Planetary Science

A Massive Underground Ocean has Been Discovered on Mars

Mars lost most of its surface water billions of years agoNASAThe promising news is that a massive underground ocean on Mars could cover the entire planet with a mile (1.6 km) of water. However, the downside is that this water is buried so deep and is so inaccessible that it might as well be...

Space Radio Signal Repeats Hourly, Defying Explanation

An artist's impression of ASKAP with the two most likely candidates for the repeating radio signal it's foundCarl Knox/OzGravAstronomers Detect Unusual Hourly Radio Signal from SpaceAstronomers have detected a highly unusual radio signal from space that repeats every hour, cycling through three distinct states. Despite some hypotheses about its origin, it remains unexplained by...

Wall-Building Robot Considered for Constructing Blast Shields on the Moon

A rendering of a wall-building robot constructing a blast shield ring on the MoonPhoto credit to NASA, processing/scanning credit to Kipp Teague and NASA Johnson (image AS17-141–21610), editedLiving on the Moon means that rockets will be your sole mode of transportation to Earth or Mars. However, each launch will create a storm of debris....

Earth-Sized Planet Found in Habitable Zone Nearby

Credit: PixabayIn a thrilling advancement for astronomy and the quest for extraterrestrial life, an international team of scientists has revealed the discovery of Gliese 12 b, a temperate, Earth-sized exoplanet located just 40 light-years away, which equates to a relatively close 378 trillion kilometers from Earth.Researchers globally, with significant contributions from McGill University and...

Rolls-Royce Gets $6M for Nuclear Space Reactor Development

The Micro-Reactor can be used for nuclear space propulsionRolls-RoyceRolls-Royce has received an additional £4.8 million (US$6.2 million) from the UK Space Agency (UKSA) to develop critical technology for a nuclear micro-reactor, potentially powering lunar bases and spacecraft propulsion in the future.In the 1969 science fiction film Doppelganger (also known as Journey to the Far...

Expired Medications Could Complicate Long Space Missions

Credit: PixabayMedications used by astronauts on the International Space Station may not be sufficient for a three-year trip to Mars. A new Duke Health study reveals that over half of the medicines, including pain relievers, antibiotics, allergy medicines, and sleep aids, would expire before the astronauts' return to Earth.Astronauts might have to rely on...

NASA and SpaceX’s Plans to Deorbit and Dismantle the ISS

Artist's concept of the USDV docked with the ISSSpaceXNASA has shared details about its plan to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) after it is decommissioned in 2030. During a press conference, NASA explained that the US Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), which is being built by SpaceX, will be used for this task.The ISS, one...

China Aims to Deflect a Near-Earth Asteroid by 2030

Artist's impression of a giant asteroid hitting the Earth – something China hopes its upcoming mission will one day help preventDon Davis/NASAChina is aiming to enter the field of planetary defense. A recent paper by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) reveals plans for a test mission in 2030 to deflect a small asteroid...

A Dune-Inspired Astronaut Suit Converts Urine into Drinkable Water

The new spacesuit design (illustrated) that collects urine and recycles it into drinking water weighs around 8 kilograms and can purify half a liter of water in five minutes.FREMAN SPACE TEAM (ILLUSTRATION), NASADrawing inspiration from the desert-dwelling Fremen in the science fiction series Dune, who recycle their body's moisture with special suits called stillsuits,...

NASA’s Orbiter Finds New Tunnels on the Moon

An international research team discovered a lava tube on the Moon, indicating a potential habitat safe from harsh lunar conditions. The study, which reanalyzed NASA LRO mission data, offers significant insights for future lunar exploration. (Artist’s concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.comFor the past 50 years, the existence of tunnels beneath the lunar surface has been a...