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Making rocket fuel out of Mars' thin air: New breakthrough could make it happen
By Keith Cooper Published
By making fuel on the Red Planet rather than bringing it from Earth, a Mars mission could save vital mass.

'The violence leaves a mark': How satellites are helping the world monitor war and atrocities
By Tereza Pultarova Published
A satellite's view from above fills the gaps in our understanding of the grim realities of war and makes it harder for totalitarian regimes to hide their crimes. But challenges exist.

On this day in space! Sept. 15, 1968: Russian tortoises (& other critters) launch around the moon on Zond 5 spacecraft in wild first circumlunar flight
By Hanneke Weitering Published
On Sept. 15, 1968, the Soviet Union launched the Zond 5 spacecraft carrying tortoises and more on a mission to loop around the moon and return to Earth. Here's why it mattered.

Curiosity rover spots odd 'footprints' on Mars | Space photo of the day for Sept. 15, 2026
By Chelsea Gohd Published
"Both of our workspaces this week contained features unlike quite anything we have seen in the past."

International Observe the Moon Night 2026 is on Sept. 19: Here's how to join in
By Anthony Wood Published
International Observe the Moon Night 2026 occurs on Sept. 19 as the lunar disk is well placed for exploring its craters, mountains and ancient lava plains.

SpaceX launching 2nd classified mission for US Space Force in less than a week tonight: Watch it live
By Mike Wall Published
SpaceX will launch its second classified mission for the U.S. Space Force in less than a week tonight (Sept. 15), and you can watch the action live.

'If I wanted to go to space, I would have stayed at NASA': What's next for Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover after his mission to the moon
By Josh Dinner Published
Former NASA astronaut and Artemis II pilot Victor Glover is stepping away from his space agency duties to take on a new role — executive advisor to the president of Cal Poly University.

Vega C rocket launches 2 European Earth-observing satellites to orbit from South America (video)
By Mike Wall Last updated
A Vega C rocket launched Europe's FLEX and Copernicus-3C spacecraft toward orbit from French Guiana tonight (Sept. 14).
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!

