SpaceX successfully launched another group of Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California after two previous attempts were foiled by bad weather. The Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 Starlink spacecraft took off at 10:30 p.m. EDT. The mission aimed for the Falcon 9’s first stage to return to Earth for a vertical landing on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love … Continue reading SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites from California

Earlier this month, an abrupt atmospheric warming event induced a reversal in the trajectory of the Arctic’s polar vortex. This swirling mass of cold air is now spinning in the opposite direction, resulting in a remarkable “ozone spike” and potentially influencing global weather patterns. The unexpected warming in the upper atmosphere led to a significant reversal event, marking one of the most dramatic atmospheric shifts … Continue reading Polar vortex is ‘spinning backwards’ above Arctic after major reversal event

NASA has unveiled plans to launch three scientifically oriented rockets into the moon’s shadow on Monday, April 8, coinciding with a partial solar eclipse spanning North America. During this celestial event, which will feature a total solar eclipse along a 115-mile-wide path across parts of Mexico, 15 U.S. states, and Canada, and a partial eclipse throughout the Americas, there will be a noticeable decrease in … Continue reading NASA program named after Egyptian serpent deity to launch 3 rockets at the Eclipse

Exploration Labs (ExLabs), a startup based in Southern California, is gearing up for a 2028 mission to intercept the asteroid Apophis before it approaches Earth. The mission aims to deploy three cubesats into Apophis’ orbit while also testing systems and software for future endeavors to redirect near-Earth asteroids for resource extraction. ExLabs CEO Matthew Schmidgall emphasizes a collaborative approach with government and commercial partners to … Continue reading ExLabs plans mission to rendezvous with asteroid Apophis

Scientists propose that China should enhance its asteroid research efforts, prioritizing low-cost, high-frequency sample return missions. Published in the Chinese Journal of Space Sciences, the paper advocates for the establishment of scientific design teams to bolster China’s asteroid exploration endeavors. Such missions not only deepen our understanding of the solar system’s early stages and the origins of life but also pave the way for future … Continue reading Chinese scientists call for focus on asteroid missions

SpaceX successfully launched another group of its broadband satellites into orbit on the evening of March 25. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink internet satellites took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:42 p.m. EDT (2342 GMT). Following liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first stage returned to Earth as planned, executing a precise vertical landing on SpaceX’s drone ship A Shortfall … Continue reading SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from Florida

The Russian Soyuz crew ferry ship successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) two days after launch, bringing two short-duration crew members and a NASA astronaut for a six-month stay. The spacecraft, piloted by Oleg Novitskiy, Marina Vasilevskaya from Belarus, and NASA’s Tracy Dyson, docked at the Earth-facing Prichal module. Upon arrival, they were greeted by ISS commander Oleg Kononenko, cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and … Continue reading Russian Soyuz brings crew of 3 to the International Space Station