NASA

The latest on the US space agency's crafts, missions, and discoveries—from low-Earth orbit to deep space.

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This artist’s concept visualizes a kilonova – an explosion that happens when two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole collide and merge. When these collisions happen, a fraction of the resulting debris is ejected as jets, which move near the speed of light. The remaining debris produces hot, glowing, neutron-rich clouds that forge heavy elements, like gold and platinum. Researchers will mine data from NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will survey the same areas of the sky every few days, to identify kilonovae. Roman’s extensive data will help astronomers better identify how often these events occur, how much energy they give off, and how near or far they are.
NASA

NASA’s new Roman Space Telescope aims to discover 100,000 cosmic explosions

By Andrew Paul

These images, showing ejecta around the impacted near-Earth asteroids, were taken during the approach (with Didymos to the upper left) and departure (Didymos to the upper right) of DART's companion spacecraft, LICIACube, which flew past a few minutes after the impact and imaged the aftermath. The ejecta field consists of an asymmetric cone of dust that exhibits streamers and filaments, as well as over a hundred meter-sized boulders that were ejected in preferred directions.
NASA

Crashing into an asteroid creates chaotic space boulders

By Laura Baisas

Red sprite above Earth in photo taken from International Space Station
NASA

Mysterious red sprite erupts in new astronaut photo

By Andrew Paul

A composite image of the Andromeda spiral galaxy
NASA

NASA offers dazzling new sights (and sounds) of the Andromeda galaxy

By Andrew Paul

Back of US gold coin depicting NASA space shuttle launch
NASA

US Mint releases Space Shuttle $1 gold coin

By Andrew Paul

Image of dozens of galaxies taken by Hubble Space Telescope
NASA

NASA’s new space observatory is mapping the entire sky in 3D

By Andrew Paul

Black and white overhead shot of Mars rover and tracks on planet
NASA

NASA satellite spies Curiosity chugging along on Mars

By Andrew Paul

Photo of long barrel of NASA's gas gun in warehouse
NASA

Watch high-powered gas guns blast space habitat (for science)

By Andrew Paul

a blue, purple, and white galaxy whose clouds of dust and matter appear shaped like a butterfly
NASA

5 dazzling interstellar images to celebrate Hubble’s 35th birthday

By Laura Baisas

Illustration of planet disintegrating during orbit around star
NASA

Astronomers discover hellscape world crumbling into its host sun

By Andrew Paul

close up of asteroid Donaldjohanson
NASA

NASA snaps detailed photos of ‘strikingly complicated’ asteroid

By Andrew Paul

Two planets and crescent moon form smiley face in night sky
NASA

Rare ‘smiley face’ will light up the night sky on April 25

By Andrew Paul

A photomosaic taken by the Curiosity Rover on April 30, 2023 at the Ubajara drill site in Gale Crater, Mars. Rock powder samples drilled here contained substantial amounts of siderite (an iron carbonate mineral). The siderite played a role in ancient carbon cycling processes that impacted conditions at the planet’s surface. Rover tracks in the foreground are 40 cm wide. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)
NASA

Curiosity rover finds key ingredient for past life on Mars

By Andrew Paul

Jared Isaacman speaking at congressional hearing
NASA

NASA nominee: ‘We will prioritize sending astronauts to Mars’

By Andrew Paul

Lunar rover prototype in parking lot
NASA

All-terrain space truck hopes to drive astronauts on the moon

By Andrew Paul

A collage of three images showing the black expanse of space. Two-thirds of the collage is taken up by the black background sprinkled with small, blurry galaxies in orange, blue, and white. There are two images in a column at the right side of the collage. On the right side of the main image, not far from the top, a very faint dot is outlined with a white square. At the right, there are two zoomed in views of this area. The top box is labeled NIRCam and shows a fuzzy dot at the center of the inset. The bottom box is labeled MIRI and shows a fuzzy pinkish dot.
NASA

JWST snaps first image of asteroid that threatened Earth

By Andrew Paul

Martian landscape taken by NASA rover
NASA

Toxic dust on Mars could make astronauts sick

By Andrew Paul

Mars Curiosity rover selfie picture against Martian background
NASA

Curiosity finds largest-ever organic molecules on Mars

By Andrew Paul

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope observed Herbig-Haro 49/50, an outflow from a nearby still-forming star, in high-resolution near- and mid-infrared light.
NASA

JWST spots an energetic ‘Cosmic Tornado’ 625 light-years away

By Andrew Paul

Total solar eclipse showing ring of sunlight
NASA

Lunar lander snaps mesmerizing views of a solar eclipse

By Andrew Paul