Mercury may be more geologically active than previously thought. Bright streaks on its surface, called lineae, suggest ongoing activity rather than ancient formations. A survey of 402 lineae shows they often appear on sun-facing crater slopes and near bright depressions called hollows. These features likely form from heat and volatile materials, like sulfur, rising from beneath the surface, Science Alert has reported. Future ESA and … Continue reading Strange Bright Lines on Mercury Suggest It’s Not ‘Dead’ After All

Rocket Lab successfully launched South Korea’s disaster-monitoring satellite, NEONSAT-1A, on Thursday, January 29, from its New Zealand site. The 59-foot Electron rocket lifted off at 8:21 p.m. EST (2:21 p.m. local time, Jan. 30), following a previous aborted attempt on December 15. NEONSAT-1A, part of the “Bridging the Swarm” mission for KAIST’s Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC), is an advanced Earth-observation satellite with a high-resolution … Continue reading Rocket Lab launches Korean disaster-monitoring satellite after long delay

SpaceX launched two batches of Starlink satellites over consecutive days from both U.S. coasts. On January 29, a Falcon 9 lifted 25 satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, while on January 30, another Falcon 9 deployed 29 more satellites from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Thursday’s booster (B1082) completed its 19th flight, landing on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You, and Friday’s … Continue reading SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from two coasts in two days

NASA’s TESS spacecraft recently captured observations of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it left the solar system, recording it as a bright, fast-moving dot with a faint tail across a crowded starfield. A 28-hour video compiled from the data shows the comet’s trajectory, though a spacecraft “safe mode” caused a gap in the observations. Scientists hope the dataset will reveal the comet’s activity, dust and gas … Continue reading NASA exoplanet probe tracks interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS to gauge its spin

Astronomers have identified a potentially habitable, Earth-sized planet named HD 137010 b about 146 light-years away, orbiting a sun-like star with a 355-day year. The planet is estimated to be 6% larger than Earth and may lie within the star’s habitable zone, though its cooler, dimmer star could make surface temperatures similar to Mars, possibly below –70°C. The discovery, made using 2017 data from NASA’s Kepler … Continue reading A potentially habitable new planet has been discovered 146 light-years away

Astronomers used an AI-assisted tool called AnomalyMatch to analyze nearly 100 million images from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, identifying over 1,300 rare or unusual objects in just two and a half days, more than 800 of which had never been documented. The anomalies included merging galaxies, gravitational lenses, star-forming clumps, jellyfish-like galaxies, and edge-on planet-forming disks, with some objects defying existing classification schemes. Developed by … Continue reading AI Unlocks Hundreds of Cosmic Anomalies in Hubble Archive

SpaceX launched a jam-resistant GPS III-SV09 satellite for the U.S. Space Force from Cape Canaveral on Tuesday night, Jan. 27, after a one-day weather delay. Built by Lockheed Martin, the satellite features M-Code technology for improved resistance to jamming and is the ninth of 10 GPS III satellites, with the final launch expected later this year. Originally scheduled for a Vulcan Centaur rocket, the mission … Continue reading SpaceX launches advanced GPS satellite for US Space Force

The Space Force plans to award initial contracts as soon as next month for RG-XX, a new fleet of small, maneuverable satellites to monitor activity in geosynchronous orbit, potentially operational by 2030. The program aims to supplement or replace the current GSSAP constellation with lower-cost, off-the-shelf satellites that can be updated or replaced as threats evolve. Early contracts will establish a pool of vendors, with … Continue reading Space Force’s Newest Reconnaissance Satellites Could Come Online by 2030

Scientists have created the most detailed high-resolution map of distant galaxies to date, helping them study dark matter, the invisible substance that makes up over a quarter of the universe. Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the map identified nearly 800,000 galaxies, including some seen for the first time, and captures structures spanning the past 10 billion years. By observing how dark matter’s gravity bends … Continue reading Mysterious dark matter seen in new high-resolution map of distant galaxies

SpaceX launched 25 more Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, expanding its broadband megaconstellation. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off early Jan. 22 and deployed the satellites about an hour later. Its first stage, Booster 1093, completed its 13th flight and successfully landed on a drone ship, Space.com has reported. The new satellites join the 9,500 already in orbit, supporting internet access in underserved … Continue reading SpaceX launches 25 Starlink satellites into orbit from California

NASA’s SPHEREx mission has detected a dramatic surge in sublimation on the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas following its close approach to the Sun. Observations show carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water vapor emissions spiked as previously insulated ices beneath the comet’s surface became active inside the solar system’s ice line. Earlier in 2025, the comet’s activity was dominated by large icy grains releasing mainly carbon dioxide, … Continue reading SPHEREx Detects Dramatic Ice Activity on Interstellar Visitor 3I/Atlas

NASA astronaut Suni Williams has retired after 27 years, concluding a career that included three missions to the International Space Station and a total of 608 days in space—the second-longest cumulative time in NASA history. Williams, a former Navy pilot, joined NASA in 1998 and logged 62 hours and 6 minutes of spacewalks, the most by any female astronaut and fourth-most overall. Her final mission … Continue reading NASA astronaut Suni Williams, who stayed in space for 9 months after spacecraft problem, retires

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin announced plans Wednesday to deploy 5,408 satellites for a high-speed communications network called TeraWave, targeting data centers, governments, and businesses. Deployment is set to begin in late 2027, with the network aiming to deliver data speeds up to 6 Tbps and serve about 100,000 customers. The constellation will use optical communications and is designed to support large-scale AI data processing, which … Continue reading Blue Origin to deploy thousands of satellites for new communications network

A powerful X-class solar flare on Jan. 18 launched a fast-moving coronal mass ejection (CME) that struck Earth on Jan. 19, triggering severe G4 geomagnetic storm conditions earlier than expected. The shock wave arrived at 2:38 p.m. EST, and the storm remains ongoing, promising heightened aurora activity through the evening. The impact of a CME depends on its magnetic orientation: a southward-directed field (Bz) can … Continue reading Sun unleashes powerful X-flare, CME hits Earth sparking severe geomagnetic storm

SpaceX successfully launched 29 new Starlink satellites (Group 6-100) into low Earth orbit on Sunday, January 18, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage, B1080, completed its 24th flight and landed safely on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. The upper stage deployed the satellites after a coast and second engine burn, continuing the expansion of the Starlink megaconstellation. … Continue reading SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 29 Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida

Astronomers from University College London and Cardiff University have discovered a mysterious bar-shaped cloud of iron inside the Ring Nebula. The cloud, roughly 500 times the length of Pluto’s orbit and with a mass comparable to Mars, fits within the nebula’s inner layer. Observations were made using the Large Integral Field Unit (LIFU) mode of the WEAVE instrument on the William Herschel Telescope. The Ring … Continue reading Mysterious iron ‘bar’ discovered in famous nebula

NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy renewed their partnership to develop a fission surface power system for the Moon and future Mars missions under the Artemis program. A new memorandum of understanding formalizes the collaboration, aiming to deploy a lunar surface nuclear reactor by 2030. The system is designed to provide safe, efficient, and continuous electrical power for sustained lunar operations, independent of sunlight … Continue reading NASA, Department of Energy to Develop Lunar Surface Reactor by 2030

NASA may have lost contact permanently with its long-running Mars orbiter, MAVEN, which has been silent since December 6 while passing behind Mars. Analysis suggests the spacecraft is tumbling and has left its planned orbit, making recovery unlikely. MAVEN exceeded its original two-year mission, studying Mars’ upper atmosphere, the solar wind, and helping relay communications for rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance. Multiple attempts to locate … Continue reading NASA Fears Mars Imager Probe MAVEN May Be Lost

NASA’s ISS Crew-11 safely returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific off San Diego early Thursday morning. The mission was cut short due to a medical issue affecting one astronaut, though the individual remained stable and no emergency evacuation was needed. Crew-11 undocked from the ISS Wednesday evening after preparing cargo and reviewing return procedures. The team included two Americans, a Japanese astronaut, and … Continue reading Sick astronaut, rest of crew splash down in Pacific after undocking from ISS

An Indian PSLV rocket carrying 16 payloads, including an Earth observation satellite, went off course shortly after liftoff on Monday. The mission, PSLV-C62, lifted off from Sriharikota but experienced an anomaly during the end of its PS3 stage. ISRO said the rocket had flown normally for most of the mission before the unexpected deviation, and a detailed investigation has been launched. This marks the second … Continue reading Indian rocket launch loses control after liftoff in fresh blow to ISRO

Astronomers have discovered a glowing bow shock around the white dwarf RXJ0528+2838, located 731 light-years away, in a phenomenon that defies current understanding. Unlike typical white dwarfs, which produce outflows through a surrounding disk, RXJ0528+2838 has no disk, yet it has generated a multi-colored nebula for roughly 1,000 years. Researchers suggest the star’s strong magnetic field may channel material from its companion directly onto the … Continue reading Rainbow Discovered Around a Nearby Dead Star Puzzles Scientists

SpaceX has secured $739 million in new contracts from the U.S. Space Force for multiple military satellite launches. The contracts, issued under the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1, include task orders for the Space Development Agency (SDA) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), supporting missile warning and tracking capabilities. Planned launches include SDA-2 missions in late FY2026, SDA-3 missions in mid-FY2027, and … Continue reading Space Force awards $739 million in launch orders to SpaceX

NASA’s Pandora exoplanet satellite successfully launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sunday as part of SpaceX’s “Twilight” mission. Pandora, weighing 716 pounds, will spend a year observing at least 20 known exoplanets as they transit their stars, helping astronomers study planetary atmospheres and disentangle stellar effects from planetary signals. The mission also carried around 40 other satellites, including Kepler … Continue reading SpaceX launches NASA’s Pandora exoplanet mission, 3 dozen other satellites

Astronaut Mike Fincke and his Crew 11 colleagues are returning early from the International Space Station due to a medical issue affecting an unidentified crew member, though all are reported as stable and well cared for. The crew, including Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov, will undock Wednesday and splash down in the Pacific Thursday morning, followed by medical evaluations onshore. This marks the … Continue reading Astronaut says crew in good shape after medical issue, but calls early return to Earth “bittersweet”

The FCC has approved SpaceX’s expansion of its Starlink constellation to up to 15,000 satellites in low Earth orbit, shortly after the company launched 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites from Cape Canaveral. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the authorization will enhance broadband services, competition, and connectivity for underserved communities. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 booster B1069 successfully landed on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas, … Continue reading FCC gives SpaceX “green light” to expand Starlink constellation to 15,000 satellites