Tech

Illustration of a space plane in orbit over earth, with the sun in the background

Space Force's mysterious X-37B space plane to attempt new 'aerobraking' maneuvers in orbit

By Andrew Jones published

The U.S. military's X-37B space plane is about to begin a series of novel maneuvers, according to a rare official update on the spacecraft.

Tech
an astronaut floats above earth, holding a large metal space component.

These space tech spinoffs are helping scientists fight climate change

By Samantha Mathewson published

Innovations in satellite, telescope and spacecraft technology are not only essential to space exploration, but are also helping to better monitor and mitigate climate change on Earth.

Tech
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Spaceflight

A white and black Blue Origin rocket stands on the launch pad for a suborbital NS-27 launch.

Blue Origin delays debut launch of 2nd human-rated New Shepard rocket due to GPS glitch

By Mike Wall last updated

Blue Origin hoped to debut its second human-rated New Shepard vehicle on an uncrewed launch on Oct. 13, but a GPS issue delayed the flight.

Human Spaceflight
Four Crew-8 astronauts smile and wave in white SpaceX spacesuits inside their spacecraft.

SpaceX Crew-8 astronaut mission: Live updates

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

Read the latest news about SpaceX's Crew-8 and Crew-9 missions to the International Space Station for NASA.

Human Spaceflight
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Science & Astronomy

a picture of a large, square building with grey-black clouds looming overhead

NASA secures Europa Clipper probe as Hurricane Milton sweeps over Kennedy Space Center (photos)

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Europa Clipper probe rode out the arrival of Hurricane Milton Oct. 9 inside a SpaceX hangar, as NASA's Kennedy Space Center experienced strong winds.

Earth
This artist’s concept depicts a potential volcanic moon between the exoplanet WASP-49 b, left, and its parent star. New evidence indicating that a massive sodium cloud observed near WASP-49 b is produced by neither the planet nor the star has prompted researchers to ask if its origin could be an exomoon.

Hints of volcanic moon around alien planet may be 1st-of-its-kind discovery (video)

By Samantha Mathewson published

A sodium cloud detected in the vicinity of an exoplanet named WASP-49 b hints at the presence of a natural satellite, also known as an exomoon.

Exoplanets
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Meet the team

Search For Life

A large red and orange sphere to the left is an irregularly shaped grey rock with white and brown smoke above a box containing two irregularly shaped rocks one silvery the other larger and grey with white speckles

The key ingredients for life on Earth came from space, new evidence suggests

By Robert Lea published

'If we can understand how these materials came to be on Earth, it might give us clues to how life originated here, and how it might emerge elsewhere.'

Search for Life
Allen Telescope Array Image

SETI & the search for extraterrestrial life

By Nola Taylor Tillman published

Is there life beyond Earth? The SETI Institute and other seekers are looking.

Search for Life
closeup of an icy moon, whose white surface is crisscrossed by reddish-brown lines

If alien life exists on Europa, we may find it in hydrothermal vents

By Keith Cooper published

Cool to moderately warm hydrothermal vents circulating water through the seabed could sustain habitable conditions on moons such as Jupiter's Europa and Saturn's Enceladus for billions of years.

Search for Life
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Skywatching

graphic with night sky in large font and silhouettes of people below looking up at the night sky.

Night sky for tonight: Visible planets, stars and more in this evening's sky

By Jamie Carter last updated

Find out what you can see in the night sky for tonight, from planets and stars to dazzling meteor showers.

Stargazing
A photo of tall, upright stones scattered in the desert

Nabta Playa: A mysterious stone circle that may be the world's oldest astronomical observatory

By Tom Metcalfe published

Nabta Playa in Egypt is an ancient stone circle that researchers suspect was used to determine the summer solstice, which signaled rain was on the way.

Stargazing
Green and pink lights over a brown wooden bridge

'It was 3 hours of magic': Spectacular auroras thrill stargazers across the world (and internet) as intense geomagnetic storm batters Earth (photos)

By Robert Lea published

A powerful geomagnetic storm illuminated auroras that lit the skies over Earth on Thursday (Oct. 9) after X 2 solar flare that erupted from the sunspot AR 3848 on Tuesday (Oct. 8) evening.

Aurora Borealis
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Entertainment

This Week In Space podcast: Episode 132 — Living in Martian Mushrooms

This Week In Space podcast: Episode 132 — Living in Martian Mushrooms

By Space.com Staff published

On Episode 132 of This Week In Space, Rod and Tariq talk with Lynn Rothschild on how mushroom mycelia might be utilized as a Mars habitat-building resource.

Space Movies & Shows
Slice of the cover for Titan's "Star Trek Explorer #14"

Official 'Star Trek' magazine ends an impressive 30-year run in December

By Jeff Spry published

Titan Publications' 'Star Trek Explorer' launches one last issue into the final frontier.

Entertainment
Composite image of three star projectors

I have reviewed all of the best star projectors and these are the only Prime Day deals worth considering

By Tantse Walter published

Deals There are many star projector 'deals' during this October Prime Day, but these are the only ones worth considering.

Deals
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References

Allen Telescope Array Image

SETI & the search for extraterrestrial life

By Nola Taylor Tillman published

Is there life beyond Earth? The SETI Institute and other seekers are looking.

Search for Life
astronaut grasping on to international space station module. below him is a solar panel. above him is canadarm2 with the word "canada" on the side. earth is just visible as a curve at the top of the picture

Canadian Space Agency: Canadarm, Artemis 2 moon mission and astronauts

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

Reference The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is famous for Canadarm, a series of robotic arms used on the space shuttle and the International Space Station. CSA's Jeremy Hansen will fly to the moon on Artemis 2.

Reference
The Ultimate Test Flight: NASA's Shuttle Fleet at 25

NASA's space shuttle: The first reusable spacecraft

By Tim Sharp published

America's space shuttles were NASA's orbital workhorses.

Space Shuttle
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