Space exploration — missions, telescope discoveries, planetary science, and the race to the stars.
Astronomers may have been wrong about what ended the 'Cosmic Dark Age'
Astronomers may have misidentified what cleared cosmic fog in the early universe, according to research published Oct. 15 in Nature Astronomy. The stu…
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune could destroy each other sooner than we thought, simulations hint
A new simulation study suggests the outer planets of our solar system may face collision and destruction much sooner than previously thought once the …
NASA’s Artemis I mission reveals surprising radiation levels near the Moon
NASA's Artemis I mission used experimental radiation detectors made from lithium fluoride crystals to measure cosmic radiation exposure near the Moon.…
Scientists discover a hidden oxygen reservoir deep inside Earth
Scientists have discovered that molten rock deep inside Earth can store far more oxygen than previously believed, challenging assumptions about magma'…
Astronauts just gave the International Space Station a powerful upgrade
NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk completed a 7-hour, 11-minute spacewalk on the International Space Station…
Bright object beyond Pluto may be the solar system's sixth dwarf planet
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has detected a potential new dwarf planet in the outer solar system, designated 2026 ED138, orbiting about 46 times Eart…
NASA discovers Jupiter’s invisible shield is more complex than Earth’s
NASA's Juno spacecraft has revealed that Jupiter's bow shock, the invisible boundary where solar wind particles meet the planet's magnetic field, oper…
Meteors don't just burn up. What really happens is far more violent
Researchers have identified seven distinct stages that describe how meteorites transform as they fall through Earth's atmosphere, revealing that melti…
James Webb discovers a scorching lava planet with a “giant sunscreen”
# Lava Planet 280 Light-Years Away Keeps Its Atmosphere Despite Scorching Heat Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered somet…
Smithsonian scientists just recreated the first 2 billion years of the Universe
# Smithsonian Scientists Recreate the Universe's First 2 Billion Years in Record-Breaking Simulation Researchers at the Smithsonian Institution have …
NASA’s asteroid Bennu samples reveal a 4.5-billion-year-old secret
# NASA's Bennu Samples Unveil Solar System's Ancient Chemistry NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission collected 121.6 grams of material from asteroid Bennu in Oct…
Astronomers may have discovered the first moon beyond our Solar System
Astronomers have detected what could be the first moon orbiting outside our Solar System, according to new research published in early 2023. The candi…
Three giant black holes discovered in a galaxy from the dawn of time
Astronomers have detected three actively feeding supermassive black holes within a single galaxy located 12.5 billion light-years away, offering a rar…
SpaceX will attempt 1st-ever double Starship rocket catch on next test launch, a 'profound technology milestone,' Elon Musk says
SpaceX plans to attempt recovering both stages of its Starship megarocket during the next test flight scheduled for November, according to Elon Musk. …
New 'Blade Runner 2099' trailer is a space fan's dream with sinister starships and strange exoplanets (video)
SKIP The provided content is a promotional piece about a fictional "Blade Runner 2099" trailer. It contains only a movie tagline and lacks any verifi…
Returning the first samples from a Martian moon: Inside the science of Japan's bold MMX mission to Mars
Japan's Martian moon sample-return mission, known as MMX, aims to resolve a long-standing scientific debate about the origins of Phobos and Deimos, Ma…
On this day in space! Oct. 17, 2016: Private Antares rocket returns to flight after catastrophic launch explosion
On October 17, 2016, Northrop Grumman Space Systems launched the Antares rocket back into operation following a catastrophic explosion that had ground…
Japan is launching a mission to Mars’s largest moon Phobos
Japan's space agency is preparing to launch the Martian Moons eXploration spacecraft on October 20 to investigate Phobos, the larger of Mars's two moo…
How to see the Orionid meteor shower 2026 peak this week — and when to look
The Orionid meteor shower peaks around October 21, offering stargazers an opportunity to observe meteors this week. The shower occurs annually when Ea…
Astronomers discover the 1st ever green star, a cosmic zombie just in time for Halloween
Astronomers have identified the first known green star, a discovery that offers insight into stellar evolution and the eventual fate of stars like our…
Watch SpaceX deliver more than 6,000 pounds of cargo to the ISS today
SpaceX's Dragon cargo spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station on October 15 following a two-day pursuit through orbit. Th…
On this day in space! Oct. 13, 1773: Astronomer Charles Messier discovers the Whirlpool Galaxy before we ever knew it was a galaxy
On October 13, 1773, French astronomer Charles Messier discovered the Whirlpool Galaxy, cataloged as Messier 51 or M51. Messier identified the object …
SpaceX launches Falcon 9 Starlink mission for 1st time in more than 3 weeks (photos)
SpaceX launched 27 Starlink broadband satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on October 12, marking the company's first Starlink mission in over three we…
Two large asteroids found spinning as fast as a fairground ride
SKIP The source material provided consists only of a headline and a brief description tag from New Scientist. There are no concrete facts, figures, s…
October’s night sky is full of cosmic tricks and treats
October offers stargazers multiple opportunities to observe dramatic celestial events. NASA identifies four major occurrences this month. Jupiter wil…
NASA astronauts splash down after 100 million miles in space
NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 astronauts returned to Earth following a 237-day mission that covered more than 100 million miles in space. The crew completed o…
NASA is searching for hidden caves to build its first Moon base
NASA is conducting three investigations to identify potential locations for humanity's first Moon base, according to ScienceDaily. The agency is searc…
The telescope that could reveal what dark matter and dark energy are
NASA's Roman Space Telescope represents a significant leap in observational capacity for studying the universe's greatest mysteries. The observatory w…
Earth is in the firing line of a strange new type of cosmic object, astronomers say
Astronomers report they may have discovered the first known microblazar, a long-theorized cosmic object that fires a powerful beam of particles direct…
Don't miss: Watch Saturn shine and Halley’s Comet debris streak across the sky
Saturn reaches opposition this October, placing the planet directly opposite the Sun from Earth's perspective and making it visible all night long. Sk…
Scientists find a surprising clue to why the universe’s expansion doesn’t add up
Researchers may have identified a potential explanation for a persistent cosmological puzzle. Tiny magnetic fields generated shortly after the Big Ban…
Team selected for NASA program to explore potential lunar cave
NASA has selected a proposal from the Planetary Science Institute to investigate a potentially large underground cave on the Moon. The team will exami…
Cosmic-ray particles help probe powerful electric fields inside thunderstorms
A cosmic-ray detector built to study particles from space has become an unexpected tool for measuring thunderstorm electricity. The GRAPES-3 muon tele…
NASA’s Curiosity rover just hit 5,000 days on Mars and sent back this stunning view
NASA's Curiosity rover has completed 5,000 Martian sols, or days, on the surface of Mars, a milestone the rover celebrated by capturing striking panor…
Watch Live: NASA’s Crew-13 could make the fastest U.S. trip to the ISS ever
NASA and SpaceX plan to shatter the speed record for American crewed spaceflight to the International Space Station on October 1, when Crew-13 launche…
A record-breaking X-ray flash may reveal the birth of a magnetar
A team of international astronomers has identified strong observational evidence linking long-duration X-ray flashes to neutron star collisions that b…
The ice blasting from Saturn's moon Enceladus is stranger than scientists realized
NASA's Cassini spacecraft detected something puzzling when it flew through plumes of ice and water vapor erupting from Saturn's moon Enceladus. The ch…
NASA’s Crew-13 could go from Florida to the ISS in under 9 hours
NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch four astronauts toward the International Space Station on October 1 aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, targeting …
This suitcase-sized spacecraft could hear the universe before stars existed
# A Suitcase-Sized Lunar Observatory Aims to Detect the Universe's Earliest Whispers CosmoCube, a compact spacecraft no larger than a suitcase, repre…
Is the universe infinite? The answer gets weird fast
# The Universe's Flatness Hides a Deeper Mystery About Its True Shape Observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) suggest the universe appe…
Blood tests reveal why astronauts get constipated in space
# Blood Tests Reveal Why Astronauts Get Constipated in Space Constipation ranks among the most common but least discussed problems facing astronauts …
James Webb reveals why planet formation is a race against time
# James Webb Reveals How Time Pressure Shapes Planet Formation The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered why planetary systems operate on a stric…
The secret to growing food on Mars could be fungi
# Fungi Could Unlock Mars Agriculture, Scientists Say Researchers exploring solutions for off-world farming have identified a promising biological pa…
Two astronauts who flew farther than anyone before are taking new NASA roles
Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman, the two astronauts who traveled farther than any humans since the Apollo era, have shifted into emeritus roles at NASA…
A real-time look inside spacecraft heat shields during extreme heat conditions
# Real-Time Imaging Reveals Heat Shield Physics During Spacecraft Reentry Spacecraft heat shields endure temperatures exceeding 3,000 degrees Fahrenh…
These massive stars could explain Webb’s strangest galaxies
# Massive Stars in Metal-Poor Galaxies May Solve Webb Telescope's Early Universe Mystery The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed something perple…
Is China catching up to the US and SpaceX on reusable rockets?
# China Pushes Into Reusable Rocket Technology, Chasing US and SpaceX Lead The competition for space dominance has shifted from raw capability to eco…
“We found something never seen before” – A dead star is producing a shock wave that shouldn’t exist
# Dead Star's Impossible Shock Wave Challenges Stellar Physics Astronomers have discovered a white dwarf producing a shock wave that violates current…
Ancient meteorites reveal a powerful force that helped build the Solar System
# Ancient Meteorites Reveal Powerful Early Magnetic Field Shaped Solar System Formation A team of researchers examining ancient mineral grains trappe…
“We just need to go back” – Uranus’ moon Ariel may have hidden a 100-mile-deep ocean
# Uranus' Moon Ariel May Hide a Vast Ancient Ocean Beneath Its Frozen Crust Ariel, one of Uranus' five major moons, likely harbored a subsurface ocea…