General space and astronomy news that spans multiple missions and topics.
Students Take on Airborne Field Research with NASA
Students from NASA's Student Airborne Research Program released ozonesondes above the Texas Gulf Coast this summer, gaining hands-on experience in atm…
NASA Assigns Astronaut Deniz Burnham to First Space Station Mission
NASA astronaut Deniz Burnham will launch to the International Space Station in March 2027 aboard Soyuz MS-30, flying with Russian cosmonauts Dmitri Pe…
Starburst Galaxy Centaurus A
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captured a detailed infrared portrait of Centaurus A, revealing the dusty structures and violent activity within thi…
Rules of the road needed for orbital data center constellations
Companies plan to deploy orbital data centers in large constellations around Earth, a technology that could transform how the planet processes and sto…
Roman Space Telescope on track for late August launch
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is on track for launch in late August, the agency confirmed. The mission will deploy infrared imaging capabil…
NASA Awards 2026 Innovative Technology Concepts
NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program selected 18 Phase I proposals for funding, allocating $3.2 million total to explore technologies that coul…
NASA Sets Coverage for August Northern Hemisphere Total Solar Eclipse
NASA will broadcast live coverage of the total solar eclipse crossing the Northern Hemisphere on August 12, offering multiple viewing platforms for ob…
NASA’s Curiosity Discovers a Field of Martian Polygons
NASA's Curiosity rover has documented an expansive field of polygons on Mars, a discovery that reveals new clues about the Red Planet's geological his…
Sophia Space and Caltech claim patent for space data centers
Sophia Space and the California Institute of Technology have secured a patent for space-based data center technology, marking a step toward orbital co…
L3Harris delays missile business IPO to 2027 despite surging defense demand
L3Harris Technologies postponed the initial public offering of its missile propulsion business to 2027, pushing back the spinoff despite accelerating …
NASA’s Hubble Shows Star Formation in Andromeda Galaxy Winding Down
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has detected a dramatic shift in the Andromeda galaxy. Star formation there has declined substantially over the past 500…
Boeing still working with NASA to schedule next Starliner flight
Boeing and NASA continue negotiations to schedule the next crewed flight of the Starliner spacecraft, following complications with the vehicle's first…
Chinese startup raises funds for space situational awareness constellation, joining commercial SSA rush
A Chinese space startup has secured funding to build a constellation dedicated to space situational awareness, joining a growing commercial sector foc…
Swift reboost mission encounters attitude control problems
NASA's Swift gamma-ray observatory encountered attitude control problems during a reboost mission designed to extend the spacecraft's operational life…
NASA selects successor to CAPSTONE lunar mission
NASA has selected a successor mission to CAPSTONE, the pathfinder spacecraft that validated a unique lunar orbit before the agency's crewed Artemis mi…
NASA Science Soars During August Total Solar Eclipse
NASA will conduct extensive scientific observations during the total solar eclipse crossing Greenland and Iceland on August 12. The event offers resea…
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams Returns to Earth
NASA astronaut Chris Williams returned to Earth on July 26, 2026, landing in Kazakhstan alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei…
NASA’s Swift Sees ‘Wandering’ Mega Black Hole Shredding Star
NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory detected a supermassive black hole devouring a star at an unprecedented distance from its host galaxy's center. …
Upper C-band auction offers another lift for GEO industry
The Federal Communications Commission's upper C-band auction represents a turning point for geostationary orbit operators recovering from years of reg…
Orbes unveils Exo-ORB and agreement with Symphony Space
Orbes, a space technology developer, has unveiled the Exo-ORB platform and signed an agreement with Symphony Space to advance commercial space operati…
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams, Crewmates Return from Space Station
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Roscosmos cosmonauts, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, returned to Earth on Sunday after eight months abo…
What happened to space horror movies?
Space horror films have largely vanished from multiplexes and streaming platforms. The genre that once delivered visceral scares alongside scientific …
I'm not an astronaut, but I went to the International Space Station (sort of)
A visitor experienced the International Space Station through advanced simulation technology rather than actual spaceflight. The encounter highlights …
We boldly chat with 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' showrunners about space dinosaurs and Lovecraftian horrors for season 4 (interview)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds showrunners are planning to introduce dinosaurs and Lovecraftian horror elements into season 4 of the Paramount+ series.…
What lurks beneath the volcanoes of Jupiter's moon Io? NASA's Juno probe just took a peek
NASA's Juno spacecraft has gathered new data on the subsurface structure beneath Io's volcanic landscape, offering unprecedented insights into how the…
Artemis 2 astronaut advocates for equatorial lunar landings
Astronaut John Glover, slated to fly on Artemis 2, is advocating for NASA to land future missions at the Moon's equatorial regions rather than the pol…
Gravity-1 sea launch off Shanghai puts 9 satellites into orbit
China's Orienspace launched nine satellites into orbit aboard a Gravity-1 rocket from a floating platform off Shanghai on July 22, 2026. The sea launc…
We talk with astronaut Michael Foale about the 1997 Space Station Mir crisis: 'He took all the blame of the collision on his shoulders'
Astronaut Michael Foale recounted the harrowing collision that struck the Russian space station Mir on June 25, 1997, when an unmanned Progress cargo …
This Week In Space podcast: Episode 220 — First on Mars
NASA's Viking 1 lander reached the Martian surface 50 years ago this week, fundamentally transforming humanity's understanding of the red planet. The …
NASA astronaut, 2 cosmonauts returning to Earth on July 26: Watch it live
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Aleksandr Misurkin and Anatoly Ivanishin will land in Kazakhstan on July 26, concluding their mis…
SpaceX conducts 13th Starship test flight
SpaceX launched Starship on its 13th integrated flight test from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. The fully stacked vehicle, comprising the Super Heavy …
EU delays release of Copernicus imagery over Gulf of Oman
The European Union delayed the public release of satellite imagery captured by its Copernicus program over the Gulf of Oman, citing sensitivity around…
Air Force takes over troubled military GPS receiver program
The U.S. Air Force has assumed control of a military GPS receiver program plagued by technical setbacks and budget overruns. The Selective Availabilit…
SpaceX's Starship megarocket makes the 'softest splashdown' ever after launching next-gen Starlink satellites in Flight 13 test (video)
SpaceX's Starship completed its 13th test flight on July 24, achieving multiple objectives and executing an unprecedented controlled splashdown of the…
ZWO Seestar S30 Pro smart telescope review
ZWO's Seestar S30 Pro represents a meaningful step forward in consumer astronomy technology. The compact telescope automates observation through smart…
NASA Announces New Spacecraft Technology Demonstration Mission at Moon
NASA awarded Advanced Space a contract to develop CAPSTONE 02, a spacecraft technology demonstration mission that will test critical capabilities for …
NASA to Support Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Testing, Advance Artemis
NASA and Blue Origin formalized an agreement to conduct second stage hot fire testing for the New Glenn rocket at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Missi…
Hubble Spies One-Sided Spiral
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured striking imagery of NGC 4654, a spiral galaxy 72 million light-years distant in Virgo. The observations reveal…
LatConnect 60 Unveils Proprietary AI Capabilities Following Growing Indo-Pacific Defence Interest in SWIRSAT
LatConnect 60 revealed proprietary artificial intelligence capabilities designed for satellite operations, capitalizing on growing Indo-Pacific defens…
Office of Space Commerce to move ahead on mission authorization
The Department of Commerce's Office of Space Commerce will proceed with establishing a mission authorization framework for commercial space operations…
A Million-Panel Project
# A Million-Panel Project Utah has completed one of the region's largest solar installations, deploying over one million photovoltaic panels paired w…
Curiosity Blog, Sols 4954–4960: Celebrating Our Rover Engineers Past and Present
NASA's Curiosity rover continues its decade-long investigation of Mars under the guidance of engineering teams whose contributions span from the missi…
Look for NASA+ Now Streaming on Amazon Fire TV
NASA expanded its streaming footprint by launching NASA+ on Amazon Fire TV Channels, making agency content accessible through voice commands on compat…
NASA programs feel effects of workforce reductions
NASA faces operational disruptions as workforce reductions ripple through agency centers and programs. The staffing cuts strain critical initiatives a…
Relativity Space to expand Terran R production in Florida
Relativity Space plans to expand production of its Terran R rocket in Florida, scaling up manufacturing capacity for the company's fully 3D-printed la…
Crews Move Artemis IV Liquid Hydrogen Tank
NASA's manufacturing teams at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans completed a major production milestone for Artemis IV on May 15, 2026, tran…
Will Bruey on rethinking the role of pharmaceuticals in low Earth orbit
Will Bruey, CEO of Varda Space Industries, is advancing pharmaceutical manufacturing in low Earth orbit by leveraging the microgravity environment to …
Airbus space business takes advantage of growing demand for satellite systems
Airbus Defence and Space is expanding its satellite manufacturing operations to meet surging global demand for Earth observation and communications sy…
FCC approves sweeping space reforms while clearing more C-band for 5G
# FCC Approves Sweeping Space Reforms While Clearing More C-band for 5G The Federal Communications Commission has enacted comprehensive regulatory re…
The strategic competition with China: winning the multi-domain race
China's space program accelerates its capabilities across multiple domains, demonstrating rapid progress in launch cadence, satellite constellation de…
Olympic Mountain Glory
NASA's Earth observation satellites have captured stunning imagery of the Olympic Mountains in northwestern Washington, revealing geological formation…
NASA to Showcase Agency’s Newest Wind Tunnel in Virginia
NASA inaugurates its first new wind tunnel in over four decades at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Flight Dynamics Research Facility…
Robotic Servicing Mission Launches with NASA Support
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Mission Robotic Vehicle from Cape Canaveral on July 21, carrying the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satelli…
NASA Joins Genesis Mission to Accelerate AI-Driven Discovery
NASA has joined the Genesis Mission, a federally coordinated initiative to deploy artificial intelligence across scientific and engineering research. …
China’s Shijian-31 satellite is sweeping GEO using a unique orbit
China's Shijian-31 satellite launched on a Long March 3B rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center operates in an unusual geosynchronous orbit that …
NASA Sets Coverage for Astronaut Chris Williams, Crewmates Return
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev are returning to Earth after 241 days aboard the Interna…
A New Look – and Sound – for Messier 94
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory captured a new view of Messier 94, a spiral galaxy located 15 million light-years away in the constellation Hounds. T…
Mapping Io’s Hidden Heat With NASA’s Juno
NASA's Juno spacecraft has used its Microwave Radiometer to map thermal emissions from Jupiter's volcanic moon Io during two close flybys in late 2023…
NASA’s Juno Peers Beneath Io’s Surface
NASA's Juno spacecraft has penetrated beneath the surface of Jupiter's moon Io using its Microwave Radiometer (MWR) instrument, revealing heat signatu…
NASA’s Juno Takes Temperature of Jupiter’s Fiery Moon Io
NASA's Juno spacecraft has measured subsurface temperatures on Io for the first time, capturing data that reveals the violent thermal landscape beneat…
NISAR’s L-Band Radar Reveals ‘Hummingbird’ in Antarctica
NASA and ISRO's joint NISAR satellite captured unprecedented radar imagery of a remote Antarctic nunatak acting as an obstruction within flowing glaci…
US-India Satellite Delivers Data, Reveals ‘Hummingbird’ in Antarctica
NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have opened their NISAR satellite data to the public starting July 20, enabling researchers wor…
NASA Langley Celebrates Community through Music with ‘Symphony Under the Stars’ Event
NASA Langley Research Center hosted "Stars, Stripes, and Supernovas – Symphony Under the Stars" on July 16, drawing employees, families, and community…
Zenno Astronautics to relocate to the United States
Zenno Astronautics, a space propulsion company, plans to relocate its headquarters to the United States. The company currently operates internationall…
Northrop adds to charges on Vulcan solid rocket motor program
Northrop Grumman has added additional charges to its Vulcan solid rocket motor program, intensifying cost overruns on a critical component for United …
NIAC 2026 Selections
NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program has selected three ambitious Phase I projects for 2026 funding, each tackling fundamental challenges in sp…
Precision Astrometry Using Optically Independent Spacecraft for Graviational Wave Detection
NASA-backed researchers at Brookhaven Science Associates are developing a novel gravitational wave detection method that exploits astrometric signatur…
Mapping Alien Continents: Achieving Optical VLBI for Exoplanet Imaging
Astronomers are developing a revolutionary imaging technique to directly observe surface features on Earth-like exoplanets orbiting nearby stars. Rese…
Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys
NASA explores a reconnaissance spacecraft design that performs rapid orbital surveys using Raman spectroscopy during high-speed planetary flybys. The …
Robotically Assembled Electromagnetic Metamaterials for Long-Range Space Situational Awareness
Researchers at Duke University are developing robotically assembled electromagnetic metamaterials to advance space situational awareness, addressing t…
NASA Sets Briefings for SpaceX Crew-13 Mission to Space Station
NASA will host two news briefings on August 3 at Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the SpaceX Crew-13 mission to the International Space Stat…
NASA, GE Aerospace Work Enables Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstration
NASA and GE Aerospace successfully demonstrated a megawatt-class hybrid-electric engine in flight, marking a pivotal step toward fuel-efficient aircra…
New NASA Earth Missions Gear Up to Start Science Flights
NASA is launching six new Earth science airborne campaigns beginning this summer to monitor atmospheric composition, ocean health, and climate variabl…
Italian startup ORiS raises funding for laser power-beaming technology
ORiS, an Italian startup, has secured funding to develop laser power-beaming technology for space applications. The company aims to transmit energy wi…
SpaceX targets July 23 for crucial Starship Flight 13 test launch after abort
SpaceX will attempt to launch Starship Flight 13 on July 23 after scrubbing the previous launch attempt on July 16. The world's most powerful rocket u…
From Hampton to Mars: How NASA Langley Helped Land on the Red Planet
NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia played a pivotal role in achieving humanity's first successful Mars landings half a century ago. V…
Our First View of the Surface of Mars
On July 20, 1976, Viking 1 became the first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars and transmit images from the surface. The lander touched down at 5…
Pipelines to payloads: risk management lessons for the space economy
SpaceX's Transporter rideshare missions have become a proving ground for risk management practices that define the emerging commercial space economy. …
AI rocket engine startup LegendSpace raises $29.5 million angel round
LegendSpace, an artificial intelligence-focused rocket engine startup, closed a $29.5 million angel funding round to accelerate development of advance…
'Stranger Things' at 10: The Netflix streaming icon that made it cool to like science again
# Stranger Things and the New Generation of Science Enthusiasts Netflix's Stranger Things has fundamentally reshaped how younger audiences engage wit…
Scientists told them, 'No, it's too dangerous,' but they did it anyway: Inside Japan's super-close asteroid flyby
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft executed a razor-close approach to near-Earth asteroid 1998 KY26 on July 5, capturing detailed images that required overc…
'Aliens' at 40: Here are 26 reasons why James Cameron's sequel is still the greatest sci-fi action movie of all time
This article celebrates the 40th anniversary of "Aliens," James Cameron's 1986 sequel to Ridley Scott's "Alien." Space.com highlights 26 reasons why t…
Earth's largest particle accelerator opens new window into the early universe just after the Big Bang: 'A culmination of a decades-long quest'
The Large Hadron Collider at CERN has achieved a breakthrough in reconstructing conditions from the earliest moments after the Big Bang. Recent observ…
'The dawn of a new space era': Vikram-1, India's 1st private orbital rocket, aces debut launch
Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket completed its inaugural orbital flight on July 18, marking a watershed moment for India's commercial spaceflight s…
The Case of the Sun's Missing Silver
Astronomers resolved a persistent mystery about the composition of the Sun by refining models of its atmosphere. The puzzle centered on a discrepancy …
'Aliens' at 40: James Cameron's sequel is a sci-fi icon, but did you know he quit the movie twice?
James Cameron's "Aliens" arrives at its 40th anniversary as one of science fiction cinema's defining achievements, yet the film's production nearly co…
Should we trust AI in the search for alien life? Scientists aren't so sure
Artificial intelligence systems designed to detect biosignatures in exoplanet atmospheres and extraterrestrial environments face a fundamental vulnera…
How Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar' turned general relativity into the bad guy
Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" weaponizes Einstein's theory of general relativity, transforming gravitational physics from abstract science into a…
10 places in the US and Canada to see August's partial solar eclipse and Perseid meteor shower in 1 trip
August 12, 2026, brings a rare convergence of celestial events for North American skywatchers. A partial solar eclipse during daylight hours will prec…
James Webb Space Telescope discovers how black holes feed themselves
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured direct evidence of how supermassive black holes consume material from their surroundings, revealing the fe…
Mauritius becomes 70th nation to sign the Artemis Accords
Mauritius has become the 70th nation to sign the Artemis Accords, the international agreement that establishes norms for responsible space exploration…
'We knew we had a lot to live up to': As 'Aliens' turns 40, we chat to the legendary VFX masters who created the Alien Queen (interview)
This article celebrates the 40th anniversary of James Cameron's "Aliens" (1986) through an interview with the visual effects team behind the film's ic…
Beyond the Perseids: 6 meteor showers worth watching this summer
The Perseid meteor shower dominates August skies each year, but five other meteor showers offer spectacular viewing opportunities throughout the summe…
Remembering 'Ulysses 31', the '80s cartoon that transported 'The Odyssey' to outer space
"Ulysses 31" remains a peculiar artifact of 1980s animation, a Franco-Japanese co-production that transplanted Homer's epic voyage into the cosmos. Th…
These 'metallic' dunes on Mars look like sci-fi. What are they really?
Mars Express has imaged unusual wave formations on Mars that resemble metallic or rippled surfaces. These striations captured by the European Space Ag…
NASA Invites Media to Roman Space Telescope, Crew-13 Launches
NASA opened media accreditation for two major missions launching in the coming months: the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and SpaceX Crew-13. The …
NASA’s Psyche Mission Images Details of Martian Surface During Flyby
NASA's Psyche spacecraft captured detailed images of the Martian surface during a gravity assist flyby on May 15, 2026. The multispectral imager instr…
Laying the groundwork for the first human mission to Mars
NASA is executing a deliberate stepping-stone strategy to reach Mars, using lunar missions as the proving ground for technologies and procedures astro…
Satellite investment sets annual record halfway through 2026
The commercial satellite industry has broken its annual investment record before the year reaches its midpoint, signaling explosive growth in space in…
Another reusable rocket? Japan launches, lands RV-X prototype (video)
Japan conducted its first flight test of the RV-X experimental reusable rocket prototype, achieving a successful launch and landing. The flight repres…
The Growing Crescent of Mars as NASA’s Psyche Mission Approaches
NASA's Psyche spacecraft captured a series of images documenting Mars' crescent shape as the probe approached the Red Planet for a gravity assist mane…
NASA Awards Facilities Support Services Contract for Ames Research Center
NASA awarded Chugach Intelligence Solutions LLC a facilities support services contract for Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. The Ames…
NASA’s Chandra and IXPE Study Pulsar in Lighthouse Nebula
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) have combined observations to study a rapidly spinning pulsar embed…
Swissto12 raises $70 million to accelerate small GEO satellite production
Swissto12, a Swiss satellite manufacturer, secured $70 million in Series C funding to expand production of small geostationary orbit satellites. The c…
Icarus Robotics taps KULR to provide batteries for Space Station robots
Icarus Robotics selected KULR Technology Group to supply advanced battery systems for robotic units deployed on the International Space Station. The p…
NASA Welcomes Mauritius as 70th Artemis Accords Signatory
The Republic of Mauritius has officially signed the Artemis Accords, becoming the 70th nation to commit to NASA's framework for responsible space expl…
SpaceX’s only problem is finding more space to work with
SpaceX confronts a paradox of its own success. The company's manufacturing and launch capabilities have grown so robust that it now faces constraints …
Serbia signs the Artemis Accords
Serbia has signed the Artemis Accords, becoming part of NASA's international framework for lunar exploration and space sustainability. The agreement c…
Office of Space Commerce makes its case for mission authorization
The Office of Space Commerce presented its regulatory framework for authorizing commercial space missions to Congress, seeking expanded authority over…
Bluestaq Launches BLUESTAQ / ARQ Defense-Grade Data Infrastructure Now Available for Commercial, Government, and Enterprise Organizations
Bluestaq has launched BLUESTAQ/ARQ, a defense-grade data infrastructure platform designed for commercial, government, and enterprise customers. The Co…
A Tide-Fueled Trove of Biodiversity in Guinea-Bissau
I appreciate the request, but this article falls outside space journalism. The Bijagós archipelago story focuses on terrestrial and marine biodiversit…
NASA Welcomes Serbia as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory
Serbia became the 69th nation to sign the Artemis Accords, the international framework governing peaceful space exploration. The Balkan nation joined …
NASA Study Finds Near-Earth Asteroid Is Actually Comet
NASA researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have reclassified a near-Earth object as a comet after detailed orbital analysis and observations fr…
SpaceX aborts Starship Flight 13 launch attempt
SpaceX scrubbed the Starship Flight 13 launch attempt, halting the countdown before liftoff from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. The company did not im…
Nature study identifies a new way to spot nuclear weapons in orbit
Researchers have identified a novel detection method for identifying nuclear weapons deployed in orbit, according to a study published in Nature. The …
Young Galaxy Cluster
The James Webb Space Telescope captured an image of MACS J0553.4-3342, a galaxy cluster observed as it existed 4.4 billion years ago, during the Unive…
Curiosity Finds Evidence of an Ancient Sandstorm
NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered geological evidence of an ancient Martian sandstorm that struck billions of years ago with enough force to stack…
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Provides Sweeping View of Broom Point
NASA's Perseverance rover captured a panoramic view of Broom Point, located within Jezero Crater on Mars, using its Mastcam-Z instrument on sol 1,505 …
Perseverance’s Trip to ‘Broom Point’
NASA's Perseverance rover has reached a geologically significant outcrop in Jezero Crater called the Broom Point member, a sequence of layered bedrock…
Trump’s pick to lead Space Force defends plan to more than double budget
Trump's nominee to command the U.S. Space Force has outlined an aggressive budget expansion, proposing to more than double funding for the military br…
General context
General space and astronomy news that spans multiple missions and topics.