Space.com: NASA, Space Exploration and Astronomy News

Tech

The Chang'e 5 return capsule at its landing site in Inner Mongolia, China, on Dec. 17, 2020.

China moon rock studies include fusion energy analysis, volcanic history

By Andrew Jones

Several science institutions in China are now studying rocks collected from the moon by the Chang'e 5 mission for research that includes evaluating the material as a potential source of fusion power.

Oculus Quest 2 vs. Valve Index: Which VR headset should you buy?

By Luke Kemp

It's the Oculus Quest 2 vs Valve Index as we compare these extremely different takes on virtual reality headsets.

Spaceflight

The Inspiration4 crew placed a video call to Earth on Sept. 17, 2021.

SpaceX's Inspiration4 crew is having a blast and doing science in orbit (video)

By Hanneke Weitering

From ultrasounds to ukelele jam sessions and space art, it appears the Inspiration4 crew is staying busy in orbit.

The Inspiration4 crew pose with their Crew Dragon spacecraft.

SpaceX's Inspiration4 private all-civilian orbital mission: Live updates

By Space.com Staff

The first all-civilian mission to orbit Earth on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to launch on Sept. 15, and you can follow all the action live here.

Science & Astronomy

Inspiration4 lifted off successfully on Sept. 15.

Space Chat! Inspiration4 launches to orbit, Chinese astronauts land back on Earth and so much more

By Chelsea Gohd

Today (Sept. 17), Space Chat will explore what's new in space, including the successful launch of Inspiration4, the landing of Chinese astronauts back on Earth, some strange science and so much more!

Craters in Mars' Arabia Terra filled with layered rock as seen by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Ancient Mars was rocked by violent, climate-changing volcanic eruptions

By Tereza Pultarova

Volcanic super eruptions regularly tore up the surface of Mars billions of years ago, altering the planet's climate for decades and creating scars that are still visible today.

Search For Life

An image taken by the Perseverance rover on Mars shows a rock called Rochette with holes where the rover obtained its first two samples.

NASA's Perseverance rover has taken the 1st steps in decades-long dream of Mars sample return

By Meghan Bartels

NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars has begun its out-of-this-world rock collection.

NASA's Perseverance rover has collected two drilled-out samples from this Red Planet rock, which the mission team calls "Rochette."

Perseverance rover collects 2nd Mars sample (photos)

By Mike Wall

Perseverance collected another drilled-out core of a Martian rock dubbed "Rochette," sealing the sample in its designated titanium tube on Wednesday (Sept. 8).

This composite of two images shows the hole drilled by NASA's Perseverance rover into a rock dubbed “Rochette” during its second sample-collection attempt. The photos were obtained by one of the rover's navigation cameras on Sept. 1, 2021.

NASA's Perseverance rover getting ready to snag 2nd Mars sample

By Mike Wall

Perseverance sealed up a drilled-out core of a Red Planet rock dubbed "Rochette" over the weekend. The mission team aims to replicate that success soon, putting poor Rochette to the drill again.

Skywatching

Amateur satellite tracker Marco Langbroek captured this view of SpaceX's Crew Dragon Resilience passing over the Old Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands, on Sept. 16, 2021. It is a stack of 37 1-second exposures, each captured 1 second apart.

How to see SpaceX's Inspiration4 spacecraft in the night sky

By Hanneke Weitering

Four private astronauts are currently circling the globe in a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, and you can see the capsule from Earth.

A Hubble Space Telescope image of AG Carinae, an unstable star that is on the brink of exploding.

900-year-old Chinese supernova mystery points to strange nebula

By Doris Elin Urrutia

In the year 1181 AD, a new bright point of light as luminous as the planet Saturn appeared to Chinese and Japanese skygazers for a little more than six months before disappearing.

Jupiter, Saturn and the half moon, as seen from New York City looking south on the night of Sept. 16, 2021.

The moon will visit Saturn and Jupiter this week in skywatching doubleheader

By Joe Rao

It's an excellent week to go skywatching as the moon creeps up to the two largest planets in our solar system.

Entertainment

SpaceX Inspiration4 mission crew talks to St. Jude patients from space (video)

By Elizabeth Howell

In between playfully snacking on M&Ms, the all-civilian Inspiration4 crew took a break from their science-heavy mission to chat with kid patients from a Memphis children's hospital.

Foxanne filmed the music video for her new single "I Could Go On" at the Liberty Science Center's planetarium.

Indie artist's space-bound song features a New Jersey planetarium

By Elizabeth Howell

Indie-pop artist Foxanne's new space-bound single, "I Could Go On," highlights a science center that continues to provide science education to the community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Star Trek movies, ranked worst to best

By Susan Arendt

Enjoy this list of Star Trek movies, ranked worst to best. Resistance is futile.

References

Star Trek movies, ranked worst to best

By Susan Arendt

Enjoy this list of Star Trek movies, ranked worst to best. Resistance is futile.

Oculus Quest 2 vs. Valve Index: Which VR headset should you buy?

By Luke Kemp

It's the Oculus Quest 2 vs Valve Index as we compare these extremely different takes on virtual reality headsets.

Blade Runner Streaming Guide - Where to watch the Blade Runner movies online

By Gerald Lynch

From Blade Runner to Blade Runner 2049 and the upcoming anime, here’s everything you need to know about streaming the Blade Runner franchise online

SpaceX's private Inspiration4 mission to space is underway

Latest News