Space

A rocket lifts off from its launch pad with clouds of smoke billowing around it, set against a blue sky.

The New Space Race

Reusable rockets are real, the internet is in orbit, and we’re heading to Mars. With space manufacturing, asteroid mining, and lunar bases, the new space race has just begun, transforming life on Earth forever.
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T-Minus: 10 milestones in commercial spaceflight
T-Minus looks back at 10 major milestones in the commercial space industry — including several SpaceX triumphs.
T-minus
T-Minus: 10 space startups to watch
Today’s aerospace industry includes hundreds of startups, all vying to be the next SpaceX. Here are 10 that could actually do it.
T-Minus: 10 space stations of the future
The International Space Station may be nearing retirement, but 10 new space stations are just preparing for launch.
T-Minus: Counting down 10 upcoming moon missions
A countdown of 10 upcoming moon missions, all leading up to the one expected to return NASA astronauts to the lunar surface.
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The U.S. Navy is building a solar plane
The U.S. Navy is developing a solar-powered plane that can fly for 90 days while watching military ships below.
Scientists listen to marsquakes to map the inside of the planet
With information garnered from marsquakes, researchers have created the first complete image of the interior structure of Mars.
Astronomers catch “ghosts” dancing around radio galaxies
Astronomers with the EMU Project have released a spooky image of “dancing ghosts” emanating from a pair of distant radio galaxies.
Psyche asteroid might not be a planetary core after all
The first high-res heat emissions map of the Psyche asteroid suggests the hunk of metal might not be the core of a developing planet.
NASA needs people to pretend they’re living on Mars
To prepare for a future in which astronauts are living on Mars, NASA is looking for people willing to live in a simulated Mars habitat.
“Star shrapnel” from a supernova explosion is exiting the galaxy
A metallic star is hurtling out of the Milky Way, propelled by a supernova explosion triggered after it ate its partner star as a white dwarf.
“The Blob,” a strangely intelligent slime mold, is going to space
A strange slime mold that can think despite lacking a brain is heading to the ISS as part of an educational experiment with French schools.
Space manufacturing startup plans to build first off-world factory
Space manufacturing startup Varda Space Industries has raised enough money to bring its dream of building the first space factory to fruition.
Water vapor found on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede
Astronomers have detected the first evidence of water vapor in the atmosphere of Jupiter’s massive moon Ganymede.
Light from behind supermassive black hole detected for first time
The first direct observation of light from behind a supermassive black hole confirms a prediction in Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
NASA interns designed a washing machine for astronauts
NASA challenged its interns to design a washing machine for astronauts so that they wouldn’t have to keep throwing away dirty laundry.
Harvard astrophysicist will lead hunt for alien technology
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb’s new Galileo Project will hunt for alien technology using proven scientific methods and equipment.
Baby exoplanet appears to be forming a moon
A unique baby exoplanet surrounded by a disc of gas and dust could unravel some of the mystery surrounding planet and moon formation.
NASA’s new balloon-borne telescope is ready for liftoff
NASA’s new balloon-borne telescope could let astronomers study distant objects with the latest tech at a fraction of the cost of Hubble.
Amateur astronomer discovers new moon of Jupiter
An amateur astronomer has spotted an unknown moon of Jupiter, marking the first discovery of a planetary moon by a non-professional.
Historic Blue Origin flight included four people — but no pilot
A Blue Origin flight on July 20 marked the first time a pilotless spacecraft has flown with a crew consisting solely of space tourists.
Virgin flight shatters record for number of people in space at once
A Virgin Galactic flight that set a new record for number of people in space at one time may have kicked off the era of space tourism.
Sky-mapping system can predict whether cancer treatment will work
Johns Hopkins researchers are using image analysis developed for astronomy to study cancer immunotherapy.
Virgin Galactic gets greenlight to fly space tourists
Virgin Galactic is the first spaceline to get the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval to fly space tourists — a huge milestone in space tourism.
Astronauts use CRISPR in space for first time
A first-of-its-kind experiment using CRISPR in space could help protect astronauts from DNA damage on long trips beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
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