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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Volcanoes on Mars might still be active
New evidence suggests that volcanoes on Mars may have erupted just 50,000 years ago, far more recently than previously thought.
Catching the most dangerous thing in space
More than 8,000 tons of space debris orbit Earth, endangering our astronauts and satellites. Can we clean up space before it’s too late?
Algorithm quickly simulates massive universes in high-res
A new algorithm lets astrophysicists produce high-res cosmological simulations of large parts of the universe far more quickly than was previously possible.
Why this scientist wants to grow fish on the moon
Researchers are finding out how to send fish eggs to the moon so that one day we will be able to farm fish on the lunar surface.
Starship nails landing for the first time
SpaceX’s fifth high-altitude flight test of a Starship prototype ended with a successful landing — a first for the massive Mars-bound rocket.
NASA plans to send probe deep into interstellar space
An in-development Interstellar Probe could explore an area 10 times farther away than any craft before it, providing an unprecedented look at interstellar space.
Smart shirt monitored astronauts’ health in space
A sensor-packed smart shirt has been used to monitor astronauts’ health in space, with promising results.
More than 5,000 tons of space dust hit Earth every year
We now know about how much space dust — micrometeorites that may have seeded Earth with the ingredients for life — hits the planet every year.
Is NASA ready for an asteroid impact?
NASA is staging a week-long asteroid impact simulation during which participants will need to respond to a hypothetical impact scenario.
Chinese Space Station is ready for launch — in pieces
Construction is finally beginning on the Chinese Space Station, with its core module — Tianhe — expected to lift off in April 2021.
Astronauts take historic ride in used Dragon capsule
Four astronauts are en route to the International Space Station via a recycled SpaceX rocket and Dragon capsule — a first in spaceflight.
Airbus will test laser communication tech for inflight WiFi
Airbus is developing a laser communication system to increase the security of military operations and bring faster inflight Wi-Fi to passenger planes.
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter just flew on Mars
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter has made history on Mars, achieving the first controlled flight on another planet.
This startup’s goal is to be the “Henry Ford of space”
The startup Phantom Space is using other manufacturers’ parts to build its rockets, rather than developing them in-house like most space companies.
Scientists measure Mars’ core — and it is shockingly big!
For the first time, scientists have measured Mars’ core — and found it is much bigger than expected.
Can Hall thruster tech cut the cost of space exploration?
The spacecraft NASA is sending to study the Psyche asteroid will be powered by Hall thruster technology — marking its first use for deep space exploration.
Will the next space station be made of fabric?
NASA is considering an inflatable space habitat designed by Sierra Nevada Corporation as a potential space station of the future.
This “hamster ball” robot could explore lunar caves
The spherical Daedalus robot may explore lunar caves during future ESA moon missions, looking for places that could potentially host human settlements.
Space bacteria could help astronauts grow plants on Mars
A brand new species of bacteria has been discovered on the International Space Station — and it could one day help astronauts grow plants on Mars.
Jets powered by food waste could take off soon
Scientists have devised a method for converting food scraps, animal manure, and used food oil into a type of paraffin that works as jet fuel in jet engines.
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