Space(Page 5)

The latest discoveries from space agencies and astronomers as they explore galaxies, black holes, exoplanets, and more. Also learn about night sky watching events right here on the home planet.

Latest in Space

Henrique Alvim Corrêa’s Illustrations for The War of the Worlds (1906)

100 years of aliens: From Mars beavers to little gray men 100 years of aliens: From Mars beavers to little gray men

By Bill Gourgey

International Space Station orbiting above Earth

International Space Station

NASA is paying SpaceX to destroy the International Space Station NASA is paying SpaceX to destroy the International Space Station

the tall and straight pillars of creation as seen with two space telescopes. these celestial bodies are finger-like figures of gas and dust

Ethereal Pillars of Creation come to life in new 3D visualization Ethereal Pillars of Creation come to life in new 3D visualization

By Laura Baisas

NASA astronaut and Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson is pictured in her spacesuit prior to the start of a science and maintenance spacewalk that ended early after her suit experienced a water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit.

International Space Station

NASA is having one rough summer NASA is having one rough summer

In the era of private spaceflight, who gets to be an astronaut?

In the era of private spaceflight, who gets to be an astronaut? In the era of private spaceflight, who gets to be an astronaut?

By Briley Lewis

3D printed Lego moon brick made from meteorite dust against space background

Future lunar bases could be built with LEGO moon bricks Future lunar bases could be built with LEGO moon bricks

Concept art of asteroid entering planet's atmosphere

NASA

What would we do if an asteroid slammed Earth on July 12, 2038? What would we do if an asteroid slammed Earth on July 12, 2038?

Wave erosion may have shaped Titan’s coastlines Wave erosion may have shaped Titan’s coastlines

Concept art of lunar rover heat switch system

Moon rovers are evolving to survive the harsh lunar night Moon rovers are evolving to survive the harsh lunar night

Illustration of an astronaut on Mars, using a remote control drone to inspect a nearby cliff.

Traveling to Mars could destroy your kidneys Traveling to Mars could destroy your kidneys

By Briley Lewis

AI

Ocean trash can now be tracked from space Ocean trash can now be tracked from space

an illustration of two merging quasars in space. they are round yellow and orange disks, with a black hole in the center. white light is coming out of the center of the black hole.

In a first, astronomers spot merging quasars from the Cosmic Dawn In a first, astronomers spot merging quasars from the Cosmic Dawn

By Laura Baisas

Pegasus Shooting Star Vodka promo art next to meteorite

The $200 meteorite-infused vodka is refreshingly tasty The $200 meteorite-infused vodka is refreshingly tasty

Artist concept art of Voyager 1

Voyager 1 defies the odds yet again and is back online Voyager 1 defies the odds yet again and is back online

a pink galaxy shaped like a koi fish

Space ‘koi fish’ caught by telescope Space ‘koi fish’ caught by telescope

By Laura Baisas

NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Woody Hoburg rides the Canadarm2 robotic arm while maneuvering a roll-out solar array toward the International Space Station's truss structure 257 miles above the Pacific Ocean. In the rear, is the SpaceX Dragon crew vehicle that docked to the Harmony module's forward port on March 3 carrying four SpaceX Crew-6 crew members.

‘Check his pulse one more time’: NASA accidentally airs ISS emergency test ‘Check his pulse one more time’: NASA accidentally airs ISS emergency test

Have you seen Steve? Look up and you might spot the sky phenomenon. Have you seen Steve? Look up and you might spot the sky phenomenon.

By Briley Lewis

Astronaut conducting spacewalk outside ISS

NASA astronauts will scrape microorganisms off ISS during upcoming spacewalk NASA astronauts will scrape microorganisms off ISS during upcoming spacewalk

milky way above a barn and tent

10 spectacular images from Milky Way Photographer of the Year awards 10 spectacular images from Milky Way Photographer of the Year awards

By Popular Science Team

Watch a meteor’s incredible light show above Spain and Portugal

Watch a meteor’s incredible light show above Spain and Portugal Watch a meteor’s incredible light show above Spain and Portugal

Starship fourth liftoff

SpaceX’s fourth Starship launches SpaceX’s fourth Starship launches

blue swirls swirling around white clouds and a brown surface on jupiter

Surprisingly, storms on Jupiter and Earth have something in common Surprisingly, storms on Jupiter and Earth have something in common

By Laura Baisas

Boeing Starliner launch

Boeing Starliner launches first crewed mission for NASA Boeing Starliner launches first crewed mission for NASA

Why do we send so many fish to space? Why do we send so many fish to space?

By Briley Lewis

First metal 3D printer on space station dribbles molten steel

First metal 3D printer on space station dribbles molten steel First metal 3D printer on space station dribbles molten steel

By Harriet Weber

Image of June 3, 2024, solar flare

Watch a wild ‘failed eruption’ solar flare Watch a wild ‘failed eruption’ solar flare

JWST discovers earliest galaxy ever observed

JWST discovers earliest galaxy ever observed JWST discovers earliest galaxy ever observed

a full moon rises with blurred red flowers

Space

June skygazing: Nevermind the viral ‘planet parade,’ check out the Strawberry/Solstice moon June skygazing: Nevermind the viral ‘planet parade,’ check out the Strawberry/Solstice moon

By Laura Baisas

Panels A, B, and C each show stereographic image pairs of the asteroid Dinkinesh taken by the L’LORRI Instrument aboard NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft. The images were taken in the minutes around closest approach on November 1, 2023. The yellow and rose dots indicate the trough and ridge features, respectively. These images have been sharpened and processed to enhance contrast. Panel D shows a side view of Dinkinesh and its satellite Selam taken a few minutes after closest approach.

NASA

The odd moon orbiting a ‘Dinky’ asteroid is actually two moons fused together The odd moon orbiting a ‘Dinky’ asteroid is actually two moons fused together

By Laura Baisas

Farmer finds hunk of charred space debris, potentially from a SpaceX rocket

Farmer finds hunk of charred space debris, potentially from a SpaceX rocket Farmer finds hunk of charred space debris, potentially from a SpaceX rocket

By Harriet Weber

Concept art of EarthCARE satellite scanning clouds above Earth

The ‘White Dragon’ satellite will keep watch over our clouds The ‘White Dragon’ satellite will keep watch over our clouds

$A spherical collection of stars which fills the whole view. The cluster is dominated by a concentrated group of bright white stars at the center, with several large yellow stars scattered throughout the image. Many of the stars have visible diffraction spikes. The background is black$

The 8 most extraordinary JWST images of 2024, so far The 8 most extraordinary JWST images of 2024, so far

By Popular Science Team

Universe’s oldest known stars found in Milky Way’s ‘halo’

Universe’s oldest known stars found in Milky Way’s ‘halo’ Universe’s oldest known stars found in Milky Way’s ‘halo’

By Laura Baisas

an exoplanet orbiting a red dwarf star

Newly discovered exoplanet may be habitable (or a Venus-like hellscape) Newly discovered exoplanet may be habitable (or a Venus-like hellscape)

By Laura Baisas

a pink and red galaxy (left). an illustration of the cylindrical euclid space telescope (right)

See 5 dazzling new images from Euclid, the ‘dark universe detective’ See 5 dazzling new images from Euclid, the ‘dark universe detective’

By Laura Baisas

This artist's concept illustrates a supermassive black hole with millions to billions times the mass of our sun. Supermassive black holes are enormously dense objects buried at the hearts of galaxies.

Astronomers use wobbly star stuff to measure a supermassive black hole’s spin Astronomers use wobbly star stuff to measure a supermassive black hole’s spin

By Laura Baisas

An artist’s impression of ESA’s ExoMars rover, Rosalind Franklin.

Europe’s first Mars rover will use nuclear-powered heaters Europe’s first Mars rover will use nuclear-powered heaters

NASA and Boeing’s Starliner delays expose the challenges of space travel

NASA and Boeing’s Starliner delays expose the challenges of space travel NASA and Boeing’s Starliner delays expose the challenges of space travel

By Briley Lewis

closeup of bumblebee

How scientists accidentally found out that some bees can hibernate underwater How scientists accidentally found out that some bees can hibernate underwater

By Popular Science Team

Comet above Spain

Watch a meteor’s incredible light show above Spain and Portugal Watch a meteor’s incredible light show above Spain and Portugal

Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world’s first full-scale planetary defense test mission in November 2021.

A rare risk of asteroid fastballs turns scientists into sluggers A rare risk of asteroid fastballs turns scientists into sluggers

By Theo Nicitopoulos / Undark

Mars might have an asteroid problem Mars might have an asteroid problem

By Briley Lewis

Farmer finds hunk of charred space debris, potentially from a SpaceX rocket Farmer finds hunk of charred space debris, potentially from a SpaceX rocket

By Harriet Weber

Concept art of lunar base with floating train path alongside astronauts

Wild NASA proposal envisions magnetic hover trains on the moon Wild NASA proposal envisions magnetic hover trains on the moon

An illustration of what exoplanet WASP-39 b could look like. It is also a hot and puffy gas giant like exoplanet WASP 193b.

A massive cotton candy-like exoplanet stumps astronomers A massive cotton candy-like exoplanet stumps astronomers

By Laura Baisas

green and purple aurora lights

Spectacular aurora photos: Skies dazzle in vivid colors around the world Spectacular aurora photos: Skies dazzle in vivid colors around the world

By Popular Science Team

In the race for space metals, companies hope to cash in

In the race for space metals, companies hope to cash in In the race for space metals, companies hope to cash in

By Sarah Scoles/Undark

How ‘safe mode’ protects space telescopes like Hubble and TESS

How ‘safe mode’ protects space telescopes like Hubble and TESS How ‘safe mode’ protects space telescopes like Hubble and TESS

By Briley Lewis

SpaceX EVA suit helmet close up

SpaceX reveals new sleek spacesuits ahead of upcoming historic mission SpaceX reveals new sleek spacesuits ahead of upcoming historic mission

The planet Venus is dry thanks to water loss to space as atomic hydrogen. In the dominant loss process, an HCO+ ion recombines with an electron, producing speedy hydrogen atoms (orange) that use CO molecules (blue) as a launchpad to escape.

Why Venus is so dry Why Venus is so dry

By Laura Baisas

A Long March 5 rocket, carrying the Chang'e-6 mission lunar probe, lifts off as it rains at the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in southern China's Hainan Province on May 3, 2024.

China is en route to collect first-ever samples from the far side of the moon China is en route to collect first-ever samples from the far side of the moon

a small asteroid orbits around a larger one

‘Lucy’s baby’ asteroid is only about 2 to 3 million years old ‘Lucy’s baby’ asteroid is only about 2 to 3 million years old

By Laura Baisas

NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future

NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future

By Chris Impey / The Conversation

Sun above earth photo taken from ISS

Space Force finds a dead Cold War-era satellite missing for 25 years Space Force finds a dead Cold War-era satellite missing for 25 years

Artist's concept of a hypothetical planet orbiting far from the Sun.

Astronomers still haven’t decided if Planet 9 is real Astronomers still haven’t decided if Planet 9 is real

By Briley Lewis

Intercropped tomato (left) compared to monocropped tomatoes (right). Both were planted on the same day, but here we can see that the intercropped tomato plant is larger, bears more fruit, and the tomatoes ripened earlier than its monocropped counterpart.

Ancient farm practice could help sustain future humans on Mars Ancient farm practice could help sustain future humans on Mars

By Laura Baisas

Artist rendering of exoplanet WASP-43b

JWST measures ‘Hot Jupiter,’ a distant exoplanet hot enough to forge iron JWST measures ‘Hot Jupiter,’ a distant exoplanet hot enough to forge iron

a pink-hued full moon rises above the new york city skyline

Zippy meteors, a globular cluster, and more light up May’s night sky Zippy meteors, a globular cluster, and more light up May’s night sky

By Laura Baisas

Moon photograph from Artemis 1

China compiled the most detailed moon atlas ever mapped China compiled the most detailed moon atlas ever mapped

Image of sun highlighting four solar events

Rare quadruple solar flare event captured by NASA Rare quadruple solar flare event captured by NASA

left image- This rectangular image shows part of the martian surface as if the viewer is looking down and across the landscape, with the irregular, mottled ground appearing in swirled tones of brown and tan. right image- A slice of the martian surface is shown here. A rounded segment of an eroded crater basin is visible to the right. The key features seen across the image are dark spots with tendrils that are eerily reminiscent of spiders. These are visible in large numbers to the left, and scattered irregularly across the rest of the image.

Gassy geysers create ‘spiders’ on Mars Gassy geysers create ‘spiders’ on Mars

By Laura Baisas

Astronomers fight to save a major X-ray space telescope

Astronomers fight to save a major X-ray space telescope Astronomers fight to save a major X-ray space telescope

By Briley Lewis

three photos: a sample of rock on a microscope slide, rocket boosters firing, a rocket from below

NASA HQ picked their best photos of the year. Here are our 13 favorites. NASA HQ picked their best photos of the year. Here are our 13 favorites.

By Popular Science Team

ACS3 solar sail concept art above Earth

NASA will unfurl a 860-square-foot solar sail from within a microwave-sized cube NASA will unfurl a 860-square-foot solar sail from within a microwave-sized cube