There’s been a lot of speculation recently about interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS - much of which is probably caused by low quality data given that we have to observe it from either Earth, or in some case Mars. In either case it’s much further away that what would be the ideal. But that might not be the case for a future interstellar object. The European Space Agency (ESA) is planning a mission that could potentially visit a new interstellar visitor, or a comet that is making its first pass into the inner solar system. But, given the constraints of the mission, any such potential target object would have to meet a string of conditions. A new paper, available in pre-print on arXiv, by lead author Professor Colin Snodgrass of the University of Edinburgh of his colleagues, discusses what those conditions are, and assesses the likelihood that we’ll find a good candidate within a reasonable time of the mission's launch.
Space News & Blog Articles
NASA discovers 'space gum' and sugars 'crucial to life' in asteroid Bennu samples brought to Earth (video)
Asteroid Bennu samples contain life-friendly sugars, a strange "space-gum," and ancient stardust
EarthCARE lifts the clouds on climate models
True to its promise, the European Space Agency’s EarthCARE satellite is now being used to calculate directly how clouds and aerosols influence Earth’s energy balance – the all-important balance that regulates our climate. In doing so, EarthCARE is poised to sharpen the accuracy of climate models, the very tools that guide global climate policy and action.
A martian butterfly flaps its wings
Is it an insect? A strange fossil? An otherworldly eye, or even a walnut? No, it’s an intriguing kind of martian butterfly spotted by ESA’s Mars Express.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 29 Starlink satellites from Florida (video)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 29 Starlink broadband internet satellites launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025.
Last-minute camera deals: Grab these final few Cyber Monday camera deals before they're gone
Looking to level up your photography gear? Black Friday and Cyber Monday are behind us, but if you're fast, you can still save big on these final few camera deals, from Canon, Sony and Nikon.
Cosmonaut removed from SpaceX's Crew 12 mission for violating national security rules: report
Veteran cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev was taken off SpaceX's Crew 12 mission to the International Space Station after violating ITAR regulations, according to the Russian publication The Insider.
Time travels faster on Mars than on Earth, and here's why
Measuring the time discrepancy between Earth and Mars will help make future navigation and communication systems on the Red Planet more accurate.
For the 1st time ever, 8 spacecraft are docked to the International Space Station
All eight of the International Space Station's docking ports are currently occupied by visiting spacecraft, marking a milestone for crewed spaceflight.
To Celebrate 25 Years In Service, The Gemini Observatory Imaged The Butterfly Nebula
The Butterfly Nebula is one of those cosmic objects that demands our attention, and even our fascination. It's also known as NGC 6302 or the Bug Nebula, but whatever name we use, the stunning spectacle of ionized gases draws our human eyes in. In fact, Butterfly and its nebulae brethren may be more responsible for generating public enthusiasm in astronomy than any other type of object.
Hurry! The best done on the market is still on sale for Cyber Monday, but there are only a few left in stock
It's not too late to get a great Cyber Monday drone deal, as the DJI Mavic 4 Pro is still $500, but there aren't many left, so you'll have to be quick.
Stellar Lifecycle
The life of a star is a fascinating journey, governed by its initial mass. Stars are born in dense regions of gas and dust known as nebulae.
Europe passes record-breaking space budget while NASA hit with deep cuts
The European Space Agency member states have approved a record-breaking budget for the next three years, including increased funding for science exploration.
China to bring damaged spacecraft back to Earth after sending up replacement for stuck astronauts
China's space agency has announced it will return a damaged spacecraft back to Earth without crew after a suspected debris strike left it unfit for flight.
These five last-chance Cyber Monday telescope deals are still live, but you'll have to hurry
Cyber Monday may be behind us, but there are still a few deals to be had. We've rounded up the remaining bargains, so snap these up before they're gone!
The Knotty Problem of Matter Asymmetry Might Be Solved By Extending Physics
Suppose you slammed together two neutrons at near-luminous speed. The resulting collision would create a cascade of particles from protons, electrons, and neutrinos to more exotic fare. We can't predict the exact number or type of particles produced, but we do know one thing: the total charge of all the particles would be zero. This is because charge is a conserved quantity, and since the neutrons have zero total charge, their resulting particles must have the same.
Round 2: Watch Senate hearing for Jared Isaacman's re-nomination as NASA chief on Dec. 3
The U.S. Senate will hold its second hearing to consider billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman's nomination for NASA chief on Wednesday (Dec. 3), and you can watch the action live.
Could future astronauts build houses on Mars with bacteria?
Would you like to live in a house on Mars made with Earth bacteria and Martian rocks?
Tiny Sparks of Lightning Detected on Mars for the First Time
The microphone on NASA's Perseverance rover unexpectedly heard tiny claps of thunder from sparks caused by colliding dust grains.
Looking to level up your photography? You can still save $1100 on this pro-level Sony mirrorless camera
Cyber Monday may be over, but there are still bargains to be had. Save over $1000 on the Sony A7R V: "a fantastic all-round camera that can handle most things you throw at it."
30 years of SOHO staring at the sun | Space photo of the day for Dec. 2, 2025
This year marks 30 years of SOHO observing our sun, an extraordinary milestone for a mission originally expected to last only about three years.
