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Incredible Technology

At the center of space exploration beats a heart of incredible technological marvels and innovation that inspires scientists and engineers to reach for the stars. See some of the wildest space tech concepts here, as well as technologies needed to ensure humanity's expansion across the solar system.

Related Topics: 3D Printing, Curiosity Mars Rover Mission, SpaceX, International Space Station 

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This NASA illustration depicts an O'Neill Cylinder: a floating human habitat orbiting an alien planet. A new paper proposes building a mega-colony of them around the dwarf planet, Ceres.

Humans could move to this floating asteroid belt colony in the next 15 years, astrophysicist says

By Brandon Specktor

A new paper proposes building a 'megasatellite' of human habitats around the dwarf planet Ceres.

omega speedmaster watches

Omega debuts next generation of NASA-qualified Speedmaster moonwatches

By Robert Z. Pearlman

A new generation of the first watch worn on the moon carries on its iconic Apollo-era look while introducing the highest level of precision available from a modern Swiss-made chronograph.

boeing solar arrays international space station

Boeing to boost space station power supply with new solar arrays

By Robert Z. Pearlman

The International Space Station will soon be augmented with six new arrays to power its continued and expanded use.

duaxel rover

This transforming NASA rover can go places others could only dream of

By Kasandra Brabaw

A new "transforming" rover in development at NASA will be able to explore rough terrain unlike any rover before it.

"Space Explorers: The ISS Experience" offers the public the chance to experience life on board the International Space Station as never possible or available before.

'ISS Experience' puts viewers aboard the space station in 3D 360-degree VR

By Robert Z. Pearlman

You could be the next crew member on the International Space Station with the VR app "Space Explorers: The ISS Experience."

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, formerly known as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), is currently under construction on Cerro Pachón in Chile.

Rubin Observatory and Google will store astronomy data in the cloud

By Elizabeth Howell

The new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has announced a three-year agreement with Google to host data from astronomy observations in the cloud.

Internal projection of a bladed disk ("blisk") to be printed by Made In Space's Ceramic Manufacturing Module.

Made In Space makes ceramic turbine part in orbit in another 3D printing milestone

By Mike Wall

Made In Space just built its first ceramic part in orbit, 3D printing a single-piece turbine part onboard the International Space Station.

Artist's illustration of a fission power system on the surface of Mars using four 10-kilowatt units.

Trump signs Space Policy Directive-6 on space nuclear power and propulsion

By Mike Wall

Nuclear power will be a big part of the United States' space exploration efforts going forward, a new policy document affirms.

The U.S. Space Command reports that Russia tested a space-based anti-satellite weapon in orbit on Dec. 16, 2020. This image shows the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia, the site of another Russian anti-satellite missile test in April 2020.

Russia has launched an anti-satellite missile test, US Space Command says

By Hanneke Weitering

Russia has launched a new anti-satellite missile test, its latest push to weaponize space, U.S. Space Command officials said Wednesday (Dec. 16).

SpaceX launched its first high-altitude test flight of the Starship SN8 rocket from Boca Chica, Texas on Dec. 9, 2020. The rocket performed well but did not stick its landing.

SpaceX's Starship SN8 prototype soars on epic test launch, with explosive landing

By Mike Wall

The Starship prototype flew smoothly for 6 minutes and 42 seconds before missing its landing.

SpaceX's Starship SN8 rocket prototype stands atop its test stand at the company's Boca Chica, Texas facility during an attempted high-altitude launch test on Dec. 8, 2020.

SpaceX aborts Starship SN8 prototype test launch at last second

By Mike Wall

SpaceX's first attempt to launch a Starship prototype on a high-altitude test flight ended with a last-second abort in Texas on Tuesday (Dec. 8).

the pitranger

Moon pit diver: This tiny rover could explore the lunar underworld

By Leonard David

New technologies could allow exploration of skylights, lava tubes and caverns on the moon — underground environments that human explorers may be able to exploit in the not-too-distant future.

Artist impressions of a solar disk in space.

Solar power stations in space could be the answer to our energy needs

By Amanda Jane Hughes, Stefanie Soldini

It sounds like science fiction: giant solar power stations floating in space that beam down enormous amounts of energy to Earth.

Boom Supersonic unveiled its XB-1 supersonic passenger aircraft in October 2020.

Boom Supersonic will test fly its new faster-than-sound XB-1 jet in 2021

By Elizabeth Howell

Aviation startup Boom Supersonic plans to fly a supersonic jet demonstrator in 2021, the company recently announced.

An image tweeted by Stratolaunch shows half a prototype skin for the company's Talon-A reusable hypersonic vehicle.

Stratolaunch starts building Talon hypersonic plane for Mach 6 flights

By Elizabeth Howell

Stratolaunch has started construction on a prototype of a Mach 6 vehicle designed to launch from the world's biggest airplane.

The "impossible" EmDrive engine, which purportedly generates thrust by bouncing microwaves around inside a cone-shaped chamber.

Can the EmDrive actually work for space travel?

By Paul Sutter

The EmDrive doesn't just violate our fundamental understanding of the universe; the experiments that claim to measure an effect haven't been replicated. When it comes to the EmDrive, keep dreaming.

Sphingomonas desiccabilis, one of three microbes chosen for the BioRock experiment, seen growing on basalt.

Microbe 'biominers' could help humanity build settlements on other worlds

By Mike Wall

Bacteria successfully extracted resources from rocks in microgravity and at simulated Mars gravity, suggesting that "biomining" has real potential to aid off-Earth settlement, a new study reports.

An artist's depiction of astronauts working on the moon.

NASA awards $370 million to private companies to aid moon exploration push

By Mike Wall

SpaceX, Astrobotic and a dozen other companies just got an infusion of NASA cash to develop potentially game-changing exploration technologies.

The first stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lands on May 30, 2020, after launching the Demo-2 mission toward the International Space Station. Russia plans to develop a new rocket called the Amur whose first stage will land in a similar fashion.

Russia planning to go reusable in 2026 with new Amur rocket

By Mike Wall

The Amur looks a lot like a SpaceX Falcon 9.

The Space Foundation's Space Technology Hall of Fame will celebrate its 2020 inductees on Oct. 8, 2020.

Watch the Space Technology Hall of Fame 2020 induct 3 vital communication spinoffs from space tech

By Elizabeth Howell

Three commercial space technologies devoted to distance communications will be inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame today (Oct. 8). Here's how you can watch it live.