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The Italian-built Harmony module is delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) during an Oct. 26, 2007 spacewalk, the first of five planned for NASA's STS-120 mission to the orbital laboratory. Harmony is the hub for future international labs at the ISS.

On This Day in Space! Oct. 23, 2007: Space station's Harmony module launches on STS-120

By Hanneke Weitering

On October 23, 2007, the space shuttle Discovery launched the Harmony module to the International Space Station. See how it happened in our On This Day In Space series.

An Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket on the launch pad.

Arianespace will launch 2 satellites on a Ariane 5 rocket tonight. Here's how to watch it live.

By Elizabeth Howell

An Ariane 5 rocket will launch satellites for SES and the French military tonight, Oct. 23, and you can watch it live here.

Astrophotographer Jeff Berkes captured this photo of a Taurid meteor over Assateague Island National Seashore along the eastern shore of Maryland around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5th. The Taurid meteor shower <a href=http://www.space.com/34587-taurid-meteor-shower-guide.html>will be visible</a> through late November.

An overview of the fall skies of 2021

By Joe Rao

There's a lot to look at between now and the December solstice: two eclipses, four meteor showers, Venus reaching its pinnacle in brilliance and a potential bright comet!

An illustration showing an asteroid being pulverized to pieces.

Researchers want to 'slice and dice' deadly asteroids with rocket-powered bombs, new paper says

By Brandon Specktor

Physicists propose a new plan to "slice and dice" incoming asteroids that could save Earth from a deadly calamity.

A polynya grows in the Last Ice Area above Canada’s Ellesmere Island. The gap in the ice was open for around two weeks in May 2020 due to strong, anticyclonic winds in the Arctic.

Huge hole discovered in Arctic's 'last ice'

By Stephanie Pappas

A polynya, or rift, opened in the Arctic's oldest, thickest ice in May 2020, new research finds.

Experts recently shared that they think the U.S. needs to seriously invest in nuclear technology to stay ahead of CHina in space.

NASA thinks US needs nuclear-powered spacecraft to stay ahead of China

By Chelsea Gohd

The U.S. needs to invest more in nuclear-powered spacecraft to be competitive with nations like China, experts say.

Tech

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An illustration showing an asteroid being pulverized to pieces.

Researchers want to 'slice and dice' deadly asteroids with rocket-powered bombs, new paper says

By Brandon Specktor

Physicists propose a new plan to "slice and dice" incoming asteroids that could save Earth from a deadly calamity.

SpaceX stacks its SN20 Starship prototype atop its Super Heavy booster for the first time at the company's Starbase facility in South Texas in August 2021.

FAA wraps up public hearings on SpaceX Starship launch site environmental review

By Mike Wall

The FAA held two public hearings this week about its environmental assessment of SpaceX's orbital launch activities in South Texas. People voiced strong opinions, both pro and con.

  1. Liftoff is set for 9:01 p.m. EDT (1301 GMT).
    1
    Arianespace will launch 2 satellites on a Ariane 5 rocket tonight. Here's how to watch it live.
  2. 2
    An overview of the fall skies of 2021
  3. 3
    Researchers want to 'slice and dice' deadly asteroids with rocket-powered bombs, new paper says
  4. 4
    Huge hole discovered in Arctic's 'last ice'
  5. 5
    NASA thinks US needs nuclear-powered spacecraft to stay ahead of China

Spaceflight

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The Italian-built Harmony module is delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) during an Oct. 26, 2007 spacewalk, the first of five planned for NASA's STS-120 mission to the orbital laboratory. Harmony is the hub for future international labs at the ISS.

On This Day in Space! Oct. 23, 2007: Space station's Harmony module launches on STS-120

By Hanneke Weitering

On October 23, 2007, the space shuttle Discovery launched the Harmony module to the International Space Station. See how it happened in our On This Day In Space series.

An Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket on the launch pad.

Arianespace will launch 2 satellites on a Ariane 5 rocket tonight. Here's how to watch it live.

By Elizabeth Howell

An Ariane 5 rocket will launch satellites for SES and the French military tonight, Oct. 23, and you can watch it live here.

Science & Astronomy

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SpaceX's SN20 Starship prototype performs its first-ever static fire test on Oct. 21, 2021, in this still from a video captured by Spadre.com.

Live Space Chat! 'Dune' goes to space, Mars helicopter survives blackout, SpaceX Starship roars to life

By Chelsea Gohd

Today (Oct. 22), Space Chat will explore what's new in space, including "Dune" in space, a Martian blackout and SpaceX's Starship roaring to life.

An artist's depiction of a white dwarf drawing matter from a companion star.

Strange white dwarf switches 'on' and 'off' in front of astronomers

By Elizabeth Howell

A spacecraft that usually seeks new worlds saw a white dwarf suddenly switch "off" with a swift drop in brightness. Then it switched back on again.

Search For Life

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Inferred paleolake level inside Mars’ Jezero Crater at the time of Kodiak sediment deposition. The red star indicates theOctavia E. Butler (OEB) landing site of NASA’s Perseverance rover. Background from the Context Camera (CTX) mosaic.

Perseverance rover confirms existence of ancient Mars lake and river delta

By Mike Wall

Photos snapped by Perseverance show that Jezero Crater did indeed host a large river-fed lake in the ancient past.

Mars as seen from orbit by NASA’s Viking mission.

Mars: What we know about the Red Planet

By Charles Q. Choi

Learn about planet Mars’ atmosphere, water supply and the possibility to support life, plus findings from the various Mars rover missions.

Artist's illustration of a Mars with Earth-like surface water. The Red Planet was a wet world in the ancient past.

Mars was always too small to hold onto its oceans, rivers and lakes

By Mike Wall

Mars was doomed to desiccation by its small size, a new study suggests.

Skywatching

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Astrophotographer Jeff Berkes captured this photo of a Taurid meteor over Assateague Island National Seashore along the eastern shore of Maryland around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5th. The Taurid meteor shower <a href=http://www.space.com/34587-taurid-meteor-shower-guide.html>will be visible</a> through late November.

An overview of the fall skies of 2021

By Joe Rao

There's a lot to look at between now and the December solstice: two eclipses, four meteor showers, Venus reaching its pinnacle in brilliance and a potential bright comet!

Mercury will reach dichotomy, meaning the planet appears half-illuminated as seen from Earth, on Oct. 23, 2021.

How to spot the 'elusive' planet Mercury in the night sky this month

By Joe Rao

For the next two and a half weeks, early-morning skywatchers will have an excellent opportunity to spot the so-called "elusive planet" — Mercury.

There's a lot going in space this year. Check out our up-to-date space launch schedule and calendar here!

Space calendar 2021: Rocket launches, sky events, missions & more!

By Hanneke Weitering

Here's a guide to all the rocket launches and astronomical events in 2021, as well as milestones for space missions, anniversaries and conferences.

Entertainment

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SpaceX's SN20 Starship prototype performs its first-ever static fire test on Oct. 21, 2021, in this still from a video captured by Spadre.com.

Live Space Chat! 'Dune' goes to space, Mars helicopter survives blackout, SpaceX Starship roars to life

By Chelsea Gohd

Today (Oct. 22), Space Chat will explore what's new in space, including "Dune" in space, a Martian blackout and SpaceX's Starship roaring to life.

The season 2 trailer of "Snoopy in Space" on Apple TV+ is here and it looks like an interstellar adventure.

The 'Snoopy in Space' season 2 trailer from Apple TV+ has the right (animated) stuff

By Scott Snowden

The (first and only) trailer for the second season of Apple TV+'s "Snoopy in Space" has arrived and it's the epic animated interstellar adventure you didn't know you needed.

Best VR headsets: Oculus Quest 2, Valve Index, PSVR, and more...

Best VR headsets: Oculus Quest 2, Valve Index, PSVR, and more...

By Gerald Lynch

From the Valve Index to the Oculus Quest 2, these are the best VR headsets money can buy.

References

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There's a lot going in space this year. Check out our up-to-date space launch schedule and calendar here!

Space calendar 2021: Rocket launches, sky events, missions & more!

By Hanneke Weitering

Here's a guide to all the rocket launches and astronomical events in 2021, as well as milestones for space missions, anniversaries and conferences.

Best VR headsets: Oculus Quest 2, Valve Index, PSVR, and more...

Best VR headsets: Oculus Quest 2, Valve Index, PSVR, and more...

By Gerald Lynch

From the Valve Index to the Oculus Quest 2, these are the best VR headsets money can buy.

Best cameras for astrophotography: image shows nighttime stars

Best cameras for astrophotography

By Jason Parnell-Brookes

Here's our roundup of the best cameras for astrophotography. Whether you love DSLRs, mirrorless, or dedicated astro cameras, we’ve got something for everybody