For nearly six decades, astronauts have been gazing down at our planet from the vantage point of space. What they see and capture through their lenses is not just beautiful imagery; it's a valuable scientific record and a source of profound inspiration.The Continuous RecordSince November 2000, when the International Space Station (ISS) became a...
Amino acids essential to life are surprisingly stable in Venus' sulfuric acid clouds, suggests a new studyJAXA/J. J. PetkowskiWhile Venus may seem inhospitable to us, there's a possibility that certain life forms could adapt to its conditions. A recent investigation by MIT reveals that the essential components of life remain remarkably stable in highly...
Russia and China aim to deploy a lunar nuclear reactor by 2035. Credit: gizmodo.In 2021, the Chinese and Russian space agencies forged a collaborative agreement to establish a research facility on the Moon. Recently, they unveiled plans to construct an automated nuclear reactor on the lunar surface, intended to energize the International Lunar Research...
An artist's impression of a pair of supermassive black holes that have been locked in foreplay for 3 billion yearsNOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. daSilva/M. ZamaniWe've all experienced the regret of delaying action on someone special, but at least we can find solace in the fact that we didn't wait a quarter of all time that has ever...
Astronomers have modeled the orbits of 1.3 million asteroids to check if any could bounce Apophis into an Earthbound pathDepositphotosIn 2029, a sizable asteroid will pass by Earth at such proximity that it will be observable without telescopic aid. Fortunately, calculations of its trajectory suggest that there's no risk of impact in the next...
Europa as seen from JunoNASAInformation gathered by NASA's Juno spacecraft orbiting Jupiter indicates that Europa, one of its moons, generates approximately 26 pounds (12 kilograms) of oxygen per second, a significantly lower amount than previously thought. This discovery alters the likelihood of discovering life in Europa's underground ocean.Since the initial Voyager missions that...
Artist's concept fo Odysseus on the MoonIntuitive MachinesThe US has made a comeback to the Moon after more than 50 years. At 6:24 pm EST, the robotic Odysseus landed autonomously on the lunar surface, followed by a tense 13-minute wait as radio communications were established with mission control.The landing of the IM-1 mission today...
An artist's impression of the brightest object ever discovered – a quasar that shines with the light of 500 trillion Suns – which is also the fastest growing black hole, eating the equivalent of a Sun a dayESO/M. KornmesserOne might expect that locating the brightest object in the observable universe would be straightforward, but...
Intuitive Machines' lander captured this stunning view of Earth en route to the Moon. Credit: Intuitive MachinesIntuitive Machines stands on the cusp of a historic milestone. It aims to become the first private company to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, marking a pivotal moment in space exploration. The endeavor, slated for tomorrow,...
Starship is larger and twice as powerful as the Apollo-era Saturn VSpaceXSpaceX intends to frequently launch its large Starship booster from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. To achieve this, the company will renovate an existing Apollo-era launch site and build a new one, as detailed in a recent environmental impact assessment.The Starship booster has intermittently...
