SpaceX fires up Starship ahead of megarocket’s 1st orbital flight (video)
SpaceX completed a single-engine test-firing of its next Starship spacecraft to prepare for its coming test flight, which will be the first to reach orbit.
Skywatching
A weather satellite 22,000 miles above Earth saved my 2026 total solar eclipse cruise on the Mediterranean Sea
Joe Rao took to sea aboard the cruise ship Le Boréal to watch the total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026. Here's what it was like.
Spaceflight
On this day in space! Aug. 20, 1977: Voyager 2 launches to the outer planets
On this day in space! Aug. 20, 1977: NASA launched the Voyager 2 spacecraft on a mission to explore the outer planets.
Rocket Lab launches private Japanese Earth-observing satellite to orbit (video)
Rocket Lab launched its ninth mission for the Japanese company iQPS this morning (Aug. 20), sending an Earth-observation satellite into low Earth orbit.
Private mission to save NASA's Swift space telescope fails
A private spacecraft tasked with boosting the orbit of NASA's Swift Observatory has failed in its mission, meaning the telescope will crash back to Earth later this year.
12 Comments
Science & Astronomy
What is the moon phase today? Lunar phases 2026
Reference See what moon phase it is tonight and find out when you can see the rest of the moon phases for 2026.
Try not to be hypnotized by the 'Eye of Africa' | Space photo of the day for Aug. 20, 2026
This geologic feature has been mesmerizing astronauts since 1965.
Space Photo of the Day
-
-
Northern lights - live updatesThe latest aurora forecast for tonight help you make sure you're in the right place at the right time to see the northern lights.
-
Rocket launch todayFollow Space.com's rocket launch blog for the latest on when the next rocket launch will be and how to follow it live.
-
Night sky for tonightFind out what you can see in the night sky for tonight, from planets and stars to dazzling meteor showers.
-
Live 4K video from space!Witness live views of Earth from the International Space Station as it orbits the planet. Space streaming company Sen is broadcasting 24/7 from the ISS in beautiful 4K HD.
12 Comments -
On this day in space!NASA astronaut Sally Ride became the first American woman in space aboard the space shuttle Challenger.
-
ReferenceWhat is the moon phase today?See what moon phase it is tonight and find out when you can see the rest of the moon phases for 2025.
-
ReferenceSpace calendar 2025Keep up with all the rocket launches, astronomical events and mission milestones for 2025 with our space calendar.
-
Search For Life
'This is unprecedented': Why the Pentagon's recent UFO file releases are so important
The Pentagon's recent spate of UFO releases represent a big shift and are of great benefit to the country, according to disclosure advocate Mike Gold.
35 Comments
On this day in space! Aug. 15, 1977: Mysterious 'Wow!' Signal boosts search for E.T.
On Aug. 15, 1977, astronomers using Ohio State University's Big Ear radio telescope detected the famous "Wow!" signal, which remains unexplained to this day.
Are aliens running out of places to hide? It turns out we've searched much more of the galaxy than we realized
Astronomers may have already scanned millions of more stars than they thought, a realization that might lead to new ways to hunt for extraterrestrial radio signals.
24 Comments
Technology
Hydrogen-powered 'rocket car' tops 400 mph in record-breaking test (video)
The JCB Hydromax vehicle averaged more than 400 mph during two runs in Utah last week, becoming the fastest hydrogen-powered car in history.
