A typical but existentially terrifying feature of almost every galaxy is a monster lurking at its center: A supermassive black hole which can be hundreds or even billions of times the mass of our sun. The supermassive…
The formation of galaxies is a complex dance between matter and energy, occurring on a stage of cosmic proportions and spanning billions of years. How the diversity of structured and dynamic galaxies we observe today…
Mars has a very tenuous atmosphere, roughly 1 percent of Earth’s own, which is overwhelmingly made of carbon dioxide. Tiny fractions of other gases have been measured and studied over time, leading to several puzzling…
Starship is now eligible to make lunar deliveries for NASA. SpaceX’s huge Mars-colonizing Starship vehicle could make its first extraterrestrial touchdown just three short years. SpaceX is one of five companies that are newly eligible to deliver robotic…
You’ve managed to travel tens of thousands of light-years beyond the solar system. Bravely facing the depths of the great interstellar voids, you’ve witnessed some of the most achingly beautiful and outrageously powerful events in…
A ride on Boeing’s vehicle will be way more expensive than a SpaceX trip. Boeing’s astronaut taxi will cost NASA about 60% more per seat than SpaceX’s vehicle will, according to a new report by the space…
IN BRIEF The Facts:Nearly two decades ago, Gary Mckinnon of the UK accesses nearly 100 NASA and Department of Defence, including the US Air Force Space command. He faced extradition for 10 years after finding…
Soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, Coast Guardsman, and … ? In the most recent development in the negotiations over President Trump’s contentious proposal to create a Space Force, acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan has proposed that the…
Musk’s plans have potentially dire consequences for alien life, astronauts and the environment. Elon Musk, founder of private space-faring company SpaceX, recently unveiled his new Starship craft. Amazingly, it is designed to carry up to 100 crew members…
On Nov. 11, people across most of the world can catch the planet Mercury passing across the sun. This rare event won’t be seen from Earth again until 2032. The smallest planet in the solar system is…
Since the retirement of NASA’s space shuttle fleet in 2011, there’s been just one vehicle ferrying crewmembers to and from the International Space Station (ISS): Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft. So, for the past seven years, the…
And technicians have figured out why one main parachute didn’t deploy as planned. Boeing’s astronaut taxi remains on track for a December demonstration flight to the International Space Station (ISS) after passing a key safety test earlier…
It’s a long way down as a rocket and its fairing part ways during a launch. An incredible video shows that journey for the nose cone SpaceX will reuse during its next Falcon 9 launch. SpaceX is…