Thinking about food systems in deep space likely brings to mind something like the Martian where an astronaut is scratching barely enough food to survive out of potatoes grown in Martian regolith. Or perhaps a fancy hydroponic system on an interplanetary transport ship, with artificial lighting and all the associated technological wizardry. But a new paper published in Acta Astronautica by Tor Blomqvist and Ralph Fritsche points out that growing food is only one small part of the whole cycle of providing sustenance for astronauts in space. To really get a sense of how difficult it will be, we have to look at the whole picture.
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Comet Wierzchos Vaults Into the March Evening Sky
March is the time to catch the encore performance for comet E1 Wierzchos crossing the evening sky.
Spacecraft, stars and city lights | Space photo of the day Feb. 25, 2026
Cities far below the International Space Station and stars far in the cosmic distance create ghostly trails of light in a long-exposure photograph from NASA astronaut Chris Williams.
Catch Jupiter glowing under the waxing moon on Feb. 26
A waxing gibbous moon and brilliant Jupiter will pair up after sunset on Feb. 26.
World's largest radio telescope array pierces heart of our Milky Way: 'This is just the beginning'
Astronomers have dived into the turbulent and chaotic heart of the Milky Way, discovering hidden chemistry around our galaxy's supermassive black hole.
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 500th Starlink satellite in 2026 during Wednesday Falcon 9 flight
File – SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket stands in the vertical launch position at Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base ahead of the launch of the Starlink 17-5 mission on Aug. 18, 2025. This was the ninth flight for Falcon 9 booster, tail number B1088. Image: SpaceX
SpaceX is set to launch its 500th Starlink satellite of the year during a flight from Vandenberg Space Force Base Wednesday morning.
Antarctica's 'gravity hole' reveals the evolution of Earth's deep interior
A persistent "gravity hole" beneath Antarctica gives scientists a window into Earth's deep interior, showing how processes far below reshape the planet's gravity field over millions of years.
First MetOp Second Generation-B satellite spreads its wing
With launch planned for later this year, testing is well underway to ensure the MetOp Second Generation-B1 weather satellite is ready for its life in orbit around Earth. These checks include verifying that its spectacular four-panel, 11-metre-long, solar wing will deploy correctly.
'The Space Force is my baby': Trump lauds military space in State of the Union but skips Artemis 2 moon crew namedrop
President Trump lauded the Space Force in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night (Feb. 24) but did not mention the Artemis 2 moon mission, which could launch as soon as April 1.
How Long Could Earth Microbes Live on Mars?
Searching for past or present life on Mars is the sole driving force behind every mission we send to the Red Planet, from orbiters to landers to rovers. However, there remains a concern in the scientific community of Earth-based microbes hitching a ride on Mars-bound spacecraft, also called forward contamination. The concern is potentially mistaking Earth microbes for Mars life or Earth microbes potentially influence samples of Mars life we might find. While NASA is dedicated to mitigating it as much as possible, could new methods help determine how long Earth-based microbes could survive on Mars, this alleviating concerns for forward contamination?
Map the Earth's Magnetic Shield with the Space Umbrella Project
The Sun regularly emits streams of charged particles (solar wind) from its upper atmosphere (the corona), which flow throughout the Solar System that interacts with Earth's magnetic field. This is what powers the beautiful aurorae visible in the Northern and Southern hemispheres (Aurora Borealis and Australis. It can also play havoc with modern technological systems, including telecommunications, GPS navigation, and electrical power grids. Since 2015, NASA's Magnetosphere Multiscale (MMS) mission has been collecting data on Earth's magnetosphere.
NASA Telescope Spots a Young Sun-Like Star Inflating Its Astrosphere
Young stars are known for their powerful radiation and strong winds. They can shape their gaseous surroundings, both promoting and inhibiting other stars from forming, depending on the circumstances. Their strong winds also have another effect: the stars inflate gaseous bubbles around themselves.
Watch NASA roll Artemis 2 moon rocket off launch pad today to deal with glitch
NASA will roll its Artemis 2 moon rocket off the launch pad on Wednesday (Feb. 25) to deal with a glitch, and you can watch the four-mile trek live.
Unique Facts about Mercury
Mercury, the smallest and innermost planet in our solar system, holds many fascinating and unique characteristics. Its proximity to the Sun gives it extreme conditions and unusual orbital mechanics.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn: Release date rumors, gameplay, & everything else we know about this sci-fi RPG
The next video game set in The Expanse's sci-fi universe is a cutting-edge RPG with highly detailed third-person shooter action.
This Supernova Progenitor Hid Behind a Surprisingly Thick Veil of Carbon Dust
Supernovae explosions are hard to miss. When they explode, they can outshine all of the stars in their host galaxies for months. But understanding the physics behind these powerful phenomena requires studying their progenitors before they explode.
NASA space telescope gets 1st clear X-ray image of sun-like star blowing a bubble
The observations offer a rare glimpse into our solar system's early history.
The sun just had no visible sunspots for the 1st time since 2022. Is the end of the current solar cycle near?
The sun's visible disk has been perfectly free from sunspots for the first time since June 2022, suggesting the current solar cycle might be heading toward its quieter phase.
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NordVPN is our recommended VPN service for uninterrupted streaming, and offers complete online security and convenience, now with a $415 discount and a $50 Amazon voucher.
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket stands in launch position at Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station prior to the flight of the Starlink 6-110 mission. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now
SpaceX is aiming to launch a Falcon 9 rocket late Tuesday afternoon with a batch of Starlink V2 Mini satellites onboard. The flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station will be the company’s 18th launch of the year supporting its broadband internet satellite constellation.
