In the 1950s, Viktor Safronov, a young Soviet mathematician, was tasked with solving the problem of how the solar system's planets were formed. A decade later he had the answer — but it was largely ignored until an American graduate student passed Safronov's ideas on to NASA.
Space News & Blog Articles
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NASA extends New Horizons mission through late 2020s
NASA will extend the New Horizons mission through 2028 or 2029, allowing the spacecraft to continue studying its exotic environs far from the sun.
Vega’s ESTCube-2 tether to the future
Estonia’s next satellite will fly aboard Europe’s Vega VV23 launcher later this week. While largely designed and built by undergraduate students, the shoebox-sized ESTCube-2 has ambitious goals in mind, including surveys of Estonian vegetation and the first successful in-orbit demonstration of ‘plasma brake’ technology. Deployment of a charged microtether will slow the CubeSat’s orbit, proving the prospect of helping to keep space clear of dangerous debris in the future.
Microphones in space: Why scientists want to listen in on alien worlds
Based on the valuable scientific contributions microphones have made aboard the Perseverance Mars rover, it's time to turn up the volume on microphones for extra-planetary exploration.
'Lightning' on Venus may not be lightning at all, Parker Solar Probe finds
For years, experts haven't agreed on whether Venus' lightning is truly lightning. New data from NASA's sun-kissing spacecraft may have settled the debate.
The Bright BlueWalker 3 Satellite Threatens Astronomy
The bright BlueWalker 3 satellite, a prototype for the even larger Bluebird satellites, is one of the brightest objects in the sky.
Astronomers Find Stars Cast Away from Galactic Neighbors
After decades of searching, scientists have found stars accompanying the gas streaming from two smaller galaxies that orbit our Milky Way.
New Horizons is Funded Through the Decade. Enough to Explore Another Kuiper Belt Object
The ongoing saga of the New Horizons mission—will it get truncated and its science team disbanded?—may have some resolution. Dr. Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters announced last Friday that mission operations will continue until at least the end of the decade.
SpaceX wins $70 million Space Force contract for Starshield military satellites
SpaceX has won its first contract with the United States Space Force for its new Starshield satellite constellation.
SpaceX fires up Falcon Heavy rocket ahead of Psyche asteroid mission launch
SpaceX fired up its powerful Falcon Heavy rocket on Saturday (Sept. 30) to get it ready to launch NASA's Psyche asteroid mission on Oct. 12.
Virgin Galactic delays next flight by 1 day, to Oct. 6
Virgin Galactic has delayed its 'Galactic 04' mission by a day to Oct. 6, allowing more time for vehicle preparations and checkouts.
Dark Energy Camera peels back layers of 'galactic onion' stretched across space
The shell galaxy NGC 3923's symmetrical onion-like layers, that extend 150,000 light-years across space, appear in a new photo from the Dark Energy Camera.
Japanese lunar lander leaves Earth orbit and heads toward the moon
Japan's SLIM lunar lander has left Earth orbit and headed toward the moon, which it will reach on Wednesday (Oct. 4) if all goes according to plan.
NASA's plan to point a massive telescope at America's two upcoming solar eclipses
Citizen science group 'Solar Patrol' will use a retired NASA telescope to study the sun during America's two upcoming solar eclipses.
'The Creator' delivers a derivative yet dynamic portrait of pure AI paranoia (review)
Director Gareth Edwards fuels the debate over artificial intelligence in the cautionary sci-fi fable "The Creator."
It's Confirmed. M87's Black Hole is Actually Spinning
Fifty-five million light-years away, in the galaxy known as M87, lies a supermassive black hole. It is a powerfully active black hole with a mass of 6.5 billion Suns, and in 2019 it was the first black hole to be imaged directly. The radio image captured by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) shows a halo of ambient light warped by the black hole’s gravity and directed our way. On one side of the halo, the light is brighter, which according to general relativity is due to the rotation or spin of the black hole. It was the first direct confirmation that the black hole rotates. A new study published in Nature has given us more rotational evidence.
The BlueWalker 3 satellite is officially one of the brightest objects in the sky
Astronomers worry that an impending future of widespread satellite constellations could darken our bridge to the stars.
UK startup readies new satellite that will make semiconductors in space
A U.K. startup is preparing to send a satellite to space that will manufacture new semiconductor materials that could be used in electronic devices on Earth.
Simple settings tweak should save Psyche asteroid mission from overheating thrusters
An artist’s conception of the Psyche spacecraft orbiting near the surface of the Psyche asteroid. Image: Maxar/ASU/Peter Rubin.
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, now scheduled for launch on Oct. 12, will dial down the power of its maneuvering system after engineers discovered its thrusters were in danger of overheating during its eight-year expedition to explore a metallic asteroid.
Spain's new cubesats will fly in space like a flock of geese
The mission is dubbed ANSER, which is also the Latin word for wild goose.
'Star Trek: Lower Decks' security chief shines in special 'Star Trek: Day of Blood' prequel
Get a preview of IDW's "Star Trek: Day of Blood: Shaxs' Best Day #1" special one-shot.
