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Russia's Soyuz 5 rocket launches on its first-ever mission, a suborbital test flight from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstant on April 30, 2026. The flight was a success, according to Russian space officials.

Russia's new homegrown Soyuz 5 rocket aces debut launch

By Mike Wall published

Russia launched its Soyuz 5 medium-lift rocket for the first time ever on Thursday (April 30), and things apparently went well.

Launches & Spacecraft
A man in a suit holds his hands apart, as if showing the long size of a subway sandwich. To the right, three people in blue flight jackets stand behind an old man at a desk.

Artemis 3 has been pushed to late 2027. Can NASA still land astronauts on the moon in 2028?

By Josh Dinner published

Artemis 3 slips to late 2027 as Starship and Blue Moon lag, delaying NASA’s lunar return timeline and jeopardizing a 2028 moon landing.

Artemis
an illustration of earth, with a streak of light moving from left to right only to terminate in a bright flash as it impacts a dome made of transparent yellow hexagons

US Space Force wants space-based missile interceptors for Golden Dome ready by 2028

By Brett Tingley published

The United States Space Force has created a new program to develop space-based missile interceptors, with the goal of being able to demonstrate their capability by 2028.

Satellites
Mauna Loa seen erupting from orbit in 2022 by Europe's Copernicus Sentinel 2 satellite.

Is Venus volcanically active? Big Hawaiian eruption in 2022 could help scientists find out

By Keith Cooper published

Evidence suggests that Venus is still volcanically active, and new data about a big eruption in Hawaii a few years ago could help scientists find out for sure.

Venus

Meet the legendary heroes and villains of 'Masters of the Universe' (video)

By Jeff Spry published

'When we started visualizing this world, we wanted to do right by the fans'

Space Movies & Shows
The stars of the Pleiades open cluster shine brightly against a more distant starfield, while surrounded by blue nebulosity.

Astrophotographer captures Pleiades 'Seven Sisters' glowing through ghostly blue veil

By Anthony Wood published

Wispy nebula clouds can be seen reflecting the blue-white light of the Pleiades in the stunning amateur photo.

Astrophotography
a white rocket launches above a plume of fire, with the sea visible behind it

This SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launch looks amazing from space in these wild satellite photos

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket flew for the first time in 18 months Wednesday (April 29), and a sharp-eyed satellite was watching.

Launches & Spacecraft
NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the agency’s Artemis 2 mission arrives at the Kennedy Space Center Multi Payload Processing Facility in Florida on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Welcome home! Artemis 2's Orion capsule returns to Florida after epic moon mission (photo)

By Mike Wall published

Artemis 2's Orion capsule has returned to its Florida launch site, just three weeks after carrying four astronauts on a historic journey around the moon's far side.

Artemis
NASA's MESSENGER probe traveled for more than 6.5 years through space before it entered Mercury orbit in 2011.

On this day in space! April 30, 2015: MESSENGER spacecraft crashes into Mercury

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

On April 30, 2015, NASA's MESSENGER mission to Mercury came to an end when the spacecraft intentionally crashed into the surface of the small, rocky planet.

57 Comments
Space Exploration
a rocket launched from the pad at night

Europe's powerful Ariane 6 rocket launches 32 Amazon internet satellites to orbit

By Mike Wall last updated

Liftoff occurred at 4:57 a.m. EDT on Thursday (April 30).

2 Comments
Launches & Spacecraft
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