The quest to bring samples back to Earth from Mars has been met with controversy in some quarters as the threat that ecologically-hungry Martian microbes might pose to our biosphere continues to be a topic of concern.
Space News & Blog Articles
Tune into the SpaceZE News Network to stay updated on industry news from around the world.
ESA and the EU agree to accelerate the use of space
ESA will work closely with the EU to use space to improve life on Earth, following an agreement signed today by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher (left) and the European Commission’s Director-General for Defence Industry and Space, Timo Pesonen.
The Lyrid meteor shower peaks this weekend, but don't expect much this year
The annual Lyrid meteor shower peaks overnight on April 21-22, but unfortunately a bright moon will make it difficult to spot any 'shooting stars' this year.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 19 – 28
Springtime Leo walks high in the south, springtime Hydra snakes a quarter of the way around the celestial sphere, and the bright Moon aligns with Spica.
Earth from Space: The Mekong Delta
Image: Earth from Space: The Mekong Delta
Rare sighting of ‘doomed’ SOHO comet during solar eclipse
Image: Photo of total solar eclipse
Rocket Lab gearing up to refly Electron booster for 1st time
Rocket Lab has put a recovered Electron first stage back into its production line, a big step toward the company's first-ever rocket reflight.
Artemis Astronauts Will Deploy New Seismometers on the Moon
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, Apollo astronauts set up a collection of lunar seismometers to detect possible Moon quakes. These instruments monitored lunar activity for eight years and gave planetary scientists an indirect glimpse into the Moon’s interior. Now, researchers are developing new methods for lunar quake detection techniques and technologies. If all goes well, the Artemis astronauts will deploy them when they return to the Moon.
'Transformers One' 1st trailer unveils Optimus Prime and Megatron's shared history (video)
The Transformers are returning to cinemas in 2024 with their first animated movie in nearly 40 years. This is the beginning of Cybertron's end.
Ice Deposits on Ceres Might Only Be a Few Thousand Years Old
The dwarf planet Ceres has some permanently dark craters that hold ice. Astronomers thought the ice was ancient when they were discovered, like in the moon’s permanently shadowed regions. But something was puzzling.
China rolls out rocket for next astronaut mission to Tiangong space station (photos)
CMSA said Shenzhou 18 will be launched at an appropriate time in the near future. However, airspace closure notices indicate launch is currently set for around 9:00 a.m. EDT on April 25 (1300 GMT, or 9:00 p.m. Beijing time).
See Amazing Views of the April 8th Total Solar Eclipse from Space
Millions of viewers were wowed by last week’s total solar eclipse. Now, we get to see the eclipse from another angle: space.
SpaceX launching Starlink satellites today on company's 40th mission of 2024
SpaceX is set to launch its 40th mission of 2024 this evening (April 18), a liftoff that will send yet another batch of the company's Starlink internet satellites skyward.
The Mystery of Cosmic Rays Deepens
Cosmic rays are high-energy particles accelerated to extreme velocities approaching the speed of light. It takes an extremely powerful event to send these bits of matter blazing through the Universe. Astronomers theorize that cosmic rays are ejected by supernova explosions that mark the death of supergiant stars. But recent data collected by the Fermi Gamma-ray space telescope casts doubt on this production method for cosmic rays, and has astronomers digging for an explanation.
NASA Confirms that a Piece of its Battery Pack Smashed into a Florida Home
NASA is in the business of launching things into orbit. But what goes up must come down, and if whatever is coming down doesn’t burn up in the atmosphere, it will strike Earth somewhere.
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 23 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 flight from Cape Canaveral
A Falcon 9 stands ready for a Starlink mission at Cape Canaveral’s pad 40. File photo: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now.
SpaceX is preparing for one more Falcon 9 launch to close out the week at the Cape. The Starlink 6-52 mission will add 23 more satellites to the growing low Earth orbit constellation.
Sorry, little green men: Alien life might actually be purple
The search for alien life can now include purple bacteria, thanks to a new catalog of chemical makeup of the lavender-hued organisms.
Zack Snyder on sticking the landing for the 2nd half of Netflix's 'Rebel Moon' (exclusive)
An exclusive interview with Zack Snyder about "Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver."
Russia launches new Angara A5 heavy-lift rocket on 4th orbital test mission (photos)
Russia's Angara A5 rocket lifted off on April 11, marking the fourth launch of the first rocket developed by Russia since the fall of the USSR in 1991.
Will 'Devil Comet' 12P/Pons-Brooks survive its close encounter with the sun?
'Devil Comet' 12P/Pons-Brooks is hurtling toward the sun where it will make its closest approach on April 21. We take a look at whether this celestial vagabond will survive.
