SpaceX sends two batches of Starlink satellites on Saturday

SpaceX launched two Starlink missions on Saturday, June 28, sending a total of 53 broadband satellites into low Earth orbit. The first Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 12:26 a.m. EDT, carrying 27 satellites, while the second launched from Vandenberg, California, at 1:13 p.m. EDT with 26 satellites. Both rocket boosters successfully landed on droneships after their flights, marking the fifth flight for … Continue reading SpaceX sends two batches of Starlink satellites on Saturday

Fireball streaks across Atlanta sky, rattles homes

A bright flash and loud boom startled parts of the southeastern U.S. on Wednesday afternoon as a suspected fireball streaked across the sky around 12:30 p.m. The rare daytime event was seen on cameras in Atlanta and reported from Tennessee to South Carolina, shaking homes and prompting 911 calls. Experts believe it was likely a large meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere, possibly dropping meteorites, NBC 9 News … Continue reading Fireball streaks across Atlanta sky, rattles homes

SpaceX launches human remains, reentry capsules and more on Transporter 14

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base on June 23, carrying 70 payloads on its Transporter 14 rideshare mission. The payloads include microsats, cubesats, reentry capsules, and a memorial mission carrying cremated remains and DNA aboard The Exploration Company’s Nyx reusable spacecraft. The Falcon 9’s first stage successfully landed on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You,” marking … Continue reading SpaceX launches human remains, reentry capsules and more on Transporter 14

Japanese company blames laser tool for its 2nd crash landing on the moon

A laser navigation issue caused Japanese company ispace’s lunar lander, Resilience, to crash into the moon earlier this month, marking their second failed landing attempt in two years. The lander was descending rapidly when its laser range finder failed to properly measure distance, leading to the crash near the moon’s Mare Frigoris. Despite past setbacks, including a 2023 crash due to bad software, ispace plans … Continue reading Japanese company blames laser tool for its 2nd crash landing on the moon

Mysterious “Dead” Satellite Sends Powerful Signal to Earth After Decades

Scientists detected a mysterious, powerful radio pulse from Relay 2, a NASA satellite that has been inactive since the 1960s. The brief flash, lasting less than 30 nanoseconds, was so intense it outshone all other sky objects momentarily. Using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, researchers pinpointed the signal to within 20,000 km of Earth, matching Relay 2’s location. Since the satellite has been dead … Continue reading Mysterious “Dead” Satellite Sends Powerful Signal to Earth After Decades

Passing Star could throw Earth out of orbit or into the Sun

A new study suggests there’s a small but notable chance a passing star could disrupt our solar system’s stability over the next few billion years. Thousands of simulations show that such stars may cause significant changes in the orbits of planets like Mercury and Pluto, increasing the risk of collisions or ejections. While Earth’s chance of being involved in a planetary collision or ejection is … Continue reading Passing Star could throw Earth out of orbit or into the Sun

Webb telescope ups the odds that ‘city-killer’ asteroid will hit the moon in 2032

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has completed its latest observations of asteroid 2024 YR4, a building-sized space rock that poses no threat to Earth but may strike the moon. New data from JWST has refined the asteroid’s trajectory, raising the chance of a lunar impact on December 22, 2032, to 4.3%. Originally discovered in December 2024, the asteroid once had a small chance of … Continue reading Webb telescope ups the odds that ‘city-killer’ asteroid will hit the moon in 2032

Chinese spacecraft prepare for orbital refueling test as US surveillance sats lurk nearby

Two Chinese satellites, Shijian-21 and Shijian-25, appear to be maneuvering for a potential rendezvous and docking in geostationary orbit (GEO), possibly for an on-orbit refueling test. Shijian-25, launched in January for servicing missions, is approaching Shijian-21, which has previously towed a defunct satellite to graveyard orbit. Both are now in closely matched orbits, minimizing fuel use for docking. The proximity operations, expected around June 11, … Continue reading Chinese spacecraft prepare for orbital refueling test as US surveillance sats lurk nearby

SpaceX rocket explodes in new setback

A SpaceX Starship prototype, Starship 36, exploded during a routine static fire test at the company’s Starbase facility in Texas late Wednesday. The rocket experienced a “catastrophic failure” while secured to a test stand, though no injuries or hazards to nearby communities were reported. The incident marks the latest setback for Elon Musk’s goal of developing a reusable rocket for Mars colonization. Standing 123 meters … Continue reading SpaceX rocket explodes in new setback

Honda Unexpectedly Enters the Space Race With First Successful Rocket Launch

In a surprising move, Honda successfully launched and landed a prototype reusable rocket on June 17, aiming for suborbital spaceflight by 2029. The 20.6-foot rocket reached 889 feet during testing in northern Japan, demonstrating key reusability technologies. While still in early research phases, Honda has expanded its space efforts through U.S.-based initiatives and partnerships, including ISS tech trials and satellite refueling systems, Gizmodo has reported. … Continue reading Honda Unexpectedly Enters the Space Race With First Successful Rocket Launch

Powerful solar flare erupts from sun triggering radio blackouts across North America

A sunspot facing Earth has rapidly become highly active, producing multiple strong M-class solar flares in under 24 hours, including a powerful M8.46 flare on June 15—just below the strongest X-class level. This flare also triggered a coronal mass ejection (CME), part of which may reach Earth around June 18. If it does, it could cause minor geomagnetic storms and possibly visible auroras in northern … Continue reading Powerful solar flare erupts from sun triggering radio blackouts across North America

Mysterious fast radio bursts help astronomers pinpoint cosmic ‘missing’ matter

Astronomers have used fast radio bursts (FRBs)—brief, powerful flashes of radio waves—to detect previously unseen ordinary matter in the universe, helping solve the long-standing “missing baryon problem.” While dark matter and dark energy dominate the cosmos, only about 10% of ordinary matter had been directly observed. The rest, believed to be spread across the intergalactic medium, was too diffuse to detect—until now, CNN has reported. … Continue reading Mysterious fast radio bursts help astronomers pinpoint cosmic ‘missing’ matter

NASA sets new potential launch date for Ax-4 mission to ISS

NASA is targeting June 19 for the launch of the Ax-4 private astronaut mission to the ISS, pending resolution of an air leak in the Russian segment. The mission was delayed from its original June 11 date due to a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon 9 rocket and concerns over a persistent leak in the Zvezda module’s vestibule. While Roscosmos claims the issue has … Continue reading NASA sets new potential launch date for Ax-4 mission to ISS

SpaceX sends 26 Starlink satellites to orbit on landmark launch

SpaceX reached a major milestone with the 500th mission of its Falcon rocket family on June 12. A Falcon 9 launched 26 Starlink satellites from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, successfully deploying them into low Earth orbit. The rocket’s first stage landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You, marking its 15th reuse, Space.com has reported. This was SpaceX’s 72nd Falcon 9 launch of … Continue reading SpaceX sends 26 Starlink satellites to orbit on landmark launch

First view of the Sun’s south pole filmed by spacecraft

The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter has captured and sent back the first-ever images and video of the Sun’s south pole, offering groundbreaking insights into the Sun’s behavior. These closest, most detailed images will help scientists understand how solar magnetic fields shift and trigger powerful storms that can disrupt satellites and power grids on Earth. The data fills a key gap in solar science by … Continue reading First view of the Sun’s south pole filmed by spacecraft

Starliner future plans still in limbo

A year after Boeing’s troubled crewed test flight of the CST-100 Starliner, NASA still hasn’t decided on the spacecraft’s next mission — or whether it will be crewed or uncrewed. The next flight isn’t expected before early 2026, pending resolution of technical issues like thruster failures and helium leaks. Budget cuts and ongoing testing have delayed decisions, while Boeing remains quiet amid speculation it might … Continue reading Starliner future plans still in limbo

NASA raises the odds that an asteroid could hit the moon in 2032

Asteroid 2024 YR4, once considered the highest-impact risk to Earth ever recorded, now poses no threat to our planet but has slightly increased its odds of hitting the moon in 2032—from 3.8% to 4.3%, according to NASA. The James Webb Space Telescope recently helped refine its trajectory by 20%. First detected in late 2023, the asteroid briefly sparked alarm with a 3.1% chance of impacting … Continue reading NASA raises the odds that an asteroid could hit the moon in 2032

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe spots powerful magnetic explosion aimed at the sun’s surface

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has captured unprecedented data of a powerful plasma explosion moving toward the sun’s surface, revealing protons with energy levels 1,000 times higher than expected. This event, caused by “magnetic reconnection” — where the sun’s magnetic fields break and reconnect — accelerates charged particles and fuels the solar wind. Understanding this process is crucial for predicting space weather, which can disrupt satellites, … Continue reading NASA’s Parker Solar Probe spots powerful magnetic explosion aimed at the sun’s surface

James Webb Space Telescope reveals largest-ever panorama of the early universe

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have released the largest map of the early universe to date, revealing nearly 800,000 galaxies in an expansive image from the COSMOS-Web project. This wide-field survey, the largest of JWST’s first year, stitched together over 10,000 images covering a sky area the width of three full moons. The data offers insights into galaxy formation, cosmic environments, and … Continue reading James Webb Space Telescope reveals largest-ever panorama of the early universe

SpaceX launches Sirius XM radio satellite to orbit

SpaceX successfully launched the SXM-10 satellite for SiriusXM early Saturday, June 7, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The rocket’s first stage landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic, marking its eighth reuse. The 14,100-pound satellite, built by Maxar Technologies, will join SiriusXM’s broadcasting network, Space.com has reported. This was SpaceX’s 69th Falcon 9 launch in 2025 and the second SiriusXM mission … Continue reading SpaceX launches Sirius XM radio satellite to orbit

Mars volcano twice as big as Earth’s tallest one seen poking through clouds

NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter captured a stunning image of Arsia Mons, a 12-mile-high volcano on Mars, poking through dawn clouds—marking the first time such a view has been seen from the Martian horizon. Taken on May 2, the photo highlights water ice clouds around the Tharsis Mountains during Mars’ aphelion. The image helps scientists study seasonal atmospheric changes. Odyssey, launched in 2001, is the longest-operating … Continue reading Mars volcano twice as big as Earth’s tallest one seen poking through clouds

A tiny star gave birth to a giant exoplanet, but no one knows how

A tiny red dwarf star, TOI-6894, defies expectations by hosting a giant exoplanet, TOI-6894b, which is slightly larger than Saturn but only half its mass. Red dwarfs, with just 20% of the Sun’s mass, rarely have enough material to form such large planets, making this discovery extremely rare. The planet orbits its star every 3.37 days and, unlike typical hot gas giants, has a relatively … Continue reading A tiny star gave birth to a giant exoplanet, but no one knows how

Scientists puzzled by giant planet detected orbiting tiny star

Astronomers have discovered a gas giant planet orbiting the tiny red dwarf star TOI-6894, the smallest star known to host such a large planet. The planet, slightly larger than Saturn but only half its mass, orbits the star every three days. This challenges existing theories of planet formation, as small stars like TOI-6894 were not thought capable of hosting massive planets due to limited material … Continue reading Scientists puzzled by giant planet detected orbiting tiny star

SpaceX launches Starlink satellite stack from Vandenberg Space Force Base

SpaceX successfully launched 27 more Starlink satellites on June 4 from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base using a Falcon 9 rocket. The booster, B1063, completed its 26th flight and landed on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love Youin the Pacific. This marks the booster’s 18th Starlink mission. The satellites will soon move into their designated low Earth orbits, adding to Starlink’s growing network of … Continue reading SpaceX launches Starlink satellite stack from Vandenberg Space Force Base

James Webb Telescope Detects Frozen Water In Young Star System For The First Time

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has discovered crystalline water ice in the debris disk around HD 181327, a young Sun-like star 155 light-years away. This finding supports the theory that water existed in the early solar system’s outer regions and played a key role in planet formation. The water ice, mostly found in the disk’s outer ring as “dirty snowballs” (ice mixed with dust), decreases … Continue reading James Webb Telescope Detects Frozen Water In Young Star System For The First Time