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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a map of earth overlaid with different colors representing the strength of the planet's magnetic field at each location

We need a better way to map Earth's magnetic field. Finding it could win 1 of these teams $2 million

By Keith Cooper published

Three teams have progressed through to the final round of the MagQuest Challenge to design a better way of measuring the shifts in the geomagnetic field.

a yellow tube with fins underwater

Next stop, Europa? Nano subs to get test beneath Antarctic ice in 2026

By Andrew Jones published

A European collaboration aims to break through some of the technological barriers to the exploration of icy moons like Jupiter's Europa, using Antarctica as a proving ground.

a squat metal cylinder hovers above the ground with a plume of fire beneath it

Stoke Space gets closer to 100% reusable rocket with successful 'Hopper' test flight (video)

By John Loeffler published

Stoke Space successfully tested its Hopper vehicle, showcasing innovative designs for its second stage rocket while aiming for full rocket reusability.

a triangular black plane with two differently-shaped red patches on each wing flies against a blue sky.

Polaris Spaceplanes wraps up MIRA-Light prototype flight tests

By Josh Dinner published

German company Polaris Spaceplanes completed the flight campaign for its MIRA-Light prototype vehicle, and now plans to use that data on a scaled-up version with a linear aerospike engine.

people in spacesuits on the surface of mars surrounded by metal buildings

Mars Society proposes institute to develop tech needed for Red Planet settlement

By Robert Lea published

A new initiative from the Mars Society suggests a new institute be established that could help develop the technologies needed for humans to settle on the Red Planet.

Two 1st responders are seen in an orange-hued scene. The one on the left is holding the squishy robot which looks like a sphere trapped inside a multi-pronged frame.

A squishy robot built for Mars is helping 1st responders on Earth in rescue operations

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

A spherical, impact-resilient robot, which was developed to gather data and perform science on the moon or Mars, has demonstrated its usefulness to first responders here on Earth.

a white and black humanoid robot lifts a small cardboard box.

NASA hopes humanoid robots can help us explore the moon and Mars

By John Loeffler published

NASA is exploring the capabilities of several next-gen humanoid robots that it hopes will one day assist astronauts in orbit and mine the moon for minerals.

The Square Kilometer Array's site in Australia will rely on 130,000 Christmas-tree like dipole antennas to listen to radio waves emitted by objects in the most distant universe.

Electronics on world's largest radio telescope are more radio-quiet than a smartphone on the moon

By Tereza Pultarova published

New electronic devices designed to power antennas of the world's largest radio telescope are so quiet that they'll cause less disturbance than a mobile phone on the moon.

a man in a light blue shirt adjusts dials on a machine that generates a bright blue light.

'Artificial star' helps test satellite navigation systems (photo)

By Rahul Rao published

The builders of star trackers need to test their tools before launching them aboard satellites. And that's where star simulators come in handy.

a round metal ball separated in two halves.

Japan's SLIM moon lander is carrying this transforming ball robot (it's not BB-8)

By Josh Dinner published

A small, spherical robot will roll and walk across the lunar surface thanks to some children's toy technologies.

technicians in white coats work on a shiny silvery spacecraft inside a white-walled room.

SpaceX launch of NASA's Psyche mission to bizarre metal asteroid just 1 month away

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Psyche mission is scheduled to launch atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on Oct. 5 and begin heading toward its metal-asteroid namesake.

a fiery structure against a black sky.

Here's our last look at Europe's Aeolus satellite falling to its fiery death (photo)

By Andrew Jones published

ESA's wind-measuring Aeolus satellite was spotted before its flaming demise over Antarctica.

a small plane sits on the runway at sunset.

Boom's supersonic jet moves toward debut flight (photos)

By Robert Lea published

Boom Technology's XB-1 supersonic jet has passed key milestones on the path to its historic first flight.

a telescope on a mountaintop under a very starry sky

Hackers shut down 2 of the world's most advanced telescopes

By Brett Tingley published

The U.S. National Science Foundation reported that a cybersecurity incident has temporarily shut down operations at its Gemini North Telescope in Hawaii and Gemini South Telescope in Chile.

Where best to set up Artemis Base Camp? Researchers are homing in on sites that feature long-duration access to sunlight, direct-to-Earth communication and gentle slopes and also offer access to permanently shadowed regions that may contain water ice.

DARPA wants to build a 'thriving commercial economy' on the moon in 10 years

By Josh Dinner published

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is seeking rapid develop of technologies to support the foundation for an integrated lunar infrastructure.

An illustration shows XRISM set to launch on Sat Aug. 26 as it studies the distant Coma cluster of galaxies in X-rays

New XRISM X-ray mission to study the most violent events in the universe will launch on Aug. 26

By Robert Lea published

XRISM will observe X-rays released by extreme phenomena to assist scientists in studying our universe's evolution.

A helicopter-like vehicle with six propellers on its sides and a red racing stripe houses two people.

NASA propulsion technology brings 'flying cars' closer to reality

By John Loeffler published

The Epiphany Transporter is the latest 'flying car' effort to be unveiled, but this one has NASA engineering at its back.

A satellite scans an asteroid, represented by repeated blue radar arrays emanating from the probe/

Asteroid struck by NASA's DART probe to be radar-scanned with Hera mission

By Josh Dinner published

The radar component for a CubeSat is being sent to study asteroid Dimorphos has been delivered to ESA for integration with its spacecraft.

The Hestia sustem which turns a smartphone into a smarttelescope for astrophotography

Vaonis' Hestia Kickstarter to turn smartphones into smart telescopes crosses $2 million with a week to go

By Robert Lea published

A Kickstarter campaign for Hestia, a system that turns a smartphone into a smart telescope, has crossed the $2 million dollar mark with under a week left to go.

Images from the Atlas survey showing the potentially hazardous asteroid 2022 SF289 marked by red boxes

AI algorithm discovers 'potentially hazardous' asteroid 600 feet wide in a 1st for astronomy

By Robert Lea published

A new AI algorithm programmed to hunt for potentially dangerous near-Earth asteroids has spotted its first space rock.