General space and astronomy news that spans multiple missions and topics.
NASA funds spherical 'Aerobots' that could explore the caves of Saturn's moon Titan
NASA has awarded early-stage funding to develop spherical robotic explorers, or "Aerobots," designed to navigate the cave systems of Titan, Saturn's l…
On this day in space! Aug. 16, 1963: Wingless M2-F1 completes 1st glide flight
NASA's M2-F1 lifting body completed its maiden glide flight on August 16, 1963, marking a pivotal moment in hypersonic aircraft development. The wingl…
'This goes beyond showcasing technological soft power': China's new moon map signals bold space ambitions (video)
China released a detailed lunar map incorporating fresh chronology data and new information about the moon's far side, establishing its own cartograph…
The Sun Doesn't Care About Your Flight Schedule
Extreme solar storms can deliver a year's worth of cosmic radiation to aircraft passengers during a single flight, according to new research examining…
The Planet That Lied About Its Own Spin
Astronomers have been measuring the wrong thing when they track how fast Venus rotates. A new study reveals that Venus's atmosphere circles the planet…
U.S. expands missile production as Army seeks more depth in its arsenal
# U.S. Expands Missile Production as Army Seeks Greater Operational Depth The U.S. Army is accelerating missile production across multiple platforms …
NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke Leaves NASA, Career Includes 4 Spaceflights
Mike Fincke departs NASA after three decades of service, concluding one of the most productive careers in the agency's human spaceflight program. The …
Pursuing a Dream of Working for NASA
Lindsey Waitt has achieved her childhood ambition of joining NASA. The Worcester, Massachusetts native now works as a test project engineer with the A…
APOD: 2026 August 12 – Perseids over a Little Planet
The Perseid meteor shower dominates Earth's night sky each August as our planet plunges through the debris trail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. NASA's Astrono…
Quality Assessment Report Evaluates Polar Geospatial Center EarthDEM Elevation Products
NASA's Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition program has released a quality assessment report on the Polar Geospatial Center's EarthDEM elevation produ…
Golden Dome creates digital hub to expand commercial participation
# Golden Dome Creates Digital Hub to Expand Commercial Participation The Golden Dome facility has launched a digital platform to lower barriers for c…
Stops Along the Path of Totality
# Stops Along the Path of Totality A total solar eclipse will cross the Northern Hemisphere on August 12, 2026, delivering totality to a narrow corri…
What Is the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope? (Grades 5-8)
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope represents the agency's next major astrophysics observatory, designed to scan expansive regions of the sky wi…
Golden Dome faces 2027 funding cliff
NASA's Science Mission Directorate faces a severe budget squeeze in 2027 that threatens major space science initiatives. The so-called "Golden Dome" r…
Golden Dome money starting to reach contractors, but long-term funding still unclear
# Golden Dome Funding Reaches Contractors Despite Uncertain Long-Term Outlook The U.S. Department of Defense has begun distributing funds from the Go…
NASA Telescopes Create Colorful ‘Craft’ From Nearby Nebula
NASA's space telescopes have combined observations across multiple wavelengths to construct a striking composite image of 30 Doradus, the Tarantula Ne…
NASA Shares Station Research Today Supporting Moon, Mars Tomorrow
NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station have been conducting research throughout 2026 that directly supports the agency's lunar and Mar…
Curiosity Blog, Sols 4968-4974: Rock Climbing Towards the Discontinuity
NASA's Curiosity rover continues its methodical ascent of Mount Sharp's lower slopes, investigating a major geological boundary that reveals Mars' anc…
SpaceX increasing footprint in missile defense
SpaceX is expanding its role in U.S. missile defense operations, leveraging its satellite and launch capabilities to support the Pentagon's strategic …
Former Space Force general joins Lunar Outpost board
Lunar Outpost, a commercial lunar robotics company developing equipment for surface operations on the Moon, added retired U.S. Space Force General Joh…
APOD: 2026 August 11 – Six Moons of Saturn
Saturn's six largest moons appear together in a single astronomical photograph, showcasing the diversity of icy worlds orbiting the gas giant. The ima…
Bountiful Roebuck Bay
NASA Earth Observatory imagery reveals the dynamic seasonal patterns of Roebuck Bay, a crescent-shaped estuary along Western Australia's remote Kimber…
Community College Instructors Bring Astronomy Textbook Into 21st Century
Community college instructors across three project teams partnered with NASA to overhaul astronomy education by integrating NASA's vast repository of …
Kepler books Neutron for 2028 optical relay launch
Kepler Communications has secured a launch contract with Neutron, the medium-lift rocket under development by Rocket Lab, to deploy an optical relay s…
Chinese Long March 7A rocket explodes shortly after liftoff
A Long March 7A rocket carrying the Shijian-28 satellite failed shortly after liftoff from China's Wenchang Space Launch Center. The vehicle experienc…
NASA+ Debuts on discovery+, Coming Soon to HBO Max
NASA expanded its streaming presence Monday by launching NASA+ on discovery+ and securing programming partnerships with HBO Max. The continuous live f…
Lion Nebula Roars to Life With NASA’s Webb
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has imaged NGC 2392, a planetary nebula 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Gemini, revealing new details in…
Launch Into a New School Year With NASA
NASA opened its doors to students this school year through educational programs spanning robotic exploration, atmospheric science, and deep-space miss…
El Niño Alters Marine Life in the Pacific
Satellite data from NASA instruments reveals that El Niño conditions reshaped nutrient distribution across the Pacific Ocean during mid-2026. Chloroph…
APOD: 2026 August 9 – Contemplating the Sun
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day program delivers daily images of the cosmos paired with professional astronomical commentary. The August 9, 2026 f…
APOD: 2026 August 10 – Three Galaxy Pairs
The Astronomy Picture of the Day for August 10, 2026 showcases three distinct galaxy pairs, offering astronomers a window into galactic interactions a…
'Transformers: The Movie' at 40: the cartoon spin-off that traumatized a generation of kids
I appreciate the submission, but this article falls outside my mandate as a space journalist. "Transformers: The Movie" is entertainment history and f…
Don't miss the crescent moon shine close to the red light of Mars before dawn on Aug. 9
A crescent moon and Mars will stage a rare celestial conjunction on the morning of August 9, visible to skywatchers in the predawn hours. The thin cre…
Sky-Watcher SolarQuest mount head review
Sky-Watcher's SolarQuest mount head delivers automated solar tracking for amateur astronomers observing the sun. The motorized alt-azimuth mount autom…
SpaceX serious about building factories on the moon: 'It’s going to happen,' Elon Musk says
Elon Musk declared on SpaceX's first quarterly earnings call that the company intends to construct factories on the lunar surface, employing robots to…
NOAA purchases Spire hyperspectral microwave sounder data
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has contracted Spire Global to purchase data from the company's hyperspectral microwave sounder sa…
Exploring 'very low Earth orbit': The world's 1st air-breathing satellite thruster could soon get a test run
An air-breathing electric propulsion system could soon undergo its first orbital test, fundamentally changing how satellites operate in the extreme lo…
On this day in space! Aug. 9, 1976: Soviet Luna 24 sample return probe launches to the moon
The Soviet Union launched Luna 24 on August 9, 1976, marking the final robotic mission in the Luna program to reach the moon. This sample return space…
The total solar eclipse on Aug. 12 will reveal something nobody has ever seen before
On August 12, observers within the eclipse path will witness the solar corona in its natural state during totality. The sun's outer atmosphere, normal…
Here's what to expect from 5 stages of the total solar eclipse 2026
# The Five Stages of the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse A total solar eclipse will sweep across Earth on August 12, 2026, and observers along the path of t…
Neuraspace raises $18 million to expand sovereign space awareness
Neuraspace, a space situational awareness startup, raised $18 million in new funding to expand its sovereign space tracking capabilities. The company …
SpaceX to begin Starship orbital flights
SpaceX continues advancing Starship toward operational capability with successive orbital test flights. Flight 13 represents the company's latest iter…
Telesat lands $1.63 billion Canadian defense contract
Telesat secured a $1.63 billion Canadian defense contract, marking a major government commitment to the Ottawa-based satellite operator's Lightspeed c…
This Week In Space podcast: Episode 222 — How to Invade Earth in 22 Easy Steps
Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik welcomed space writer Rich Edwards onto This Week In Space Episode 222 to explore a thought experiment: how an extraterrestri…
On this day in space! Aug. 8, 1977: Soviet Union's Salyut 5 reconnaissance space station burns up in Earth's atmosphere
The Soviet Union's Salyut 5 reconnaissance space station reentered Earth's atmosphere and burned up on August 8, 1977, ending operations for one of th…
Northrop Grumman, Canadian Space Agency repurpose their Gateway projects
Northrop Grumman and the Canadian Space Agency are redirecting hardware originally designed for NASA's Lunar Gateway station toward new applications, …
Rocket Lab launches 8th iQPS satellite
Rocket Lab successfully launched the eighth satellite for Japanese Earth observation company iQPS aboard an Electron rocket. The mission continued the…
Chinese launch startup Orienspace targets IPO, secures funding for reusable Gravity-2 rocket
Orienspace, a Chinese commercial launch startup, secured fresh funding to accelerate development of its Gravity-2 reusable rocket while pursuing an in…
Finding room in Starlink’s shadow
SpaceX's Starlink dominates the commercial satellite internet market, but competitors are carving out niches by targeting specific needs Starlink does…
Satellite manufacturing thrives in California despite cost and regulatory pressures
California's satellite manufacturing sector continues expanding despite mounting financial and regulatory obstacles. Companies like Vast Space operate…
APOD: 2026 August 8 – A Messier Moment for Tempel 2
# A Messier Moment for Tempel 2 NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day featured comet Tempel 2 on August 8, 2026, capturing the icy wanderer during a pa…
2026 IGARSS Hyperwall Schedule
NASA will showcase Earth science innovations at the 2026 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) in booth 100, featuring presen…
Senate installs new chiefs for U.S. military space acquisition, spy satellites
The U.S. Senate confirmed new leadership for the military space acquisition portfolio and intelligence satellite programs. The appointments establish …
Europe increases size and cost of IRIS² constellation
The European Union expanded its IRIS² satellite constellation program, increasing both the number of spacecraft and total program costs. IRIS² (Infras…
Bipartisan Senate bill would sharpen Space Force training for conflict with China
A bipartisan Senate bill would mandate the Space Force to develop specialized training protocols targeting potential conflict scenarios with China. Th…
NASA’s IXPE Studies Magnetar
NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer achieved an unprecedented observational milestone by studying the magnetar 1E 1547-5408 for over 140 hours b…
NASA’s Lunar Development and Test Facility Prepares Artemis Hardware for Moon
NASA's Johnson Space Center operates a specialized Lunar Development and Test Facility dedicated to preparing Artemis hardware for the harsh realities…
APOD: 2026 August 7 – Rubin’s Cosmos Field
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's COSMOS field survey captures an unprecedented view of the deep universe, revealing thousands of galaxies across billio…
Sensing the Poles’ Hidden Heat
NASA's Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, or PREFIRE, has delivered two years of thermal data showing dramatic seasonal temperature …
U.S. Senate confirms Schiess to lead Space Force
The U.S. Senate confirmed General Schiess as the next leader of the Space Force, elevating him to Chief of Space Operations. Schiess becomes the highe…
Educators & Teens Get Hands-On With TEMPO Data to Help Investigate Local Air Quality
NASA's Cosmic Storytelling with NASA Data (CosmicDS) project, led by Harvard University, partnered with the Smithsonian Institution's BEST AQI program…
NASA’s SkyFall Helicopters at Work (Artist’s Concept)
NASA is developing the SkyFall mission, a fleet of three rotorcraft designed to conduct aerial surveys of Mars while gathering subsurface and surface …
Lessons for the future of NASA Mars exploration from a 1970s mission
NASA's Viking missions to Mars in the 1970s offer crucial operational lessons for the agency's current and future Mars exploration programs. The twin …
Redwire to fly dedicated Starfall mission for microgravity research
Redwire Corporation plans to launch a dedicated Starfall mission focused entirely on microgravity research payloads. The mission will utilize Redwire'…
Three companies building the tech to grow crops on the moon
Three companies are developing hardware to enable agricultural production on the lunar surface, addressing a fundamental requirement for long-duration…
I Am Artemis Tom Percy
Tom Percy manages systems engineering and integration for NASA's Human Landing System Program, a role that positions him at the center of the agency's…
Taking Flight to Prepare for Space
NASA astronauts are using high-altitude flights aboard the WB-57 aircraft to train for upcoming missions to the International Space Station, the Moon,…
JOB OPPORTUNITIES: NASA OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL
NASA's Office of the General Counsel is actively hiring legal professionals across multiple positions, the agency announced. The office seeks experien…
How the Tide Turns at the Mouth of the Elbe
NASA satellite imagery captured the dramatic interplay of tidal forces along Germany's Elbe River estuary, revealing how water movement sculpts coasta…
How should Europe’s militaries respond to space threats
European militaries face mounting pressure to develop coordinated responses to emerging space threats, from anti-satellite weapons to orbital debris a…
APOD: 2026 August 6 – New Sharpest Image of the Sun Uncovers Instability
The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope captured the highest-resolution images of the Sun's surface ever obtained, revealing previously unseen instabilit…
NASA’s IXPE May Have Proven 90-Year-Old Theory
NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer detected the first direct evidence of quantum electrodynamics in action around a magnetar, validating theore…
NASA’s Perseverance Captures Phobos and Earth
NASA's Perseverance rover captured a rare alignment on July 2, 2026, when Earth and Phobos crossed paths in the Martian sky. The Mastcam-Z instrument …
New Glenn explosion linked to rocket engine valve
Blue Origin identified a faulty engine valve as the root cause of the New Glenn heavy-lift rocket's explosion during a ground test. The defect in the …
Capella, Iceye and Umbra win NRO radar-data contracts
The National Reconnaissance Office awarded radar-imaging contracts to three commercial satellite operators: Capella Space, Iceye, and Umbra Labs. The …
Artemis III Orion Crew and Service Models Joined
NASA technicians completed a major assembly milestone for Artemis III on July 30, 2026, joining the Orion crew and service modules at Kennedy Space Ce…
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Watches Earth Vanish Behind Martian Moon
NASA's Perseverance rover has captured the first images from Mars' surface showing Earth disappearing behind Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons. Th…
Advanced Mini-laboratories Automate Space Station Research
Redwire's Advanced Space Experiment Processors (ADSEPs) are automating research aboard the International Space Station, freeing astronauts from hours …
APOD: 2026 August 5 – Spokes on Saturn’s B Ring
Saturn's B ring displays ghostly radial structures called spokes that extend from the planet's equator outward like wheel spokes. These formations eme…
The Paradox of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park sits on Brazil's Atlantic coast, where massive white sand dunes stretch across 1,500 square kilometers. The landscap…
NASA Will Attempt to Observe Rocket Part’s Lunar Impact
NASA and SpaceX will observe a Falcon 9 upper stage rocket body colliding with the Moon on Wednesday, August 5, near the Einstein and Bell craters. Th…
NASA’s PUNCH Sharpens Solar Storm Forecasting in First Test
NASA's Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission has demonstrated the ability to forecast solar storm arrivals with unprecedente…
Ames Science Stars of the Month – August 2026
NASA Ames Research Center honored three scientists in August 2026 for advancing the agency's exploration objectives. The Space Biosciences Division se…
NASA Provides Updates on Moon Base Cargo Landers, Tech Demonstrations
NASA is accelerating development of lunar surface infrastructure through commercial partnerships designed to support its Moon Base near the South Pole…
Voyager seeks relaxed requirements in NASA commercial space station RFP
Voyager Space is pushing NASA to ease technical requirements in its commercial space station request for proposals, arguing that relaxed standards wou…
NASA Delivers Navigation System for Commercial Lunar Relay
NASA delivered the NavCube3-mini navigation payload to Intuitive Machines on July 13 for integration into Altus-1, a commercial lunar relay satellite.…
Ike Theriot Helps Prepare Astronauts to Work on the Moon
Ike Theriot spent his early career in the U.S. Army before transitioning to NASA, where he now shapes how astronauts will work on the lunar surface. A…
NASA Brings Space Exploration to the FIFA World Cup
NASA stationed a free interactive exhibit at the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival in Houston from June through July, reaching over 500,000 soccer fans with…
Hughes files for bankruptcy after GEO business loses ground to Starlink
Hughes Network Systems filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, marking a dramatic collapse for the geostationary satellite operator that once domi…
Xona secures spectrum approval for satellite navigation network
Xona Space Systems secured spectrum approval for its satellite navigation network, clearing a regulatory hurdle for the commercial alternative to GPS.…
APOD: 2026 August 3 – Vaporizing Meteor Photobombs the Lacerta Nebula
A meteor captured mid-vaporization streaked across the Lacerta Nebula in a photograph featured on NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for August 3, 20…
SpaceX wins $1.6 billion in launch orders for military satellite networks
SpaceX secured $1.6 billion in launch contracts to deploy military satellite networks, expanding the company's role in national defense infrastructure…
LatConnect 60 Accelerates SWIRSAT Constellation Growth Anchored in Western Australia with Expansion into Malaysia and UAE
LatConnect 60 is accelerating expansion of the SWIRSAT satellite constellation beyond its Western Australian anchor point. The initiative extends oper…
Double digits! Air-launched 'Talon A' hypersonic vehicle notches big flight milestone
Stratolaunch completed its eleventh flight with Talon-A, an air-launched hypersonic vehicle capable of sustained flight at Mach 5. The autonomous craf…
On this day in space! Aug. 2, 1971: Apollo 15 makes 1st-ever televised liftoff from the moon
On August 2, 1971, astronauts David Scott and James Irwin lifted off from the lunar surface aboard the Apollo 15 Lunar Module, and NASA broadcast the …
NASA, SpaceX Advance Wind Tunnel Tests for Starship Rocket
NASA and SpaceX completed wind tunnel testing at NASA Ames Research Center to refine aerodynamic performance of SpaceX's Super Heavy booster ahead of …
Curiosity Blog, Sols 4961-4967: Approaching a Break in the Rock Record?
NASA's Curiosity rover continues its methodical ascent up Mount Sharp, the central peak of Gale Crater on Mars. During sols 4961-4967, the rover trave…
General context
General space and astronomy news that spans multiple missions and topics.