Astronomy

We Were Wrong About Uranus: New Study Solves Long-Standing Mysteries

Credit: DepositphotosRecent observations have corrected a long-held misconception regarding the length of a day on Uranus.New, more accurate measurements of the planet's rotation have revealed that a full day on Uranus lasts 17 hours, 14 minutes, and 52 seconds. This is 28 seconds longer than previously estimated, based on data gathered by Voyager 2...

Mudball Meteorite Spent 2 Million Years Dodging Collisions – Until Eart

This 146-gram (5.15-ounce) stone is on loan to the Buseck Center for Meteorite Studies from Michael FarmerArizona State University/SETI InstituteOne of the most extensively studied space rocks has recently surprised scientists once again. The "mudball meteorite" Aguas Zarcas, which spent two million years in orbit without colliding with any other objects (or sustaining any...

SpaceX Launches Astronauts for a Long-Awaited ISS Crew Swap

Image Credits: SpaceXSpaceX successfully launched four astronauts on Friday, kicking off the Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Their arrival will provide enough personnel to allow Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to return to Earth after a nine-month stay.The Dragon spacecraft is set to dock with the ISS late Saturday, with the...

Musk’s Starlink Set to Debut in India Via Airtel

Image Credits: Debarchan Chatterjee / NurPhoto / Getty ImagesAirtel announced on Tuesday a partnership with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet to India, years after Elon Musk’s company first attempted to enter the world’s second-largest internet market.However, this is not a confirmed rollout. The launch depends on regulatory approval from IN-SPACe and the...

SpaceX Starship Loses Control During Second Consecutive Test Flight Failure

Image Credits: SpaceXDuring a test flight on Thursday, SpaceX’s Starship lost control while in space, marking its second consecutive failed attempt to reach orbit.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) briefly grounded flights at major Florida airports and rerouted others due to concerns about potential "space launch debris." The agency informed TechCrunch that SpaceX must conduct...

Sunken Continents Could Unbalance Earth’s Magnetic Field

Credit: DepositphotosStructures the size of continents, protruding from the lower mantle towards Earth's outer core, may be contributing to an instability in our planet's magnetic field.Initial Assumptions About SimilarityThese two formations, one beneath the Pacific and the other under Africa, have similar characteristics in terms of seismic waves, leading scientists to initially believe they...

Ancient Martian Beaches Reveal Evidence of Oceans on the Red Planet

Credit: PixabayMars, often depicted as a dry, dusty, and barren desert, was once abundant in water, even containing oceans, according to a recent study.Ground-Penetrating Radar Reveals Evidence of Martian BeachesUsing ground-penetrating radar, researchers have discovered underground features that resemble beaches, indicating that Mars hosted a northern sea 4 billion years ago. This is some...

U.S. Space Force’s X-37B Space Plane Takes a Selfie with Earth

The Space Force's reusable unmanned X-37B plane has already clocked 908 days on a single flightU.S. Space ForceLast week, the U.S. Space Force shared an image from the uncrewed X-37B space plane’s seventh mission, capturing the orbital test vehicle soaring above Earth in High Earth Orbit—a selfie worth showcasing.The 29-foot (8.8-meter) Boeing-built autonomous spacecraft...

SpaceX Says Starship Self-Destructed Due to Propellant Leaks, Fires, and a Comms Blackout

Image Credits:SpaceXSpaceX revealed Monday that last month’s Starship explosion resulted from a chain reaction triggered by propellant leaks—a problem the company claims to have resolved ahead of a potential eighth test flight as early as Friday.The company is still awaiting FAA approval, either through the official closure of the “mishap investigation” or special authorization...