It seems simple at first. The Moon and Mars are less massive than Earth and have weaker gravity. To test how a rover will traverse their surfaces, engineers make less massive engineering versions of rovers and test them in simulated surface conditions here on Earth. Since the Moon's gravity is six times weaker than Earth's, for example, engineers make versions of lunar rovers that are one sixth as massive. The data then tells engineers what they need to know.
Space News & Blog Articles
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Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia is a distinctive constellation in the northern sky, easily recognized by its prominent 'W' or 'M' shape, depending on its orientation in the night sky. It is named after the boastful Queen Cassiopeia in Greek mythology.
'He's totally misread that book' — 'Alien: Earth' cast talks 'Peter Pan' references, AI warnings, and navigating complex roles (exclusive)
Before the Xenomorph crash-lands on streaming, we talked to five Alien: Earth cast members about the difficulties and fun of navigating the giant sci-fi show.
NASA's Roman Space Telescope gets its 'extremely strong sunblock' installed
Scientists are making milestones on NASA's Roman Space Telescope as Trump continues to threaten the agency's science budget.
Mars orbiter looks deep into chasms and valleys on the Martian surface
ESA's Mars Express spacecraft has been imaging the dynamic Acheron Fossae region of Mars for more than 20 years.
Astronomers find bizarre 'Cosmic Grapes' galaxy in the early universe. Here's why that's a big deal (photo)
A distant galaxy nicknamed "Cosmic Grapes" is bursting with massive star-forming clumps — far more than expected — offering fresh clues about how galaxies grew in the early universe.
Don't miss Perseid meteor shower 2025 peak Aug. 12-13: Here's what you need to know
The Perseid meteor shower takes place each year as Earth travels through the debris shed by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.
Lucy Could Visit An Additional Sub-km Asteroid With A Course Correction
Lucy is already well on its way to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. But that doesn't mean that it can’t make some improvements to its trajectory along the way. A new paper suggests it might be possible to nudge Lucy into a slightly different orbit, allowing it to pass an as-yet-undiscovered asteroid sometime during its exploration of the L5 cloud of Trojan around Jupiter. If completed, it could lend an entirely new research target to Lucy’s repertoire and further define the differences between the two Trojan clouds.
Stellar Flares Unveil Hidden Magnetic Secrets of TRAPPIST-1
A team of astronomers have achieved a milestone in stellar physics by using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to peer beneath the surface activity of TRAPPIST-1, one of the most famous exoplanet host stars. Their study has revealed the hidden magnetic features on this volatile red dwarf, opening new possibilities for understanding both stellar behaviour and the habitability of nearby worlds.
ISS astronaut captures breathtaking star trails | Space photo of the day for Aug. 11, 2025
This long-exposure image from the International Space Station shows the growing tension between celestial beauty and human expansion into space.
Were the Very First Stars Really That Massive?
Chaotic turbulence in primordial clouds of gas may have prevented the formation of extremely massive stars, according to new simulations by Taiwanese astronomers. The early universe consisted primarily of hydrogen […]
Behind the scenes with MetOp-SG and Sentinel-5
Video: 00:01:45
Experience the preparation of the MetOp-SG-A1 satellite, hosting Copernicus Sentinel-5, scheduled for liftoff on an Ariane 6 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 13 August 2025 at 02:37 CEST (12 August 21:37 Kourou time). This timelapse video captures key stages from the encapsulation within the Ariane 6 fairing to the installation in the launch tower.
Is astronomy safe from organized scientific fraud?
As space becomes more important to the economy of nations around the world, the risk of paper mills flooding the literature with fraudulent results is increasing.
Smithsonian Planetarium star projector review
This chunky star projector is a good choice for kids thanks to its low price and easy-to-use functions.
Are these names of real spacecraft or fictional ones? Test your sci-fi smarts in our quiz!
Both science fiction and real life have some interesting spacecraft names, sometimes borrowing from each other. This quiz will test to see if you know the difference.
Light pollution is encroaching on observatories around the globe – making it harder for astronomers to study the cosmos
The rate of human-produced light is increasing in the night sky by as much as 10% per year, making it difficult for astronomers to study the night sky.
'Ice cube' clouds discovered at the galaxy's center shouldn't exist — and they hint at a recent black hole explosion
Twin orbs of superhot plasma at the Milky Way's center known as the "Fermi bubbles" contain inexplicable clouds of cold hydrogen, new research reveals.
August full moon 2025 captivates skywatchers worldwide as Sturgeon Moon lights up the sky (photos)
The 2025 full 'Sturgeon Moon' graced the night sky on Aug. 9.
See Saturn and the moon in a stunning close encounter on Aug. 11
Spot Saturn near the moon on Aug. 11! See them with the naked eye and learn what to expect through a telescope.
Planning for the Ultimate Space Mission
As a child, I remember gazing up at the stars and dreaming of spacecraft journeying to distant worlds, those classic images of rockets blasting off toward unknown frontiers filled my imagination. But a mission to a black hole? That seemed beyond even the wildest science fiction. These stellar corpses were the stuff of theoretical physics books back then, mysterious objects so extreme that they devoured light itself. The idea that we might actually send something there, even a device smaller than a paperclip, makes you realise we're living in an era where the impossible is slowly becoming possible.
Live Coverage: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to make another attempt to launch Amazon Project Kuiper mission
A Falcon 9 stands ready to launch 24 Kuiper satellites from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Image: SpaceX.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 will make another attempt Sunday to launch 24 satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet service after three earlier attempts were scrubbed.
