Space Archives

China’s Tianwen 1 Uses Second Spacecraft to Take Selfie

Christopher Plain·January 10, 2022

After hanging around the Martian orbit for nearly a full calendar year, China’s Tianwen 1 spacecraft launched a tiny secondary spacecraft to take some pictures. As a result, the Chinese National Space Agency (CNSA) released some of those pictures on...

Are Plumes on Enceladus from Underground Oceans?

Christopher Plain·January 7, 2022

Plumes of steam that erupt from the surface of Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus may not actually prove the existence of an underground ocean. Most theories indicate these oceans do exist, but a new study proposes an alternate cause for the...

The Expedition 66 Team Kicks Off 2022 on the ISS With Science and Spacewalks

Micah Hanks·January 6, 2022

The Expedition 66 crew aboard the International Space Station is conducting experiments and preparing for a spacewalk in early 2022.

Why Do Vision Problems Plague Astronauts in Zero Gravity?

Christopher Plain·January 6, 2022

Researchers hoping to understand how living in space negatively affects human vision have zeroed in on blood flow to the brain as its potential cause. Such issues have plagued the world’s first space travelers, who have overwhelmingly experienced diminished eyesight...

Is Terraforming Mars & Venus Actually Possible?

Christopher Plain·January 5, 2022

Terraforming Mars and even Venus may be possible, says a four-decade veteran of NASA. In fact, the former director of the agency’s planetary science division says he is working on just such a plan that would employ a giant magnetic...

DART Returns First Photos Readying for Asteroid Smash

Christopher Plain·January 5, 2022

NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft has returned its first photos, proving its onboard navigation camera survived launch. Known as DRACO, which is short for Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation, the lone camera carried by DART...

Tracking James Webb Telescope in Real Time

Christopher Plain·January 4, 2022

Curious viewers can track the progress of the James Webb telescope in real time, thanks to a new, dedicated YouTube channel. Launched a day after the telescope itself, the channel charts the current position of the groundbreaking space observatory, its...

Don’t Look Up: When Asteroids Attack

Kenna Castleberry·December 30, 2021

While it seems unlikely our world will end anytime soon with a giant asteroid collision, Netflix's "Don't Look Up" raises relevant questions about asteroids and their place in our galaxy.

Ramen Noodles Are The Perfect Space Food

Cristina Gomez shares her love of ramen noodles- and why they are basically the best.

Cristina Gomez·December 29, 2021

Ramen Noodles for Astronauts are a yummy meal option to be enjoyed in orbit on the ISS or on the road to Mars.

These 6 Technologies from ‘The Expanse’ May Soon Become Reality

Deidre Olsen·December 28, 2021

Here's a peek at six fascinating technologies in "The Expanse" universe that may one day become a reality.

Life on Venus: The Potential Habitability of Venusian Clouds

Raquel Santos·December 27, 2021

A chemical model of the atmosphere of Venus suggests some forms of life could potentially live in our neighbor planet's clouds.

The James Webb Space Telescope Lift Off A Success, A New Era Of Astronomy Is About to Begin

Kenna Castleberry·December 25, 2021

As of 7:20 EST, the Ariane 5 rocket successfully launched, taking the James Webb Space Telescope far into space.

NASA Releases James Webb “Official Mission Trailer” Video

Christopher Plain·December 24, 2021

NASA has released an “Official Mission Trailer” video to promote the planned Christmas Day launch of the James Webb Telescope. Presented like a trailer for a blockbuster film, the 87 second video offers an exciting glimpse into the mission many...

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

Going Where No Telescope Has Gone: The James Webb Space Telescope Launches Tomorrow

Kenna Castleberry·December 24, 2021

The James Webb Telescope is set to launch on Christmas day, and it will usher in a new dawn in astronomy and astrophysics.

Jingle Bells Was The First Song Ever Played in Outer Space

O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way...

Kenna Castleberry·December 23, 2021

Christmas songs are annoying, so obviously, the first song ever played in outer space was "Jingle Bells," proving that humans are sadists.

70 New Rogue Exoplanets Spotted by Astronomers

Christopher Plain·December 23, 2021

70 rogue exoplanets, or planets not bound to a host star, have been discovered wandering through the Milky Way galaxy. Described as a “breakthrough discovery,” the newly identified rogue exoplanets could help researchers better understand how these space bodies develop...

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...

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.