Space Exploration
Latest about Space Exploration
NASA's newly unfurled solar sail has started 'tumbling' end-over-end in orbit, surprising observations show
By Harry Baker published
A NASA spacecraft erected a large, foil solar sail in orbit around Earth last week, after a failed attempt days earlier. However, subsequent observations of the spacecraft show it is "tumbling or wobbling" through space, which may have also impacted its trajectory around our planet.
'Catastrophic' SpaceX Starship explosion tore a hole in the atmosphere last year in 1st-of-its-kind event, Russian scientists reveal
By Harry Baker published
A new study from Russian scientists claims that the unexpected detonation of SpaceX's Starship rocket during a test flight in November 2023 tore an "ionospheric hole" in the upper atmosphere. It is the first time this type of hole has been created by a human-caused explosion.
Scientists confirm that most of the universe is 'darkness and nothing more'
By Ben Turner published
Finding the universe's brightness is essential for confirming our theories of what makes up the universe. But to do so, scientists had to send a spacecraft far away from our sun.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket grounded for 2nd time in 2 months following explosive landing failure
By Brandon Specktor published
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket for the second time in as many months following a routine landing that ended in flames on Wednesday (Aug. 28).
Boeing Starliner astronauts will spend at least 240 days stuck in space — is that a new record?
By Brandon Specktor published
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will spend at least eight consecutive months aboard the International Space Station as their Boeing Starliner spacecraft returns to Earth empty. Is their extended spaceflight record-setting?
Boeing Starliner will return from space without a crew, NASA announces in long-awaited decision
By Ben Turner published
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will not return to Earth on the troubled Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Instead, NASA will bring them home in February 2025 aboard a SpaceX vehicle, while Starliner falls to Earth uncrewed.
Elon Musk said he's 'definitely going to be dead' before humans go to Mars — and you probably will be too
By Brad Bergan published
Book excerpt "If it's taken us 18 years just to get ready to do the first people in orbit, we've got to improve our rate of innovation."
How will the trapped Boeing Starliner astronauts perceive time after 6 months in space?
By Ruth Ogden, Daniel Eduardo Vigo published
The passage of time can slow to a crawl when you're waiting, and waiting, and waiting. How will the Boeing Starliner astronauts feel time move if they have to stay in space for another 6 months?
NASA delays Boeing Starliner return flight again amid 'major discussion' about astronaut safety
By Ben Turner published
NASA has once again pushed back the deadline for when the troubled Boeing Starliner spacecraft must leave the International Space Station. The agency expects to be ready to conduct a flight readiness review as soon as the end of next week.
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