Space Archives

Plasma Thruster New Option for Deep Space Exploration

Christopher Plain·December 23, 2021

Researchers have developed a new plasma thruster design that they say can open the door to longer range missions within our solar system as well as deep space. The new design improves on previous models by increasing thrust and efficiency,...

Why Did SpaceX Just Launch Muscle Cells into Space?

Christopher Plain·December 22, 2021

SpaceX just launched a fresh set of supplies to the International Space Station (ISS), including a batch of custom-made human muscle cells. Once aboard the ISS, the unusual package and the researchers behind its contents hope the accelerated effects of...

Interstellar Bussard Ramjet Undergoes New Analysis

Christopher Plain·December 22, 2021

The advanced propulsion concept known as the Bussard Ramjet has undergone a new analysis to determine its feasibility. And according to the team behind the second look, the concept is sound. But, they add, the physical dimensions of the innovative...

NASA Releases Eerie Audio from Jupiter’s Moon Ganymede

Christopher Plain·December 21, 2021

NASA has released a new audio recording of Ganymede, one of Jupiter’s moons, which was captured by the Juno mission as the spacecraft flew within 645 miles of the moon’s surface. Produced by the mission’s WAVES instrument, which typically tunes...

Could Black Holes Account for ‘Missing’ Dark Matter?

Christopher Plain·December 21, 2021

A new study proposes that black holes formed at the dawn of time may actually account for all dark matter. This theory, the authors note, builds on previous work from Stephen Hawking performed in the 1970s, and may finally answer...

Webb telescope micrometeoroid impacts, Hubble Tension, James Webb Space Telescope

New ESA Video Shows James Webb Nearing Launch

Christopher Plain·December 20, 2021

A new video from the European Space Agency (ESA) reveals the final steps currently being taken to prepare the James Webb Telescope for it planned December 24th launch. Although the launch has been delayed a number of times already, the...

Huge Water Deposit Found in Mars “Grand Canyon”

Christopher Plain·December 17, 2021

A massive water deposit almost twice the size of Vermont has been discovered just beneath the surface of Mars. Whether bound to other minerals or stored as water ice, the new discovery made by the European Space Administration (ESA) was...

First Venus Life Finder Mission Eyes 2023 Launch

Christopher Plain·December 16, 2021

A new report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) details the privately funded Venus Life Finder (VLF) missions, starting with the first proposed launch in 2023. Hoping to settle the debate regarding potential microbial life in the clouds of...

MARS Perseverance Rover Reveals Key Discoveries

Christopher Plain·December 16, 2021

NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover has made some exciting new discoveries, offering even more clues to the red planet’s complex, watery past. Plus, mission scientists say, these new discoveries will help direct the planned Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission planned for the...

What Makes a Meteorite Blast a Planet-Wide Killer?

Hint: It’s Not the Meteorite’s Size.

Christopher Plain·December 15, 2021

A new study reveals what makes a meteorite a planet-wide killer, particularly those associated with mass extinction events like the space rock that killed off the dinosaurs. And surprisingly, the size of the meteorite is not as important as the...

NASA Video Shows Mars Sample Return Making Progress

Christopher Plain·December 14, 2021

A new video released by the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) highlights the various teams and equipment working to retrieve the samples already collected by the Perseverance rover and bring them back to Earth for closer study. Planned for...

Dating the Next `Oumuamua and the Art of Cosmic Mating

"To rendezvous or not to rendezvous?", that is the billion-dollar question. Is it getting warm in here?

Avi Loeb·December 14, 2021

During my routine morning jog in the woods, I saw four pairs of ducks swimming in a narrow channel. From their dance, which looked at times like wrestling, it was apparent that their “art of dating” is focused on collecting...

How an Artificial Magnetic Field Could Make Mars Habitable

Christopher Plain·December 13, 2021

A new study suggests that humans may possess the technological capabilities to create an artificial magnetic field, or magnetosphere, around Mars. And, the study authors note, if successful, such an artificial magnetic field could help protect future Mars colonists from...

New 3D NASA App Shows All Near Earth Objects

Christopher Plain·December 13, 2021

A new app released by the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) provides users a unique tour of the varied array of space rocks known as Near Earth objects (NEOs) currently surrounding our planet. The 3D real-time visualization tool’s developers...

What is a Planet and Why Does it Matter?

New Research Paper Says it is Time to Return to Original Definition made by Galileo

Christopher Plain·December 10, 2021

A group of researchers are pushing the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to change its current definition of a planet from one based on its orbital mechanics to one focused on its inherent composition. This change, they note, is long overdue,...

Solar Wind May Have Helped Create Life on Earth

Christopher Plain·December 9, 2021

New research has shown that the stream of charged particles emitted by the sun known as the solar wind may have played a significant part in making Earth habitable. And they say, this force not only helped bring water to...

List of Confirmed Exoplanets Grows by 301

Christopher Plain·December 8, 2021

A recent analysis of previously recorded satellite data has added 301 new exoplanets to the continuously growing list. This latest addition comes as a result of a new deep neural network tool employed by NASA researchers that can distinguish the...

Tidally Locked Exoplanets May Harbor Life After All

Christopher Plain·December 7, 2021

According to a new proposal, a phenomenon known as super-rotation may mean that tidally locked exoplanets, or planets whose orbits are locked to their host star, are also now potential candidates in the hunt for extraterrestrial life. Astrobiologists and other...

DARPA Funded Researchers Accidentally Discover The World’s First Warp Bubble

"Engage."

Christopher Plain·December 6, 2021

Warp drive pioneer Dr. Harold G “Sonny” White has reported research results that he believes could theoretically manifest a warp bubble under laboratory conditions.

NASA Video Animates Space Laser Communication System

Christopher Plain·December 6, 2021

A November, 2021 video animation from NASA shows how their soon to be launched demonstrator spacecraft will test laser communications in space, both between two satellites as well as between the International Space Station and Earth. Dubbed the “Laser Communications...

Venus Phosphine Signal Confirmed by Original Team

Christopher Plain·December 3, 2021

A year after the discovery of phosphine gas in the atmosphere of Venus, a signal many believe could be indications of microscopic life, the research team behind the controversial discovery have reexamined the data. And, they say, this reanalysis only...

Tess Finds Mars-Sized Planet That is Dense as Iron

Find May Point to Entire System of Habitable Exoplanets

Christopher Plain·December 3, 2021

Researchers using the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) have discovered a relatively nearby (at least in astronomical terms) exoplanet that is the size of Mars, but as dense as pure iron. Plus, the team behind the discovery notes, this planet...

Mysterious Area in Space Causes Spacecraft to Slow Down

Christopher Plain·December 2, 2021

A mysterious area of outer space directly above the Earth’s atmosphere causes spacecraft to slow down, and researchers are trying to figure out why. This same area has foiled GPS and other technologies, causing NASA to launch the latest fact-finding...

Wormholes May Actually Work If We Change Our Understanding of Gravity

Raquel Santos·December 1, 2021

A physicist is creating a stable, traversable wormhole but its only possible if we change the way we look at gravity.

Europa Becomes Next Target in NASA’s Hunt for Life

Christopher Plain·December 1, 2021

NASA’s hunt for extraterrestrial life has a new target, Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. According to researchers involved, a new, dedicated mission will peer miles below Europa’s icy surface to determine if the sea of water hidden underneath is capable of...

Pair of Supermassive Black Holes Closest to Earth

Christopher Plain·December 1, 2021

Astronomers have spotted a pair of supermassive black holes that are not only huge, but are also the closest black holes to Earth. And according to the researchers who made the discovery, the two black holes are close enough to...

Earth ‘On Course’ for Saturn-Like Ring of Space Junk

Christopher Plain·November 30, 2021

Space Junk is filling Earth’s orbit so rapidly that one researcher recently said he believes we are on course to develop our own Saturn-like ring system made purely of orbital trash. Fortunately, the scientist behind the shocking claim believes he...

TRAPPIST-1 Exoplnets’ Orbital Harmony May Aid Habitability

Christopher Plain·November 30, 2021

The orbital harmony of the seven exoplanets spotted in the TRAPPIST-1 star system may indicate that they endured significantly fewer impact events after their original formation than our own solar system. This less hostile formation environment may have increased the...

Yep, We Can Weaponize an Asteroid

With a bit of planning, time, and a giant amount of money, we could theoretically hurl space rocks into anything.

Raquel Santos·November 30, 2021

NASA's recent DART launch and with Season 6 of The Expanse coming out, we wanted to know if you can turn an asteroid into a weapon.

New Telescope to Search Alpha Centauri for ET’s Home

Christopher Plain·November 30, 2021

A new telescope will search Alpha Centauri, Earth’s closest stellar neighbor, for planets capable of supporting extraterrestrial life

The Bizarre History of the Nazi Spaceplane Built to Bomb New York and A Botched Russian Kidnapping

A Russian spy took a piss and discovered secret Nazi plans for a spaceplane that could bomb New York. They then tried to kidnap the inventor...

Graeme Rendall·November 27, 2021

In 1945, a Russian spy needed to take a piss, and as a result, discovered the plans to a Nazi spaceplane designed to blow up New York City.

DART, NASA’s New Planetary Defense Mission, Has Launched Aboard a SpaceX Rocket

Micah Hanks·November 26, 2021

A mission to test technology that may one day be used to defend our planet against potentially deadly asteroids and other near-Earth objects was successfully launched on Wednesday, according to NASA.

How Much Oxygen is Already on the Moon?

Analysis Shows There May Be Enough to Support Earth’s Entire Population for 100,000 Years

Christopher Plain·November 26, 2021

How much oxygen is on the moon, you may ask? A recent analysis indicates that the top layer of rock and dirt, known as regolith, that covers the Moon’s entire surface has more than you probably think.

Videos Show What Happens if You Enter a Black Hole

Christopher Plain·November 25, 2021

What happens when you enter a black hole? It is a question posed by scientists and science fiction writers alike, but not one that can be easily tested in the real world.

NASA Wants Battelle to Put a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon

Christopher Plain·November 23, 2021

NASA wants Battelle to put a fission based nuclear reactor on the moon, and is asking anyone and everyone to submit ideas. The request for proposals is being coordinated through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory, (INL) the...

New Propulsion System Flies in Space

Christopher Plain·November 22, 2021

A new propulsion system that uses electric power and iodine to create thrust has been successfully tested in space, marking a first for such systems. Having proven that low cost, Iodine-based systems are a viable alternative to the expensive xenon-based...

Most Rocky Exoplanets are Probably Nothing Like Earth

But They Are Still the Best Places to Search for Extraterrestrial Life

Christopher Plain·November 22, 2021

Rocky exoplanets are widely considered the best places to search for extraterrestrial life. However, a first of its kind study by a geologist and an astronomer has determined that the vast majority of these alien worlds are probably no place...

Most of The Universe is Invisible: Here’s What You Need to Know about what You Can’t See

Matt Bothwell·November 19, 2021

Most of the universe is invisible, but when we look at it through different 'eyes,' suddenly the dark void of space seems much less empty.

Can We Mine the Moon? The Top Five Things Humanity Needs to Survive In Space

Raquel Santos·November 18, 2021

What if we could take advantage of all the resources the Moon has to offer? Here are five ways we can mine the Moon, and thrive.

Recent Pattern of Behavior Shows Russia Is The ‘Mad Dog’ of Outer Space

This isn't the first time Russia has played fast and loose with its space assets.

Raquel Santos and MJ Banias·November 18, 2021

A pattern of reckless behavior indicates Russia may no longer be a "white hat" in the global space community.

Invasion Scientists Sound Alarm on Planetary Biosecurity

Potential Contamination of Earth from Extraterrestrial Environments Seen as Existential Threat

Christopher Plain·November 18, 2021

Invasion scientists concerned about the threat of potentially invasive microbiological organisms from somewhere other than Earth have written a paper describing how their emerging field can help protect our planet. Specifically, the authors draw on their expertise in how organisms...

Theory Says Black Holes May Offer Space/Time Shortcut

Christopher Plain·November 18, 2021

Black holes may indeed be shortcuts through space and time, just like science fiction always promised. And unlike those sci fi stories where interstellar travelers jump from place to place using Einstein-Rosen bridges, (the scientific name for such constructs) this...

Colonists in Off-World Simulations Show Independence

Christopher Plain·November 16, 2021

Colonists living in a pair of off-world simulations designed to mimic life on Mars and other potentially habitable environments reduced their communication frequency with mission control over time, signaling a growing independence from Earth. This reduction in total communications also resulted...

Space Travelers Might Use Mushrooms as Radiation Shields

Christopher Plain·November 16, 2021

Space travelers and off-world colonists may use mushrooms as radiation shields thanks to a special type of fungus known for its unique ability to absorb radiation. And based on recent experiments aboard the International Space Station, (ISS) this plant actually...

International Space Station Moves to Avoid Collision with Exploded Satellite

Christopher Plain·November 15, 2021

The crew of the International Space Station (ISS) fired maneuvering rockets last week to avoid being struck by a chunk of a previously destroyed Chinese weather satellite. Smashed to bits by an anti-satellite missile test nearly fifteen years earlier, the...

Near-earth asteroid may be broken off chunk of the moon

Christopher Plain·November 12, 2021

A team of astronomers believe that a near earth asteroid could actually be a lost fragment of Earth’s moon. Named Kamo’oalewa, the asteroid is between 150 and 190 feet in size, and regularly comes to within about 9 million miles...

Can Kinetic Launch Send Satellites to Space without Bulky Rockets?

Christopher Plain·November 12, 2021

A Pentagon sponsored launch services company has completed the first successful test of their kinetic launch system. Designed to use accumulated speed while still on the ground, this breakthrough launch system could soon become the fastest and cheapest way to...

Astronomers Find Possible Evidence of First Exoplanet Detected Beyond Our Galaxy

Candy Chan·November 12, 2021

For the first time, astronomers say they have discovered signs of a planet transiting a star outside of our galaxy.

Tatooine exoplanet orbiting two suns, Tatooine-style planet, Star Wars-style planet

Astronomers Develop Technique to Spot Exoplanets Orbiting Two Suns

Christopher Plain·November 11, 2021

A team of astronomers has developed a new technique designed to quickly and accurately identify exoplanets orbiting two suns. Known as circumbinary planets, this type of alien world first came to prominence in the 1977 film Star Wars, where viewers...

“We don’t understand everything that we’re seeing”: Group Convenes in Washington to Discuss Space, the Future, and Extraterrestrials

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and a range of panelists gathered to address the "Final Frontier," and humankind’s search for the unexplained.

Micah Hanks·November 11, 2021

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and a range of panelists gathered to address space, the future, and humankind’s search for the unexplained.