The dawn is breaking on a new era of space exploration, with moon bases and Mars colonies potentially only decades away. Live Science tracks the researchers, companies and countries setting their sights on the stars to bring you the biggest stories in space. Whether it's reporting on concerns that alien organisms could hitch a ride on our spacecraft and contaminate Earth, explaining what 11 billion people means for space travel, sharing a glorious photo of Earth during a total solar eclipse snapped by Japan's lunar lander, or compiling a list of the weirdest things we have launched into space, our expert writers and editors will ignite your sense of interstellar adventure with the latest space exploration news, features and articles.
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Latest about Space Exploration
Russia accidentally destroys its only working launch pad as astronauts lift off to ISS
The recent launch of a Soyuz rocket carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station has caused significant damage to Russia's only launch pad capable of sending humans into space.
Marooned no more! Stranded Chinese astronauts finally have a way home following launch of unmanned 'lifeboat'
China has launched an unmanned "lifeboat" to the Tiangong space station, ending a month-long fiasco. The spacecraft will eventually ferry home the marooned Shenzhou-21 crew, who have been stuck without a return capsule for over a week.
Secretive SpaceX satellites operated by US government are shooting disruptive radio signals into space, astronomer accidentally discovers
An amateur astronomer has accidentally uncovered a series of puzzling radio signals coming from SpaceX's government-operated "Starshield" network. The signals overlap with protected frequencies and could disrupt other nearby spacecraft, experts warn.
Three more Chinese astronauts are now stranded in space following successful rescue of their colleagues
The Shenzhou-21 crew has been marooned on China's Tiangong space station after three of their colleagues were brought back to Earth in the wrong spacecraft. For now, the astronauts have no safe way of returning home.
Chinese astronauts are back on Earth after suspected 'space junk' strike left them stranded in space
The Shenzhou-20 crew of Chen Dong, Wang Jie and Chen Zhongrui have landed back on Earth after a suspected piece of space junk left them stranded on China's Tiangong space station.
Blue Origin New Glenn rocket: New launch window for historic Mars mission after solar storm delay
Twin Mars spacecraft were due to launch on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket on Nov. 12, but an active sun prompted NASA to delay its mission until Thursday (Nov. 13).
'Stranded' astronauts aboard Chinese space station are preparing to come home — but no date has been announced
Three astronauts remain stuck on China's Tiangong space station after errant debris struck their return capsule last week. But their return vessel has already arrived, meaning a flight home will come sooner rather than later.
Three Chinese astronauts stranded in space after debris hits their return capsule
Three Chinese taikonauts — Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui and Chen Dong — will be extending their stay aboard China's Tiangong space station after their return capsule was struck by a presumed piece of orbital debris on Wednesday.
We sharpened the James Webb telescope's vision from a million miles away. Here's how.
A small piece of metal engineered in Australia helped sharpen the James Webb telescope's vision from a million miles away.
Controversial startup's plan to 'sell sunlight' using giant mirrors in space would be 'catastrophic' and 'horrifying,' astronomers warn
California-based startup Reflect Orbital aims to build a swarm of 4,000 giant mirrors in low Earth orbit to "sell sunlight" to customers at night. Experts warn that the mirrors could mess with telescopes, blind stargazers and impact the environment.
