Astronauts Nick Hague and Suni Williams successfully completed a spacewalk on January 16 to repair the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) and inspect the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) on the International Space Station. Hague fixed a light leak in NICER, allowing it to resume X-ray observations, while Williams replaced a docking reflector. They also performed preparatory work on the AMS, which studies cosmic rays … Continue reading Astronauts repair black hole observatory, inspect cosmic ray detector on ISS spacewalk

Astronomers have filled a critical gap in understanding the flares from Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, by observing them across multiple wavelengths. Previous studies focused on near-infrared, sub-millimeter, and radio waves, but lacked data in the mid-infrared (MIR) and X-rays. Recent observations with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) revealed synchrotron radiation, … Continue reading First Infrared Flare-Up Detected From The Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole

The European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft, which has been mapping the Milky Way for 12 years, shut down its science operations on January 15 due to running low on propellant. Despite ceasing data collection, Gaia’s legacy continues, with valuable data still to be released. Gaia has studied nearly 2 billion stars, contributing to the most detailed 3D map of our local universe. The upcoming Gaia … Continue reading ESA spacecraft shuts down after 12 years of Milky Way mapping

Two private lunar landers, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost and Japan’s ispace’s Resilience, launched on January 15 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Blue Ghost, part of NASA’s CLPS program, is carrying 10 research payloads and will spend 25 days in Earth orbit before heading to the moon for a touchdown in Mare Crisium. Resilience, with a microrover named Tenacious, is … Continue reading SpaceX launches 2 private lunar landers to the moon

The asteroid (887) Alinda, measuring 2.6 miles wide, recently passed within 7.6 million miles of Earth on January 8 and will peak in brightness on January 12, visible through binoculars or a good telescope. This rare event occurs once a decade, with Alinda being one of the five largest asteroids to pass close to Earth in the next 175 years. While it poses no threat, … Continue reading Enormous, mountain-size asteroid will be visible from Earth this weekend in rare ‘once in a decade’ event

SpaceX launched 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities, from Cape Canaveral on January 13. The Falcon 9 rocket’s first-stage booster successfully landed in the Atlantic Ocean after eight minutes, marking its 15th launch and landing. The upper stage deployed the satellites into low Earth orbit about 65 minutes after liftoff, Space.com has reported. This launch was SpaceX’s sixth of 2025, following a busy … Continue reading SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites from Florida, lands booster for 15th time

A supermassive black hole in the galaxy 1ES 1927+654, located 275 million light-years from the Milky Way, has baffled astronomers with its unusual behavior. Recent observations suggest the black hole’s fluctuations are caused by a white dwarf star orbiting dangerously close to its event horizon. The star’s orbit is shrinking, causing rapid changes in the black hole’s X-ray emissions. The dense white dwarf, which is … Continue reading Strange Flashes Could Be Signs of Closest Object Seen Near a Black Hole

On January 9, 2025, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the National Reconnaissance Office’s (NRO) NROL-153 mission, marking the first NRO launch of the year. The rocket carried classified payloads to expand the U.S. intelligence and surveillance capabilities through a growing network of small, distributed satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). This mission is part of the NRO’s strategy to enhance satellite resilience and responsiveness, … Continue reading SpaceX launches NROL-153, expanding U.S. spy satellite constellation  

SpaceX set a new record for rocket reuse with the launch of its 25th Falcon 9 mission on January 10, 2025, carrying 21 Starlink broadband satellites, including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities. The first stage of the rocket successfully returned to Earth, landing on the drone ship “Just Read the Instructions” in the Atlantic Ocean. The Falcon 9’s upper stage continued to carry the satellites to … Continue reading SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches Starlink satellites on record-breaking 25th flight

A recent flyby of Mercury by the BepiColombo spacecraft, a joint mission by the European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, has led experts to believe that frozen water may exist on the planet’s surface. The spacecraft examined deep craters near Mercury’s north pole, revealing dark, shadowed areas that could contain frozen water. These cold spots, some of the coldest in the Solar System, … Continue reading Mercury may have frozen water in craters, spacecraft flyby reveals

Comet ATLAS (C/2024 G3), discovered on April 5, 2024, is set to make a close approach to the Sun on January 13, coming within 8.3 million miles—over three times closer than Mercury’s orbit. It could shine as brightly as Venus or even become visible in daylight, though observing it will be challenging due to its proximity to the Sun. Best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere … Continue reading Comet Set to Outshine Venus in the Night Sky

NASA is exploring two revised plans for its Mars Sample Return mission after an independent review projected costs could reach $11 billion with a delayed timeline stretching to 2040. Option 1 uses a smaller spacecraft, a proven “sky crane” landing system, and a European spacecraft to return samples to Earth, costing $6.6–$7.7 billion, with a return date between 2035 and 2039. Option 2 involves partnering with private … Continue reading NASA exploring 2 options to lower costs, speed up Mars Sample Return mission

Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope have closely studied asteroid 2060 Chiron, a centaur with both asteroid and comet-like characteristics. Discovered in 1977, Chiron orbits the sun every 50 years and has a solid icy exterior and a gas-producing coma, making it unique among objects near Neptune. Researchers at the University of Central Florida revealed that Chiron’s gas, including carbon dioxide and methane, may … Continue reading Asteroid-comet hybrid stuns scientists: ‘Like nothing we’ve seen before’

SpaceX launched its first batch of internet satellites for 2025 on January 6, sending 24 Starlink spacecraft into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket’s first stage successfully returned to Earth, landing on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the 17th launch and landing for this booster, Space.com has reported. The satellites … Continue reading SpaceX launches 1st Starlink satellites of 2025

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has made a historic discovery by detecting 44 new stars in a galaxy 6.5 billion light-years away. Using gravitational lensing, where light from distant stars is magnified by a galaxy cluster, Webb captured an image revealing individual stars that were previously undetectable. The stars, many of which are red supergiants, were found in the “Dragon Arc” beyond the Abell 370 … Continue reading Astronomers used gravitational lensing to discover 44 new stars in distant galaxy

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe transmitted positive data on New Year’s Day, confirming its systems and instruments are operating normally after its historic flyby of the sun. On December 26, the probe successfully approached within 3.8 million miles of the sun, breaking records for both proximity and speed, reaching 430,000 mph. The spacecraft’s heat shield protected it from extreme temperatures, allowing it to collect valuable scientific … Continue reading NASA’s Parker Solar Probe beams home 1st detailed update

Astronomers at MIT have identified the source of a fast radio burst (FRB) 20221022A, a brief but powerful explosion of radio waves. Using a technique that analyzes the burst’s “scintillation,” the team determined that the FRB originated from the magnetosphere of a neutron star, located just 10,000 kilometers away. This discovery provides the first evidence that FRBs can be produced in the highly magnetic regions … Continue reading Astronomers Pinpoint Origins of Mysterious Signal That Traveled 200 Million Years

India’s space agency, ISRO, plans 10 orbital launches in 2025, including its first commercial launch. Highlights include four GSLV missions, a human-rated LVM-3 for the Gaganyaan spaceflight program, and a joint Earth science mission with NASA, NISAR, launching in March. The Gaganyaan program’s G1 mission is slated for March, with two additional test flights (G2 and G3) before the crewed mission in 2026. ISRO also … Continue reading India eyes record year for space with 10 planned launches

NASA’s Deputy Administrator, Pam Melroy, confirmed near unanimous support for the agency’s “continuous heartbeat” strategy, which aims to maintain a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit (LEO) during the transition from the International Space Station (ISS) to commercial space stations. The strategy, finalized in December, was favored by international partners and the industry, despite some concerns from commercial companies about NASA’s pace in transitioning … Continue reading NASA sees strong support for strategy to maintain continuous human presence in LEO

SpaceX launched its first Falcon 9 rocket of 2025 on January 3, sending the Thuraya 4 satellite into geosynchronous orbit. The mission, launched from Cape Canaveral, marks the 20th flight and recovery of the Falcon 9 booster, which successfully landed on SpaceX’s droneship. The Thuraya 4 satellite, operated by Space42 and built by Airbus, will provide mobile communications across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, … Continue reading SpaceX launches 1st Falcon 9 rocket of 2025

China is set to launch new rockets in 2025, including the Long March 8A, Long March 12A, Zhuque-3, and others, boosting its space capabilities. These rockets, some reusable and others designed for regular flights, will compete for contracts related to satellite launches, cargo missions, and more. Notable launches include Long March 8A’s increased payload capacity, the reusable Long March 12A, and commercial vehicles like Zhuque-3, … Continue reading China to debut new Long March and commercial rockets in 2025

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) discovered that supermassive black holes slow down star formation in galaxies. Analyzing 19 galaxies in the Spiderweb protocluster, located 11 billion light-years away, the team found that galaxies with active supermassive black holes produce stars at a much slower rate compared to those without. The findings suggest that black holes, as they grow larger, may strip galaxies of gas, … Continue reading Black holes can squash star formation, James Webb Space Telescope finds

NASA has revealed the successor to its Ingenuity helicopter, the “Mars Chopper,” a larger drone designed for advanced exploration on Mars. The new model features six rotors with smaller blades for increased lift and can carry up to five kilograms of scientific instruments over a distance of up to three kilometers. With a greater payload capacity, the Mars Chopper will enable detailed terrain studies in … Continue reading NASA Unveils New Mars Drone Design: A Larger, Enhanced Version Of Ingenuity Helicopter

Kenyan officials are investigating fragments of metal believed to be from a rocket that crashed into Mukuku village in southern Kenya on December 30. The object, a metallic ring about 8 feet in diameter and weighing 1,100 pounds, was retrieved by the Kenya Space Agency (KSA) for further analysis. Preliminary assessments suggest it is a separation ring from a launch vehicle, which is typically designed … Continue reading Space debris weighing over 1,000 pounds crashes into Kenya village

On December 29, 2024, the sun erupted with a powerful class X1.1 solar flare, one of the strongest types of solar explosions. The flare, which occurred at 2:18 a.m. EST, caused a significant radio blackout in some regions of Earth. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center is analyzing whether it was accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME), which could potentially enhance aurora displays and affect … Continue reading Sun unleashes massive X1.1 solar flare to close out 2024