Space Technology - Space Exploration Technologies

An image of one of Accion's small electric-propulsion systems.

Accion raises $11 million to refine its dime-size spacecraft thrusters

By Sarah Wells

Ion propulsion company Accion Systems has raised $11 million in its latest funding round and has launches and contracts planned this year with NASA, the DoD and academic institutions.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has successfully deployed its giant primary mirror in an important pre-launch test.

Watch NASA's James Webb Space Telescope unfold its golden mirror for the 1st time (video)

By Chelsea Gohd

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has fully deployed its primary mirror for the first time, marking another milestone on its journey to space.

An artist's depiction of a solar particle storm flinging plasma off the sun.

For NASA's next sun mission, 6 tiny spacecraft will work as one massive telescope

By Meghan Bartels

Want to build the largest radio telescope to fly in space to date? Here's an easier technique: Design six tiny satellites to fly in formation and work together.

Celestron Astro Fi 130 telescope: Full review

By Gemma Lavender, All About Space magazine

Celestron's Astro Fi 130 combines good optics with the latest in telescope technology — but is it the right telescope for you?

Artist's illustration of SpaceX's Starship on the moon.

SpaceX unveils users' guide for giant Starship rocket

By Mike Wall

SpaceX just released a users' guide for Starship, the reusable spaceship-rocket combo the company is developing to help colonize Mars.

"Bridge" ventilators developed by experts in collaboration with Virgin Orbit.

Virgin Orbit designs new ventilator as part of Virgin Group's efforts to combat coronavirus

By Chelsea Gohd

The small-satellite launch company Virgin Orbit has developed a new ventilator meant to be mass-producible to help support teams taking care of patients affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Stratolaunch's Talon-A, shown here in an artist's concept, is one of several new hypersonic vehicles to be launched from the company's massive carrier plane, the world's largest aircraft.

Stratolaunch to launch hypersonic vehicles from world's biggest airplane

By Mike Wall

Stratolaunch has found another use for the biggest airplane ever built.

Will future lunar homes be made with the help of human urine?

Astronauts could use their own urine to build moon bases one day

By Chelsea Gohd

When humans return to the moon to stay, where will they live? Well, it turns out they might stay in buildings made out of astronaut pee.

Production of NASA's new X-59 supersonic jet continues amid coronavirus outbreak

By Chelsea Gohd

"Lockheed Martin is continuing with X-59 production operations."

NASA's Mars Helicopter seen in testing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 10, 2020.

NASA's Mars Helicopter makes last spin on Earth before before July launch

By Meghan Bartels

NASA's next mission to Mars will carry what is meant to become the first aircraft to fly on another planet, and that experimental helicopter just spun its blades on Earth for the last time.

An Arianespace Soyuz rocket launches 34 new OneWeb internet satellites into orbit from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on March 21, 2020.

OneWeb, a satellite internet startup, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

By Tariq Malik

Satellite internet startup OneWeb has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a move that comes less than a week after the company launched nearly three dozen satellites into orbit.

Elon Musk posted this photo of SpaceX's recently stacked Starship prototype, the SN3, on March 26, 2020.

SpaceX stacks third Starship prototype ahead of testing (photos)

By Mike Wall

The SN3 could take to the skies soon.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine addressed staff questions about the agency's response to the coronavirus pandemic during a virtual town hall filmed on March 25, 2020.

NASA weighs measures to contribute to US coronavirus pandemic fight

By Meghan Bartels

Welcome to the future: 11 ideas that went from science fiction to reality

By Lee Cavendish, All About Space magazine

These science fiction technologies have revolutionized humanity.

Welders wanted: SpaceX is hiring to ramp up production of stainless steel Starship

By Mike Wall

SpaceX wants to get Starship up and running soon.

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk discusses the company's successful Falcon Heavy rocket test launch in February 2018.

Elon Musk says he'll have 1,200 ventilators ready to deliver this week

By Mike Wall

Elon Musk wants to make a big contribution to the coronavirus fight.

The new Our Galaxy app contains thousands of deep-sky objects that can be displayed in their true locations within our home galaxy, the Milky Way, and viewed from any perspective. This view shows how globular clusters, densely packed balls of ancient stars, orbit the galactic core like bees around a hive. M13 is a bright globular cluster that is easily visible in backyard telescopes during the summer months.

Mobile astronomy: Put the Milky Way in your pocket with 'Our Galaxy' smartphone app

By Chris Vaughan

A new fun and educational app called "Our Galaxy" lets smartphone users explore the cosmos from the palm of their hand.

The 512-processor SGI Altix supercomputer, at NASA Ames Research Center, named 'Kalpana' after Columbia astronaut and Ames alumna Kalpana Chawla, is being used to develop substantially more capable simulation models to better assess the evolution and behavior of the Earth's climate system.

NASA supercomputers join fight against coronavirus

By Meghan Bartels

As the U.S. scrambles to respond to the spreading COVID-19 pandemic, NASA supercomputers are joining the effort to look for potential treatment and vaccine candidates.

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk discusses the company's successful Falcon Heavy rocket test in February 2018.

Elon Musk offers to make ventilators for coronavirus patients

By Mike Wall

Elon Musk offered to manufacture breathing machines for sufferers of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

An illustration of a concept for a possible wind-powered Venus rover.

NASA asks public to design sensors for Venus rover concept

By Elizabeth Howell

NASA is asking the public to help them explore "hell," as the agency terms it — the roasting surface of the planet Venus.