space-exploration

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope arrived June 21, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the start of final prelaunch preparations before liftoff later this summer. After teams completed integration and testing on the observatory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, they loaded Roman into a protective and environmentally […] The post NASA’s Next …

XI’AN — Chinese scientists have taken a major step toward building a space solar power station, a giant power plant in space that could one day send energy back to Earth or to spacecraft. A research team from Xidian University in Northwest China’s Shaanxi province has made significant progress on the Sun Chasing project, or […]

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 24 Starlink satellites lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sunday, June 21, 2026.

University of Florida researchers are exploring how lasers could help astronauts build structures on the moon using materials already available there, including lunar soil transformed into glass. The work, led by Victoria M. Miller, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and researcher with the UF Astraeus Space Institute, recently completed […]

A rare object from another star triggered an unprecedented search for technosignatures, drawing astronomers into one of the most intriguing investigations of the year.

A new James Webb telescope snap shows off the glowing gas, sculpted jets and newborn stars lurking within the giant cosmic cloud OMC-2, located in the Sword of Orion.

NASA’s Swift space observatory is falling out of orbit. Can a commercial company build a spacecraft in nine months to save it?

I plan a hard SF story and a scene where a fleet intends to capture an asteroid mine. AI ruled out, that society completely get rid of anything more advanced than a calculator (and became a tyranny). They still have advanced technology developed before the AI rebellion. Destroy space colonies... Read more

When the Space Shuttle retired in July 2011, the United States lost the ability to reach the very space station it had built — and for nearly nine years, American astronauts hitched rides on Russian Soyuz capsules at up to $90 million per seat. Then a private company that had failed its first three rockets […]

A notoriously unpredictable meteor shower is approaching its peak, and past surprises suggest skywatchers may want to keep a close eye on the night sky.

Understanding the Martian moon of Phobos’ origin hinges on decoding its interior. Japan’s Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission due for launch in late 2026 should help.

NASA’s Perseverance rover has completed a marathon-length journey across Mars, showcasing how autonomous exploration is transforming planetary science.

Researchers are urging NASA to establish a lunar biocontainment facility to prevent any potentially hazardous extraterrestrial organisms from reaching Earth.

Voyager 1 is on course to become the first human-made object to reach a full light-day from Earth, marking a new milestone in space exploration.

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  June 19: Dione crosses due north of Saturn Highest in the south around 10:30 P.M. local daylight time is the constellation Libra, whose brightest star is Beta (β) Librae, also called Zubeneschamali. Nearly 12° below (south) of this star at that time Continue reading "The Sky Today on Saturday, June 20: Libra’s Ghost Clus…

A California-based company will design, build and launch a spacecraft for NASA's Aeolus mission to orbit around Mars, where the probe will be the first to provide daily measurements of the planet's global environment.

Curiosity has revealed striking changes in Martian terrain while ascending Mount Sharp, uncovering distinct rock “bands” that may record shifting ancient environments.

NASA's Swift space observatory is falling out of orbit. Can a commercial company build a spacecraft in nine months to save it?

An airplane carrying a rocket loaded with a robotic spacecraft designed to raise NASA’s Swift departed the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia Thursday. The post Aircraft Carrying Swift Boost Satellite Takes off From NASA Wallops appeared first on NASA Science .