploration.
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Japan’s moon lander took this eerie photo before being enveloped by lunar night
JAXA has confirmed its SLIM lander has gone dormant for the two-week-long lunar night, after it sent a final image taken before dusk. The ill-fated lander managed to turn on after landing upside down, but may not survive the cold, dark stretch.
Cheyenne MacDonald02.04.2024
The European Space Agency will test 3D printing metal on the ISS
A metal 3D printer will soon be used on the International Space Station. All going well, 3D-printed metal parts could eventually help with the construction of a base on the Moon.
Kris Holt01.31.2024
NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter has flown on Mars for the final time
NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter is no longer able to fly on Mars. The history-making machine suffered rotor blade damage on its 72nd flight.
Kris Holt01.26.2024
Japan’s SLIM lunar spacecraft landed upside down on the moon
Japan's SLIM spacecraft landed on the moon upside down.
Malak Saleh01.26.2024
Take a look at the full asteroid Bennu sample in all its glory
NASA has shared a high-resolution image of the asteroid Bennu sample inside the Touch-and-Go-Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), which remained closed because of stuck fasteners until last week. The mission obtained an abundance of material.
Cheyenne MacDonald01.21.2024
Japan’s SLIM lunar lander made it to the moon, but it’ll likely die within hours
JAXA, the Japanese space agency, confirmed that its SLIM lunar lander successfully made a soft landing on the moon. But, its solar cell isn't working as planned and it isn't generating electricity. JAXA says it only has enough battery for a few more hours.
Cheyenne MacDonald01.20.2024
Peregrine moon lander and its cargo will likely burn up in Earth’s atmosphere
In the latest update from Astrobotic, the company said the Peregrine lander seems to be heading back toward Earth and will likely burn up in the atmosphere. As of Saturday, Peregrine had made it 242,000 miles from Earth but has been leaking propellant for days.
Cheyenne MacDonald01.15.2024
NASA finally got the stuck lid off its asteroid Bennu sample container
NASA says it's finally removed two fasteners that were keeping it from getting to the asteroid Bennu sample. The sample is housed in a Touch-and-Go-Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), which itself is being protected in a glovebox.
Cheyenne MacDonald01.14.2024
NASA's new X-59 plane could hit supersonic speeds with minimal sonic boom
NASA’s X-59 Quesst supersonic commercial jet will have its flight test livestreamed on January 12.
Malak Saleh01.13.2024
Peregrine Mission 1 heralds the beginning of the moon’s commercialization
Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander is scheduled to launch on January 8 atop United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan Centaur rocket. The mission is the first of those contracted under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.
Cheyenne MacDonald01.07.2024
Now’s the last chance to send your name to one of Jupiter’s moons on NASA’s Europa Clipper
NASA's Europa Clipper mission is set to launch in October 2024 to study whether the icy Jupiter moon could support life. In a campaign called Message in a Bottle, NASA has invited the public to have their names added to the spacecraft alongside a poem by US Poet Laureate Ada Limón.
Cheyenne MacDonald12.31.2023
NASA beamed a video of a cat named Taters from deep space to Earth
On December 11, NASA successfully beamed an ultra-high definition video from the Psyche spacecraft to Earth. At the time, Psyche was about 19 million miles away. The video signal was received 101 seconds after it was sent.
Cheyenne MacDonald12.25.2023
SpaceX dominated private spaceflight in 2023, but its competitors (mostly) aren't quitting
In 2023, there were at least 200 successful orbital launches, and nearly half of them were conducted by SpaceX. Private space companies have been ramping up their activities as they compete to serve as launch providers and facilitate space tourism. But it wasn't a milestone year for all.
Cheyenne MacDonald12.21.2023
These tomatoes were lost on the International Space Station for almost a year
NASA shared a photo of two tomatoes that turned up on the International Space Station after eight months lost. They were harvested by astronaut Frank Rubio, who returned to Earth in September. The tomatoes held up well in space, appearing only dehydrated but otherwise intact.
Cheyenne MacDonald12.21.2023
Watch Blue Origin's first launch in 15 months here at 11:37AM ET
Blue Origin's first New Shepard launch in over a year is set to take place on Tuesday. You can watch the livestream here.
Kris Holt12.20.2023
Webb telescope’s new Uranus image looks like a portal to another dimension
The James Webb Space Telescope has a treat to celebrate the upcoming second anniversary of its launch. NASA and the ESA, which operate the craft alongside the CSA, shared a dazzling new image of the icy planet Uranus.
Will Shanklin12.19.2023
Looking back at 25 years of the ISS
Wednesday marks the 25th anniversary of the International Space Station’s (ISS) physical assembly in orbit. On December 6, 1998, the crew aboard the space shuttle Endeavor attached the US-built Unity node to the Russian-built Zarya module, kicking off the modular construction of the ISS.
Will Shanklin12.07.2023
Black hole behavior suggests Dr. Who's 'bigger on the inside' Tardis trick is theoretically possible
Do black holes, like dying old soldiers, simply fade away? Do they pop like universe-spawning balloons?
Andrew Tarantola11.26.2023
SpaceX loses another Starship and Super Heavy rocket in double explosion during test
SpaceX launched the second flight of Starship from its Boca Chica spaceport on Saturday morning. A few minutes into launch, the Super Heavy booster exploded, followed by Starship itself.
Cheyenne MacDonald11.18.2023
SpaceX prepares for Starship's second test flight after securing FAA clearance
The FAA has cleared Starship for a second test flight after an explosive first launch. SpaceX is now aiming for a November 17 launch date.
Mariella Moon11.16.2023