Climate Change: A Challenge for U.S. National Security
This week, we examine the DOD's concerns about climate change, and what the U.S. military and its allies are doing to combat it.
NASA
NASA’s UAP Study: Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
NASA's announcement that it will study unidentified aerial phenomena is a win-win for science, as it follows similar efforts by the DOD and civilian groups like the Galileo Project.
NASA Details Plans for New Study to Investigate Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
The U.S. space agency says its study of UAP will begin in late 2022, with the complete results "made available to the public."
The U.S. space agency says its study of UAP will begin in late 2022, with the complete results "made available to the public."
The U.S. space agency says its study of UAP will begin in late 2022, and "will be made available to the public."
Boeing’s Starliner Touches Down After Successful Mission to the ISS
Following the successful touchdown of NASA and Boeing’s new CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, we’ll be looking at what vehicles like Starliner may be able to provide to future orbital operations even beyond the ISS.
How Does Spaceflight Affect the Brain?
There are different effects that spaceflight can have on the human body. From more exposure to radiation to...
Another Clue Origin of Life May Be Extraterrestrial
In yet another clue that the origin of all life may be extraterrestrial, NASA says it has found all pieces of DNA and RNA inside meteorites.
Future Spacecraft Will Use Pulsars to Navigate
Future spacecraft will be able to use the x-rays emitted by pulsars to navigate in the vastness of deep space.
Backpacking on the Moon with LIDAR Mapping
Future NASA astronauts will map the Moon, Mars, and other worlds using a portable, lidar-equipped backpack. Derived from...
NASA Says Video of Mars UFOs Likely Fake
According to NASA, images of two separate UFOs photographed by the Perseverance Rover hanging in the skies of...
Perseverance Starts Year-Long River Delta Life Hunt
Delta Considered Likeliest Place for Rover to Find Signs of Ancient Microbial Life
Delta Considered Likeliest Place for Rover to Find Signs of Ancient Microbial Life
NASA’s Perseverance rover is about to spend the next year hunting an ancient river delta for signs of Martian life.
Odds Increasing for Life on Jupiter’s Moon Europa
Features found on Jupiter’s moon Europa may dramatically increase the chances of finding life within its sub-surface oceans.
Martian ‘A.I.-Biker’ Rovers Could Swarm Red Planet
Two-wheeled Martian rovers designed to work independently and as a team may one day search the planet’s surface like a swarm of AI-bikers.
Transgenic Lettuce Will Help Astronauts Combat Bone Loss
Researchers have designed customized "transgenic" lettuce that can help astronauts combat micro-gravity-induced bone loss.
Video Shows Astrolab Moon Rover in Action
Commercial space venture Astrolab has released a video of its cutting-edge moon rover concept vehicle undergoing real-world testing.
NASA to Get a $26 Billion Boost in Biden’s 2023 Budget
With the recent release of the U.S. government’s proposed 2023 budget, this week we look at what President Biden’s proposal will help NASA accomplish in the coming year.
Mars Rover Making Mad Dash to Tantalizing Life Target
NASA's Perseverance Rover is driving at a record-setting pace toward a river delta potentially teeming with signs of ancient life.
NASA’s Airborn Observatory SOFIA Makes Its Way to South America to Study Nearby Galaxies
NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is equipped for scanning the South American skies with a reflecting telescope mounted aboard a Boeing 747SP.
NASA’s Roman Telescope to Directly Image Exoplanets
Program Will Narrow Gap to Directly Imaging Earthlike Exoplanets
Program Will Narrow Gap to Directly Imaging Earthlike Exoplanets
NASA is currently building the Nancy Grace Roman space telescope in hopes of directly imaging smaller and fainter exoplanets.
NASA Funds Next Phase of Exoplanet Hunting Starshade
NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program has granted new funding to develop a working orbital starshade.
NASA’s Moon Rocket Rollout to Bring Artemis-I Mission Closer to Launch
This week, we'll be looking at what NASA engineers and technicians had to say recently about the forthcoming rollout of the Artemis I mission's space launch system.
Tech Talk Episode 4: Space Telescopes
In this episode of The Debrief’s Tech Talk, we look at 54 years of science since the launch of the first space telescope in 1968.
Cislunar Patrol: Enhancing the U.S. Military’s Detection of Objects in Space
This week, we look at the Air Force Research Laboratory's plans for its new Cislunar Highway Patrol System.
NACHO Average Space Tool, Meet NASA’s New Imager
NASA's new NACHOS imager will be able to detect volcanic activity and air quality had higher sensitivity levels than previously.
Did Curiosity Rover Spot a Flower on Mars?
NASA’s Curiosity rover has taken a picture of a rock formation on Mars that looks eerily like a tiny flower.
Politics in Orbit: Russia and the Future of the International Space Station
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Intelligence Brief… with the battle ensuing on the ground in Ukraine, international...
NASA Eyes Electroaerodynamic Propulsion System
Ionic Wind Thruster Can Propel Aircraft with No Moving Parts
Ionic Wind Thruster Can Propel Aircraft with No Moving Parts
NASA has awarded researchers at MIT a grant to further develop their electroaerodynamic propulsion system, which has no moving parts.
Exploring Venus in a Manta Ray Inspired Spacecraft
A new spacecraft inspired by the manta ray and designed to surf the clouds of Venus has received a second round of funding from NASA.
Tatooine-Like Exoplanet Confirmed
Discovery Expected to Aid the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Discovery Expected to Aid the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Astronomers have confirmed an exoplanet orbiting two suns similar to Luke Skywalker’s fictional home Tatooine in the 1977 movie Star Wars.
NASA Rocket Ready to Chase Pulsating Aurora
NASA is readying the launch of a new rocket that will try to figure out what causes one aspect of the aurora borealis to pulsate.
Into the Cosmic “Webb”: The Search for Interstellar Interlopers
The James Webb Space Telescope could do more than just give us glimpses of distant alien worlds; it may even help us spot a few interstellar visitors.
NASA’s Updated Transition Plan for the International Space Station Includes Crashing it Into the Pacific
NASA has updated its transition plan for the international space station, as it nears the end of its operational lifespan.
A Surprise Discovery on Mars Offers Clues in the Search for Life
This week we look at what recent findings suggest about the possible existence of life on ancient Mars, and why the question of biology shouldn’t be ruled out.
The James Webb Space Telescope Has Just Reached its New Home in Space
The James Webb Space Telescope will soon begin its long-anticipated mission of peering more deeply into the history of space than any telescope has ever done.
Report: NASA’s Human Space Exploration Efforts Need an Upgrade
This week, we look at what a newly released report says about NASA and how it can optimize its efforts toward human space exploration in the years ahead.
Mars Curiosity Rover Finds “Tantalizing” Signs of Life
NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover has found signs of a type of carbon that is associated with biological processes...
Why Are Asteroids Sneaking Up on Earth?
NASA funded scientists have identified a celestial “danger zone” where asteroids approaching Earth can go undetected by the...
Chinese Rover Finds Water on the Moon
China’s Chang’E-5 rover has found evidence of water molecules on the surface of the moon. Also, measurements taken...
Astronomers Spot Second Ever Exomoon Candidate
Discovery May Mean Exomoons are Common, Increasing the Odds of Extraterrestrial Life.
Discovery May Mean Exomoons are Common, Increasing the Odds of Extraterrestrial Life.
Astronomers studying a huge, Jupiter-like exoplanet say they have successfully detected a moon in its orbit. Although this...
Organic Material in Martian Meteorite is NOT Biological
However, New Research Reconfirms Mars' Watery Past and Potential for Life
However, New Research Reconfirms Mars' Watery Past and Potential for Life
Organic material found in a Martian meteorite does not have a biological origin, new research has determined. Instead,...
NASA to Include Custom Alexa on its ARTEMIS Missions
The National Aeronautics and Space Administrations (NASA) is planning to include an Amazon Alexa on its upcoming Artemis...
First Moon Landing in 50 Years Only Weeks Away
The first moon landing since the final Apollo missions of the early 1970’s is expected to touch down...
China’s Tianwen 1 Uses Second Spacecraft to Take Selfie
After hanging around the Martian orbit for nearly a full calendar year, China’s Tianwen 1 spacecraft launched a...
Are Plumes on Enceladus from Underground Oceans?
Plumes of steam that erupt from the surface of Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus may not actually prove the...
The Expedition 66 Team Kicks Off 2022 on the ISS With Science and Spacewalks
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?
Researchers hoping to understand how living in space negatively affects human vision have zeroed in on blood flow...
Is Terraforming Mars & Venus Actually Possible?
Terraforming Mars and even Venus may be possible, says a four-decade veteran of NASA. In fact, the former...
DART Returns First Photos Readying for Asteroid Smash
NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft has returned its first photos, proving its onboard navigation camera survived...
Tracking James Webb Telescope in Real Time
Curious viewers can track the progress of the James Webb telescope in real time, thanks to a new,...
Don’t Look Up: When Asteroids Attack
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.
The James Webb Space Telescope: NASA’s Most Advanced Space Science Observatory Pursues the Unknown
This week, we look at the historic launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, the critical days ahead, and the discoveries it is expected to make.