China is working on a lander for human moon missions
China’s main spacecraft maker is developing a human landing system for lunar missions, according to an account of an official academic visit.
Join the International Spacecraft Exploration Challenge
For more than a half-century, Space Exploration has been an inspirational force in our society toward the development and application of science and engineering. The International SpaceCRAFT Exploration Challenge gives students an incredible opportunity to participate in space exploration themselves – virtually.
NASA is Recruiting for Yearlong Simulated Mars Mission
Mars is calling! NASA is seeking applicants for participation as a crew member during the first one-year analog mission in a habitat to simulate life on a distant world, set to begin in Fall 2022.
Boeing’s Starliner still hoping for August launch despite technical troubles
Last week, Boeing delayed a crucial uncrewed test launch for its Starliner astronaut taxi after engineers detected an issue with valves in the vehicle’s propulsion system that didn’t open as designed during prelaunch checks.
All eyes on Venus: 2 spacecraft gear up for close Venus flybys this week
Venus is about to get double the extra attention. NASA’s Solar Orbiter, in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), will hone in on Venus on Aug. 9, but it won’t be alone for long. Another ESA spacecraft, BepiColombo (a partnership with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA) will fly by the planet just one day later.
Virgin Galactic re-opens ticket sales, first commercial flight slips to late ’22
Virgin Galactic, buoyed by a successful July 11 suborbital test flight with founder Richard Branson on the company’s winged rocket plane, re-opened ticket sales Thursday for rides to space starting at $450,000 per seat.
Planet and SpaceX announce multiyear launch agreement
Planet announced a multiyear agreement Aug. 5 that designates SpaceX as the Earth-observation company’s “go-to-launch provider through the end of 2025.”
It’s Almost August – and that means the Annual Perseid Meteor Shower Is Near
The Perseid meteor shower occurs every year from around mid-July to late August, as Earth passes through a cloud of dust particles and debris from a comet known as 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862.
German X-ray space telescope captures most complete map of black holes ever
A German-built space telescope is creating the most detailed map of black holes and neutron stars across our universe, revealing more than 3 million newfound objects in less than two years.
Chandra Catches Slingshot During Collision
When the titans of space — galaxy clusters — collide, extraordinary things can happen. A new study using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory examines the repercussions after two galaxy clusters clashed.
Russia launches Nauka module to International Space Station
A Russian Proton-M rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 10:58 a.m. Eastern carrying the Multipurpose Laboratory Module, or Nauka. The module separated from the rocket’s upper stage about nine and a half minutes after launch. Both Roscosmos and NASA said that Nauka deployed its solar arrays and navigational antennas shortly after separation.
Scientists want to build a new, very different Arecibo Telescope to replace fallen icon
Arecibo Observatory’s massive radio dish was many things to many people: pulsar finder, broadcaster to aliens, asteroid mapper, Bond villain’s hidden satellite dish, Puerto Rican icon, birthplace of future scientists. Until seven months ago, that is, when gravity got the best of an engineering marvel that had endured everything thrown its way for decades and the entire platform crashed down.
Titan impact craters reveal connections to planetary weather, set the stage for Dragonfly Mission
A new examination, using Cassini and Huygens data, of nine Titan impact craters at various locations in the equatorial and mid-latitude regions has provided new information on the evolution of the craters, how they are related to Titan’s weather systems, and a unique look at the subsurface composition of the moon exposed due to the impact.
Update – Tropical Storm Elsa Delays SpaceX Dragon Cargo Ship’s Return to Earth
Dragon’s splashdown, which will be controlled by SpaceX teams from Hawthorne, California, is now expected to take place Friday (July 9). The spacecraft will then be transported to NASA’s Space Station Processing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.