The distant ice giant Neptune will be in opposition to the sun with the planet making a close approach to Earth on Tuesday (Sept. 19).
Space News & Blog Articles
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What if OSIRIS-REx's asteroid-sample capsule crashes this weekend?
The descent capsule of NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid-sampling mission is supposed to touch down softly under parachutes on Sept. 24. If it crashes, however, the agency has a backup plan.
How much asteroid material is NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe delivering to Earth this weekend?
NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission is delivering a precious haul of asteroid dirt and gravel to Earth this weekend. How much of this space-rock stuff will there be?
Moon crew visits European powerhouse
Image: From left: the Artemis II astronauts, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman, visited the European Service Module (ESM) assembly hall at Airbus in Bremen, Germany, last week.
Radar-imaging satellite lost as Rocket Lab Electron rocket suffers launch failure
A shower of sparks at the point the Electron rocket’s second stage engine was supposed to ignite. Image: Rocket Lab.
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket, carrying a radar-imaging satellite for Capella Space, failed on Tuesday after a problem occurred two and half minutes into flight. It was the fourth failure in 41 flights for the small satellite launcher.
Rocket Lab suffers anomaly during launch of Earth-observation satellite
Rocket Lab suffered an anomaly during the launch of a radar Earth-observation satellite for the California company Capella Space early Tuesday morning (Sept. 19).
A Collision Between Gigantic Galaxy Clusters. Too Big, Too Early
Just when cosmologists have a workable theory for when and how galaxy collisions happened in the early Universe, something challenges it. In this case, the challenger is a collision of two massive galaxy clusters that combined to form a gigantic galaxy cluster.
Heart of the 'Squid Galaxy' reveals how supermassive black holes dictate galactic chemistry
A study of the Squid Galaxy, Messier 77, has revealed how chemicals swirl around its central black hole, revealing supermassive black holes impact the chemical evolution of their galaxies.
Rocket Lab Electron rocket to launch cloud-piercing radar satellite
Artist’s impression of Capella’s Acadia radar-imaging satellite. Image: Capella.
Rocket Lab is gearing up to launch the second of four next-generation radar-imaging satellites for Capella Space atop an Electron rocket from New Zealand at 6:30 p.m. NZST (2:30 a.m. EDT / 0630 UTC) on Tuesday.
Very Large Telescope surprisingly finds exoplanet lurking in 3-body star system
The European Very Large Telescope in Chile has photographed a planet orbiting a star in a multi-star system that sits some 480 light-years from Earth.
R2-D2 and Chopper return in 'Star Wars: Dark Droids: D-Squad #1'
Here's a first look at R2-D2 in Marvel Comics' spinoff series "Star Wars: Dark Droids: D-Squad #1" rolling into shops Sept. 20.
Mars Society proposes institute to develop tech needed for Red Planet settlement
A new initiative from the Mars Society suggests a new institute be established that could help develop the technologies needed for humans to settle on the Red Planet.
Deep Space Darkness
Deep space is characterized by profound darkness, which results from the absence of ambient light sources like stars, planets, and the Sun. Here are some key aspects of the darkness in deep space:
NASA seeks citizen scientists to capture April 2024 total solar eclipse
NASA wants citizen scientists to capture the total solar eclipse in April 2024 to help researchers learn more about the sun.
New drug shows potential to aid astronauts during future missions to moon and Mars
A new drug appears to promote bone formation in mice exposed to microgravity onboard the ISS.
An Ambitious New Technology Might be Needed to See Other Earths
The race is on to discover truly habitable Earth-like worlds. While we are starting to observe the atmospheres of large potentially habitable planets such as Hycean worlds with the telescopes we currently have, the most significant breakthroughs will likely come with the development of advanced specialized telescopes. These new designs will likely use a starshade to hide the glare of a star and allow us to directly observe its exoplanets. But will that be enough to study distant terrestrial planets?
Venezuela may put an astronaut on a Chinese moon mission
The first Venezuelan man or woman could land on the moon on a Chinese spacecraft, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said last week.
When did the First Continents Appear in the Universe?
On Earth, continents are likely necessary to support life. Continents ‘float’ on top of the Earth’s viscous mantle, and heat from the planet’s core keeps the mantle from solidifying and locking the continents into place.
It’s Like Looking at the Infant Sun: Webb Captures Image of an Energetic Young Star
Ever wondered what our young Sun might have looked like in its infancy some five billion years ago?
'Star Wars' fan favorite Lando Calrissian is getting his own movie on Disney+
The creators behind the "Lando" project at Disney+ have revealed that the fan favorite character may be getting his own "Star Wars" movie.
Watch Rocket Lab launch radar Earth-observation satellite early Sept. 19
Rocket Lab will launch a radar Earth-observation satellite for the California company Capella Space early Tuesday (Sept. 19), and you can watch the action live.
