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Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft departed from the asteroid Ryugu on Nov. 12, 2019, to begin its journey back to Earth. This is one of the photos Hayabusa2 took of Ryugu shortly after its departure.

Japanese Asteroid Probe Tests Ion Engine for Journey Home to Earth

By Leonard David

A recent test of the ion engine that powers Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft went well, clearing the hardware for full-on operations soon, mission team members announced late last week.

A series of three photographs show a Dutch radio antenna as it unfolded from the Chinese lunar relay satellite, Queqiao.

Radio Telescope Unfurls 3 Antennas Beyond the Far Side of the Moon

By Meghan Bartels

In a quiet orbit around the far side of the moon, three radio antennas are now outstretched, craning for whispers from a mysterious period early in the universe's history.

Kat Coderre, the principal investigator for Lockheed Martin’s Stemrad vest, wears the radiation-blocking vest inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft. Orion will carry two dummies on the Artemis I mission, and the dummies will test out the new vest.

'Phantom' Vest-Wearing Dummies to Fly Around the Moon

By Elizabeth Howell

"Phantom women" dummies will make a trip around the moon in 2020 or so on a special mission: to protect all astronauts from radiation.

Michael Collins was filmed shaving with a Gillette Techmatic safety razor during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

Gillette Apollo Collection Razor Inspired by First Moon Landing Mission

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Gillette is commemorating the first moon landing 50 years after its razor was used on NASA's historic Apollo 11 mission.

Astronauts Luca Parmitano (in foreground) and Drew Morgan work outside the International Space Station on Dec. 2, 2019. Parmitano, positioned at the end of the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm, is holding the new pump module for the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) cosmic ray detector.

Spacewalkers Splice in New Pumps to Repair $2B Cosmic Ray Detector

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Astronauts Luca Parmitano and Andrew Morgan transplanted a new coolant pump system outside of the ISS, completing the third in a series of spacewalks to repair the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

An image of wrinkles in the moon's surface near Mare Frigoris, as seen by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Old NASA Moon Orbiter Finds New Life for Artemis Lunar Landing Project

By Meghan Bartels

NASA has a serious case of lunar fever, with an ambitious goal to land humans on the moon in 2024. Those plans rely on an existing spacecraft with origins dating to NASA's last moon-mission dreams.

LEGO Ideas NASA Apollo Saturn V 21309 Outer Space Model Rocket for Kids and Adults

Cyber Monday Lego Deals: The Best Lego Ideas for Space Fans

By Space.com Staff

For this Cyber Monday, we've scoured the web for the best deals on Lego sets that are space or science-themed, as well as many science-fiction-themed sets.

Looming some 135 million light-years from Earth in the constellation of Centaurus is the bright emission line galaxy NGC 3749, seen here in an image from the Hubble Space Telescope. Astronomers can learn a lot about a galaxy by studying its spectrum of light, particularly the wavelengths of light that are emitted or absorbed by elements it contains. NGC 3749 displays strong emission lines, which means that it is "bursting with star formation and energetic stellar newborns," the European Space Agency said in a statement.

Space Photos: The Most Amazing Images This Week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia

Here are our picks for the most amazing space photos of the week.

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket stands ready for launch at the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand, but it will have to wait a few more days to fly while the company conducts additional ground tests.

Rocket Lab Delays Planned Rocket Launch for More Ground Tests

By Elizabeth Howell

China's first heavy-lift Long March 5 rocket launched on Nov. 3, 2016.

China's Big Ambitions for Space Are Riding on a December Launch

By Andrew Jones

China recently staged a show test of its Mars lander looking ahead to the program's launch next summer. But an equally crucial mission component faces a different kind of test in December.

Boeing joined its Starliner spacecraft to a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Nov. 21, 2019.

Watch Boeing's Starliner Meet Its Rocket for the 1st Time in This Awesome Drone Video

By Elizabeth Howell

A drone flying around the Kennedy Space Center recently captured incredible footage of a small step forward for NASA's delayed commercial crew program.

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir (left), Christina Koch (center) and Andrew Morgan will celebrate a "Friendsgiving" in space for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday on the International Space Station this Nov. 28, 2019.

Thanksgiving in Space: For Astronauts, It's a Cosmic Friendsgiving!

By Elizabeth Howell

They may be circling hundreds of miles above the United States, but the three American residents of the International Space Station have a plan to celebrate Thanksgiving.

NASA wants to open the International Space Station up to more commercial activity.

NASA Wants to Book a Seat on a Short Private Mission to the Space Station

By Mike Wall

The orbital jaunt would last just 15 to 30 days.

The first selfie taken by NASA’s InSight lander on Mars. The 11-image composite, which was released on Dec. 11, 2018, shows the lander's solar panels and deck. Atop the deck are InSight’s science instruments, weather sensor booms and UHF antenna. The science instruments would later be deployed onto the Martian surface.

Happy Mars-iversary, InSight! NASA Lander Marks 1 Year on Red Planet

By Mike Wall

How time does fly: NASA's InSight Mars lander has now been on the Red Planet for a full (Earth) year.

Rocket Lab plans to use a helicopter to retrieve the first stage of its Electron booster shortly after launches. During the Nov. 28 liftoff of the "Running Out of Fingers" mission, the company will gather key data to see how far it is from attempting these dramatic recoveries.

Rocket Lab to Take Big Step Toward Reusability with Launch Friday

By Mike Wall

Rocket Lab will have a lot to be thankful for this Friday (Nov. 29), if all goes according to plan.

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Christina Koch and Andrew Morgan went through the pouches of food they will prepare for Thanksgiving 2019.

Space Stuffing? Here's What Astronauts Will Eat in Orbit This Thanksgiving

By Chelsea Gohd

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station plan on getting creative with their Thanksgiving meal.

Artist's illustration of Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lunar lander on the moon.

Private Moon Landers May Need More Customers Than Just NASA

By Elizabeth Howell

An off-Earth economy would ideally have lots of players.

An Indian Space Research Organisation Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle launches the Cartosat-3 satellite and 13 U.S. nanosatellites into orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Nov. 26, 2019.

India Launches Advanced Earth-Mapping Satellite and 13 US Cubesats

By Mike Wall

An Indian rocket delivered 14 satellites to orbit tonight (Nov. 26), including 12 for U.S. Earth imaging company Planet and a prototype for Analytical Space.

Ariane 5 Rocket Launches Satellites into Orbit for Egypt, Inmarsat

By Elizabeth Howell

Two communications satellites launched into orbit aboard Arianespace's workhorse rocket today (Nov. 26) in a bid to increase connectivity for mobile, civil and government customers.

A Russian Soyuz 2.1v rocket launches a classified military satellite into orbit from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russian on Nov. 25, 2019. The satellite can apparently track other satellites in orbit.

Russian Military Launches Secret Surveillance Satellite Into Orbit

By Elizabeth Howell

A Russian Soyuz rocket launched a top-secret military satellite designed to scope out other satellites in space on Monday (Nov. 25), according to government reports.