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NASA is making a powerful new ion engine to send astronauts to Mars — and it just passed its 1st test

By Keith Cooper published

A prototype ion engine that uses lithium metal vapor as a propellant has aced its first tests, achieving 25 times more power than the ion engine on the Psyche mission.

27 Comments
Technology
the words "nasa national aeronauts and space administration" are etched into the stone facade of a building under a glass awning

Trump's proposed NASA budget is a 'horrible threat to our future' in space, Planetary Society CEO says

By Elizabeth Howell published

In conversation with Space.com, the new Planetary Society CEO talked about the fight to restore NASA's funding again 2027.

6 Comments
Space Exploration
NASA astronaut Chris Williams photographed this fireball — likely caused by reentering orbital debris — from the International Space Station on April 27, 2026.

'It was quite a light show!' NASA astronaut spies dramatic fireball from the International Space Station (photos)

By Mike Wall published

NASA astronaut Chris Williams photographed a fireball from above recently, capturing the stunning site from aboard the International Space Station.

International Space Station
An image of the Ucayali River taken from space shows the river snaking in a light brown color across dark blue and green land with some small fluffy white clouds overhead.

An Amazon rainforest river from space | Space photo of the day for April 30, 2026

By Chelsea Gohd published

The Ucayali River snakes across the rainforest in this image captured by NASA astronaut Jessica Meir from the International Space Station.

Earth
a man in a suit speaks into a microphone

NASA chief Jared Isaacman says he's fighting for Pluto: 'I am very much in the camp of 'make Pluto a planet again'

By Mike Wall published

Should Pluto be a bona fide planet again? NASA is working to "revisit the discussion" on Pluto's planethood status, according to agency chief Jared Isaacman.

131 Comments
Pluto
A Russian Soyuz rocket launches the Progress 95 cargo ship toward the International Space Station on April 25, 2026.

Russia launches 3 tons of cargo to the International Space Station from Kazakhstan (video)

By Mike Wall last updated

Russia launched its latest Progress cargo ship toward the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome on Saturday (April 25).

Launches & Spacecraft
an astronaut climbs along the outside of a cylindrical spacecraft above the moon

How did the USSR win the space race to beat the US to the moon in Apple TV's new 'Star City'?

By Jeff Spry published

"I take this step for my country, for my people, and for the Marxist-Leninist way of life."

2 Comments
Space Movies & Shows
An illustration of a super-Earth exoplanet orbiting its star with very different siblings

NASA's TESS spacecraft discovers a weird system of exoplanets unlike anything seen before

By Robert Lea published

"Most planetary systems appear as 'peas in a pod.' This is not the case in the TOI-201 system."

8 Comments
Exoplanets
Three large solar panels hang in the back of a cleanroom warehouse room where two workers dressed in white suits stand in the foreground

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, NASA's next great observatory, is finally complete

By Monisha Ravisetti published

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is set to launch this coming September, has the potential to show us pockets of the cosmos we've yet to touch.

4 Comments
Space Exploration
a streak of light crosses a starry sky above a dark earth below it

Astronauts photograph Lyrid meteor shower from ISS | Space photo of the day for April 21, 2026

By Chelsea Gohd published

NASA's Jessica Meir spotted the Lyrids from aboard the space station.

Human Spaceflight
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