Scientists Discover Ryugu Asteroid Samples Contained Full Set of Life’s Genetic Building Blocks
The complete set of the fundamental building blocks of life, making up DNA and RNA, has been discovered in samples from the asteroid Ryugu.
JAXA
2026 Space Outlook: New Missions Look to the Moon, Mars, and Beyond as Humanity Seeks Permanent Space Habitation
2026 is shaping up to be a stellar year for space exploration with plans for Moon and Mars missions, planetary defense initiatives, and more.
Scientists Trace the Mysterious Origins of These Critical Life-Supporting Elements to the Death of an Ancient Star
Scientists have found an "extreme" solution to the mysterious origins of critical life-supporting elements chlorine and potassium.
Hayabusa2 Asteroid Sample-Return Mission’s Next Touchdown Just Got Complicated
Hayabusa2 is now facing an unexpected challenge: the asteroid it is targeting for its next visit is much smaller than previously expected.
Ryugu Asteroid Discovery “Forces Us to Rethink” Origins of Water on Our Planet
Near-Earth asteroid Ryugu was previously covered in flowing water, say researchers examining samples returned by JAXA's Hayabusa2 mission.
Scientists May Have Finally Solved the Origin Mystery of the Moon’s Exosphere
A new analysis of lunar exosphere origin theories has cast doubt on how much the high-energy solar wind really impacts its formation.
Honda Enters the Space Race as New Challenger to SpaceX With Its Successful Reusable Rocket Test
Japan’s Honda is giving American SpaceX new competition in the reusable rocket field with its recent successful test on June 17 in Hokkaido.
Planetary Defence Spacecraft Captures New Images of Mysterious Martian Moon Deimos During Flyby
New images of the mysterious Martian moon Deimos were captured when the Hera mission activated its instruments past Earth for the first time.
First Wooden Satellite Breaks New Ground in Sustainable Space Exploration. Are Wooden Space Shelters Next?
Researchers at Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry have unveiled the world’s first wooden satellite, breaking new ground in space technology.
Eerie Cosmic Chorus Emerges in Detection of Unusual Plasma Phenomena from Solar System’s Fastest Planet
A phenomenon that scientists liken to a cosmic chorus of spacey chirps and whistles has been detected coming from Mercury for the first time.
Asteroid Discovery Could Shed Light on the Mysterious Origins of Life on Earth
This week we look at how asteroid samples delivered to Earth by a Japanese spacecraft could shed light on the mysterious origins of life on Earth.
NASA’s Geotail Mission, Which Unraveled Auroras and Mysteries of Earth’s Magnetosphere, Finally Ends
NASA Says Farewell to its Geotail Spacecraft After Three Decades of Service
NASA Says Farewell to its Geotail Spacecraft After Three Decades of Service
NASA has announced that its Geotail spacecraft, a joint project with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has ended operations after three decades in orbit.
Japan’s Space Agency Successfully Completes First Flight of Steam-Powered Spacecraft
Japan’s Space Agency JAXA has reported the first successful flight of a steam-powered spacecraft named EQUULEUS beyond low earth orbit.