Space Infographics - Explaining the Universe in Pictures

NASA's Parker Solar Probe Mission to the Sun Explained (Infographic)

By Jef Castro

Learn all about NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission, which the agency aims to launch in July 2018. The spacecraft will get seven times closer to the sun than any probe ever has before.

On Jan. 31, 1958, the United States launched its first successful satellite: Explorer 1. See how the historic mission worked in this infographic.

Explorer 1: How the First American Satellite Worked (Infographic)

By Space.com Staff

On Jan. 31, 1958, the United States launched its first successful satellite: Explorer 1. See how the historic mission worked here.

There are a few icy worlds in the solar system that have the potential to host life.

Icy Water Moons That Might Host Life (Infographic)

By Calla Cofield

Alien life may be lurking right in Earth's cosmic backyard. Some of the icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter are known to harbor subsurface oceans that could provide habitable environments.

John Glenn's Mercury mission was the first American space flight around the world.

1st American in Orbit: How John Glenn (And NASA) Made History (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

See how John Glenn's Mercury mission put the first American in orbit in 1962 in this SPACE.com infographic.

Tiangong-2: China's Space Lab for Long Missions (Infographic)

By Michael Reis

Meet Proxima b: The Closest Exoplanet We Know Explained (Infographic)

By Michael Reis

In August 2016, astronomers announced that a potentially Earth-like planet orbits Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the sun. Learn about the exciting discovery in this infographic.

On May 9, 2016, Mercury crosses the face of the sun in a solar transit. See how Mercury transits work in our full infographic here.

Mercury Transit of 2016: A Rare Celestial Sight Explained (Infographic)

By Alan Eilander

On May 9, 2016, Mercury crosses the face of the sun in a solar transit. See how Mercury transits work in our full infographic here.

Beagle 2, an ESA Mars probe lost after landing.

Beagle 2 Mars Lander: How It Was Lost and Found on Red Planet (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

Paul Allen's Stratolaunch Systems plans to build a giant carrier vehicle in order to air-launch rockets to Earth orbit.

Stratolaunch: Biggest Aircraft in History to Launch Spaceships (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

Paul Allen's Stratolaunch Systems plans to build a giant carrier vehicle in order to air-launch rockets to Earth orbit.

Postage-stamp-sized space probes could make a flyby of planets around Alpha Centauri within 20 years after launch.

How Breakthrough Starshot's Interstellar Probes Would Work (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

Postage-stamp-sized space probes could make a flyby of planets around Alpha Centauri within 20 years after launch.

Facts about Hitomi, the JAXA satellite that fell silent shortly after orbiting Earth in early 2016.

Hitomi: Japan's X-Ray Astronomy Satellite Explained (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

Learn all about the X-ray astronomy satellite Hitomi, a satellite built by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency that launched in February 2016 and fell silent just over a month later.

Infographic: Bigelow Aerospace's BEAM expandable module will enhance the living area of the International Space Station.

Inflatable Space Stations of Bigelow Aerospace (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

Bigelow Aerospace's BEAM expandable module will enhance the living area of the International Space Station.

As the Earth and moon orbit the sun together, the moon goes through several ‘phases.’ SPACE.com explains the 8 major named phases of the moon.

Earth's Moon Phases, Monthly Lunar Cycles (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

Moon Astronomy Lesson: See the moon phases, and the difference between a waxing and waning crescent or gibbous moon, in this Space.com infographic about the lunar cycle each month.

Details of the ExoMars orbiter, lander and rover.

How Europe's ExoMars Missions to Mars Work (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

The European Space Agency's ExoMars project involves an orbiter, lander and rover, launched on two separate Proton rockets.

How the British Skylon Space Plane Works (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

The British company Reaction Engines Ltd. hopes to manufacture Skylon, a runway-to-orbit space plane using hybrid air-breathing rocket engines.

How XCOR's Lynx Space Plane Works (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

XCOR aims to take paying passengers on a suborbital weightless hop to the edge of space.

Facts about the proposed DARE spacecraft.

How the DARE Dark Ages Radio Explorer Spacecraft Would Work (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

DARE is a proposed lunar satellite that would study the early era of the universe when the stars first starting turning on.

'Planet Nine'-Type Worlds Are the Most Common Ones We Know (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

Mini-Neptunes outnumber other types of planets found by astronomers.

Chart details the causes of the destruction of Challenger on Jan. 28, 1986.

The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster: What Happened? (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

Chart details the causes of the destruction of Challenger on Jan. 28, 1986.

'Planet Nine': Facts About the Mysterious Solar System World (Infographic)

By Karl Tate

Researchers say an anomaly in the orbits of distant Kuiper Belt objects points to the existence of an unknown planet orbiting the sun.