The European Space Agency, Arianespace, and ArianeGroup conducted the first launch of the Ariane 6 rocket in July 2024. This three-stage expendable launch system uses a main-stage and upper-stage rocket with strap-on boosters. Designed to succeed the Ariane 5 launch vehicle, this latest member of the rocket family was designed to offer greater versatility and payload capacity than its predecessors. In its original configuration, the Ariane 62, the rocket had two strap-on boosters, giving it a medium payload capacity of 10,350 kg (22,820 lb) to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) to geostationary orbit (GSO).
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Live coverage: SpaceX to launch predawn Starlink mission on President’s Day
File: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now
SpaceX plans to kick off the President’s Day holiday in the United States with a Falcon 9 rocket launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. However, the flight from Florida’s Space Coast faces challenging weather conditions.
From Soyuz to the stars: A Roscosmos trivia quiz
Test your knowledge of Russia's storied space agency — from its Soviet‑era roots to its modern‑day missions — with a quiz that's equal parts history, hardware, and high‑stakes exploration.
Trump's Greenland grab is part of a new space race – and the stakes are getting higher
As global tensions rise, the island has become a geopolitical pressure gauge, revealing how the old international legal order is beginning to fray.
The 'Alien' and 'Predator' franchises are on the upswing, so where's the next 'Aliens vs. Predator' game?
As Disney and 20th Century Studios revive the Alien and Predator series, we think a new video game crossover should already be in the works.
NASA launches twin rocket missions from Alaska to study mysterious black auroras
NASA launched two rockets from Alaska this week to learn more about the electrical "circuitry" within auroras.
Hunting Cosmic Ghosts from the Edge of Space
Picture this…. you’ve spent five years building an exquisitely sensitive scientific instrument. You’ve tested it, shipped it halfway around the world, reassembled it in Antarctica, and now you’re watching it disappear into the blue sky aboard a giant balloon. For the next three weeks, all you can do is monitor it from the ground and hope everything works.
Amazon's new 'Stargate' show raises big questions for the beloved sci-fi universe
Following the announcement that Amazon has given a new 'Stargate' the go-ahead, franchise figureheads Martin Gero and Joseph Mallozzi shared some of the details.
The Mystery of the Fading Star
Imagine a star that’s been shining steadily for decades, and then suddenly it dims to just 3% of its normal brightness. Not for a few days or weeks, but for more than nine months. That’s exactly what happened to ASASSN-24fw, a star sitting 3,200 light years away in the constellation Monoceros.
The Hidden Story of Young Martian Volcanoes
When you look at a volcano, you’re seeing the tip of a vastly more complicated system. The mountain itself is just the exit point for processes that have been happening deep underground, perhaps for millions of years. Magma doesn’t simply appear at the surface ready to erupt it rises, stalls, cools, changes, and evolves in underground chambers before finally breaking through.
"Ice Volcano" Eruption Makes Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann Shine
After a recent explosive outburst, Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is bright enough to see in a medium-sized telescope.
Replacement crew docks at space station, boosts crew back to seven
The Crew 12 fliers cavort aboard the International Space Station shortly after floating inside Saturday. They joined station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, back left in black shirt, NASA astronaut Chis Williams and cosmonaut Sergey Mikaev, both wearing black shirts. The Crew 12 astronauts, from left to right, are cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev (upside down), Jack Hathaway, Jessica Meir and French astronaut Sophie Adenot at far right. Image: NASA
A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule glided in for a Valentine’s Day docking at the International Space Station Saturday boosting the lab’s crew back to a full complement of seven one month after four other fliers came home early because of a medical issue.
Webb Reveals a Plethora of Organic Molecules in a Bright Local Infrared Galaxy
Scientists have been making some incredible discoveries in space that are shedding new light on the origins of life. In addition to finding amino acids in asteroids, scientists have also found fatty acids found on Mars, sulfur-bearing molecules in interstellar space, and that peptides form spontaneously in space. Most recently, research based on data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has found an abundance of small organic molecules in a nearby galaxy.
China Successfully Tests Their New Rocket and Lunar Crew Capsule, Placing them On-Track to Reach the Moon
China has achieved several impressive milestones in its space program in recent years. As part of their plan to build an outpost on the Moon that will compete with NASA's Artemis Program - the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) - they are busy developing a super-heavy launch system and a crew-capable spacecraft that will take taikonauts to the Moon by the end of the decade. That is the plan, at any rate, and recent tests indicate that they are on track to achieve that goal. On Wednesday, Feb. 11th, the China Manned Spaceflight Agency (CMSA) completed a major test of its Long March-10 rocket and the Mengzhou spacecraft.
Official start of ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot’s εpsilon mission
The SpaceX Dragon Freedom capsule carrying ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev, docked with the International Space Station on 14 February, at 20:15 GMT/21:15 CET, marking the official start of ESA’s εpsilon mission.
Official start of ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot’s εpsilon mission
The SpaceX Dragon Freedom capsule carrying ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev, docked with the International Space Station on 14 February, at 20:15 GMT/21:15 CET, marking the official start of ESA’s εpsilon mission.
SpaceX launches 600th Falcon 9 rocket to date with Starlink flight from Vandenberg
A long-exposure streak shot of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket soaring away from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Starlink 17-13 mission on Feb. 14, 2026. Image: SpaceX
Update Feb. 14, 10:45 p.m. EST (0345 UTC): SpaceX deployed the 24 Starlink satellites.
The 8 best sci-fi couples to emulate this Valentine's Day
Whether you're single, in a relationship, or even a situationship, fall in love with these sci-fi couples this Valentine's Day.
7 love-struck sci-fi TV series to snuggle up with on Valentine's Day
From 'Roswell' to 'Outlander,' these romantic sci-fi TV series are guaranteed to warm cold hearts this winter.
This Week In Space podcast: Episode 197 — Inside UNOOSA
On Episode 197 of This Week In Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik talk with Aarti Holla-Maini and Rick Jenet about the importance of the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs.
Single this Valentine's Day? Don't worry, the universe has a rose just for you (photo)
The Rosette Nebula is located 5,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Monoceros.
