NASA’s asteroid-hunting mission NEOWISE has officially ended after nearly 15 years in orbit. Engineers sent a final command to shut down the spacecraft on August 8. Originally launched in 2009 as WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) to scan the infrared sky, the mission was later extended and renamed NEOWISE to focus on tracking near-Earth objects. Over its extended mission, NEOWISE discovered over 3,000 near-Earth objects … Continue reading NASA shuts down NEOWISE asteroid hunter after almost 15 years in space

Impulse Space announced it will offer rideshare services for spacecraft to geostationary orbit (GEO) using its Helios and upgraded Mira vehicles. Partnering with Exolaunch, the GEO Rideshare Program’s first mission is set for 2027. Helios, a high-energy kick stage powered by liquid oxygen and methane, can transport satellites up to 5,000 kilograms from low Earth orbit (LEO) to GEO within a day. Initially targeting larger … Continue reading Impulse Space announces GEO rideshare program

Scientists have proposed using tiny metal nanorods to thicken Mars’ atmosphere and trap heat, potentially aiding future colonization. According to a Science Advances paper, these nanorods could be made from Mars’ natural iron and aluminum and sprayed into the atmosphere to warm the planet. This process could melt frozen water, increasing Mars’ habitability, though not enough for human life alone. The researchers modeled that releasing 30 liters … Continue reading Mars Terraforming Could Start By Warming Planet With Tiny Rods

NASA is considering having astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who flew to the International Space Station on Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner, return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon due to safety concerns with Starliner. During an August 7 briefing, NASA officials indicated a decision will be made by mid-August. If deemed too risky for the astronauts to return on Starliner, they would stay on the ISS … Continue reading NASA considering returning Starliner astronauts on Crew Dragon

China launched its first batch of internet satellites on Tuesday, aiming to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. The constellation, called “Thousand Sails,” will consist of over 15,000 low-Earth orbit satellites to provide global internet coverage. A Long March 6A rocket from Taiyuan launch center delivered the initial 18 satellites, marking a successful mission according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. By 2025, China plans to deploy … Continue reading China launches its rival to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet satellites

New research suggests that red dwarf stars, the most common stars in the Milky Way, may be even less hospitable to life than previously thought. These stars may emit intense ultraviolet (UV) light radiation flares that significantly reduce the habitability of their planets. Scientists reached this conclusion by analyzing data from NASA’s now-decommissioned Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) mission, which scanned the universe for UV flares … Continue reading Planets of Milky Way’s most common stars are less habitable than thought

NASA announced a delay in the launch of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, which aims to transport four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and could potentially serve as a backup for Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft. The postponement allows more time to finalize return plans for the Starliner and its crew. NASA will provide more details in a news conference on Wednesday. The delay comes amid … Continue reading NASA delays SpaceX astronaut mission as rumors swirl about Boeing Starliner’s safety

This morning, August 5, the sun emitted two powerful X-class solar flares. The first flare, an X1.7, originated from sunspot AR3767 and peaked at 9:40 a.m. EDT (1340 GMT). Less than two hours later, sunspot AR3780 released an X1.1 flare, peaking at 11:27 a.m. EDT (1527 GMT). X-class flares are the strongest type of solar flares and are often accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), … Continue reading The sun fires off 2 powerful X flares in less than 2 hours

The U.S. Space Force is focusing on ‘small GEO’ satellites, weighing 300 to 500 kilograms, to enhance military communications more cost-effectively and efficiently. These satellites offer geostationary capabilities at reduced costs and quicker development times compared to traditional multi-ton GEO satellites. Cordell DeLaPena, a key Space Force official, emphasized their need for agile and resilient communication systems. Clare Hopper, head of the Space Force’s Commercial … Continue reading Space Force explores ‘small GEO’ options for resilient communications

A satellite watcher has captured new images of China’s mysterious space plane during its third flight. Launched on December 14, 2023, by a Long March 2F rocket, the robotic vehicle was photographed by Felix Schöfbänker in Upper Austria. The images reveal two features at the end of the plane, which Schöfbänker speculates could be solar panels or antennas, not depicted in available computer renderings. He … Continue reading China’s secretive space plane caught on camera in orbit

Astronomers have discovered TIC 241249530 b, a Jupiter-like exoplanet on its way to becoming a hot Jupiter, which is a large planet orbiting very close to its star. Using the WIYN 3.5-meter telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory, the team observed that TIC 241249530 b has an extremely elliptical orbit that moves in the opposite direction to its star’s rotation. This unique orbit provides … Continue reading Rare Exoplanet’s Extremely Strange Orbit Stuns Astronomers

To combat the extinction crisis, scientists have proposed a radical solution: a lunar vault filled with preserved samples of Earth’s most endangered species. Due to the rapid threats of climate change and habitat loss, an international team suggests storing genetic material on the moon to safeguard biodiversity. This lunar biorepository would maintain ultra-low temperatures necessary for preservation, utilizing the moon’s naturally frigid environment. Unlike Earth-based … Continue reading Scientists propose lunar biorepository as ‘backup’ for life on Earth

SpaceX successfully launched a private cargo spacecraft toward the International Space Station (ISS) on August 4, marking the company’s second liftoff of the day. The Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Cygnus freighter, lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 11:02 a.m. EDT after a one-day weather delay. The rocket’s first stage landed back at Cape Canaveral about eight minutes after launch, … Continue reading SpaceX launches private Cygnus cargo craft to ISS

Stargazers should prepare for a rare celestial event, as astronomers anticipate a “once-in-a-lifetime” explosion from the star system T Coronae Borealis, also known as the “Blaze Star.” Located 3,000 light-years away, this system, which includes a red giant and a white dwarf, experiences visible explosions roughly every 79 to 80 years. The last outburst occurred in 1946, and another is expected before September 2024. The … Continue reading Nova explosion 3,000 light-years away will be seen from Earth with the naked eye

On Thursday, a series of solar storms caused global radio blackouts, with at least 15 coronal mass ejections (CMEs) impacting Earth. The disturbances have affected communications in parts of Africa and Asia and are moving toward the US, potentially disrupting satellite operations, aviation, maritime communications, and GPS. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warns that these blackouts may continue until at least August 4. … Continue reading Radio blackouts reported across the world after ‘tsunami’ of solar storms 

Scientists have discovered Comet A117uUD, which is on a trajectory out of the solar system after a close encounter with Saturn in 2022. The comet, identified on June 14, 2024, by ATLAS, was tracked through 142 observations, revealing its altered, elliptical orbit. It is now traveling at approximately 6,710 miles per hour (10,800 km/h) and will exit the solar system, becoming only the second observed … Continue reading Saturn threw a comet out of the solar system at 6,700 mph

Astronomers have discovered a new galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-0, which has set a record as the most distant galaxy observed, existing less than 300 million years after the Big Bang. This finding challenges current models of galaxy formation due to the galaxy’s brightness and size. JADES-GS-z14-0 was detected with a redshift of 14.32, surpassing the previous record, and is found to be over 1,600 light-years across, primarily … Continue reading Astronomers Just Discovered The Earliest Galaxy We’ve Ever Seen

Scientists have recently reported new evidence of phosphine gas in Venus’ atmosphere, which could suggest the presence of life on the planet. Phosphine is a gas typically associated with decaying organic material on Earth, and its presence on Venus could potentially indicate biological processes. The discovery, made using powerful space telescopes, builds on earlier findings from 2020 that initially faced skepticism and challenges in replication. … Continue reading Phosphine discovery on Venus could mean ’10-20 percent’ chance of life, scientists say

A slow-moving fireball illuminated the night sky from California to Texas last week, but its origin remains unidentified. Camera footage from San Marco, near San Diego, captured the fireball moving from west to east, leaving a bright trail. The American Meteor Society received 34 reports of the sighting on July 25, spanning from California to Texas and Mexico. Eric Sandquist from San Diego State University … Continue reading Mysterious unidentified fireball lights up sky from California to Texas

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is preparing to launch its final Atlas 5 rocket for the U.S. military on July 30. The mission, designated USSF-51, will carry a classified payload to geostationary Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This marks ULA’s 100th national security launch and the 53rd for the Atlas 5 rocket. USSF-51 is the first ULA mission under the National Security Space … Continue reading ULA prepares for final military launch of Atlas 5 rocket

Over the weekend, the sun experienced significant activity, including multiple M-class solar flares and coronal mass ejections. The highlight was a massive X-class solar flare that peaked on July 28 at 10:33 p.m. EDT (0233 GMT on July 29). This intense flare caused shortwave radio blackouts across most of Asia and Australia. Solar flares are bursts of electromagnetic radiation resulting from the sudden release of … Continue reading Colossal X-class solar flare erupts from Earth-facing sunspot

On July 27, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft tested its reaction control system (RCS) thrusters, preparing for a broader review of its readiness for future missions. This test follows delays during Starliner’s June 6 docking with the ISS, caused by helium leaks and thruster issues. The spacecraft’s next mission, Starliner-1, is now delayed to August 2025, from an initial early winter 2025 launch, Space.com has reported. Engineers … Continue reading Boeing’s Starliner tests thrusters at ISS as NASA reviews options for astronauts’ return to Earth

On July 23, Europe’s Solar Orbiter detected a powerful X14 class solar flare from the far side of the sun. Although not the most intense ever recorded, it was significant enough to potentially cause long-lasting radiation storms and global blackouts if aimed at Earth. X-class flares, the most severe on the classification scale, release energy ten times more than M-class flares. This X14 flare, along … Continue reading Sun blasts out most powerful flare of current solar cycle

China’s uncrewed reusable spacecraft, which launches atop a rocket and lands at a secretive military airfield, is primarily testing technology but could also be used for satellite manipulation or retrieval, experts suggest. On its third mission in June, the spacecraft was observed releasing and then maneuvering back to an object several kilometers away. While the spacecraft’s military applications, such as inspecting or disabling enemy satellites, … Continue reading China’s secretive spaceplane likely testing ‘dual use’ technology

SpaceX has bounced back from an earlier failure by successfully launching two missions on July 28. The company deployed batches of Starlink internet satellites from both coasts using Falcon 9 rockets, with liftoffs less than five hours apart. This followed a Falcon 9 launch on July 27, marking the rocket’s return-to-flight after a failure on July 11. The first launch on July 28, at 1:09 … Continue reading SpaceX launches back-to-back Starlink satellite missions