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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NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter captured this image of its own shadow on March 21, 2023, during its 48th flight on the Red Planet.

Mars helicopter Ingenuity aces 48th flight on the Red Planet

By Robert Lea published

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter took to the Martian skies again on Tuesday (March 21), making its 48th flight above the floor of Jezero Crater.

The Port in-space manufacturing facility envisioned by Arkisys for the U.S. Space Force.

US Space Force wants to test how to build satellites in orbit with $1.6 million Arkisys deal

By Jeff Spry published

Arkisys Inc. and its partners awarded $1.6 million contract by the U.S. Space Force for scalable spaceport.

The second stage of Relativity Space's first Terran 1 rocket comes to life briefly after stage separation during a test launch on March 22, 2023. It failed to reach orbit.

Watch Relativity Space launch world's 1st 3D-printed rocket on March 22

By Mike Wall last updated

Relativity Space aims to launch its pioneering Terran 1 rocket tonight (March 22) at 10 p.m. EDT (0200 GMT on March 23). Watch it live here.

Artist's illustration of a moon base powered by Rolls-Royce microreactors.

Rolls-Royce gets funding to develop miniature nuclear reactor for moon base

By Josh Dinner published

The U.K. Space Agency has decided to continue funding a project by Rolls-Royce to create a small nuclear-powered reactor that could serve as a long-term energy source for lunar bases.

Artist's impression of CatSat with its antenna inflated in orbit around Earth. To compensate for any small leaks it may incur from encounters with space debris or micrometeorites, the engineers provided it with enough gas onboard to completely refill the "balloon" 25 times.

Student-led 'beach ball' space antenna aims to boost cubesat communications

By Josh Dinner published

University of Arizona students' inflatable "beach ball" antenna prototype could change the way small satellites send data back to Earth.

Hypersonic missiles can change course to avoid detection and anti-missile defenses.

Suspected US hypersonic missile test launch from Cape Canaveral scrubbed

By Andrew Jones published

The U.S. Department of Defense scrubbed a test launch of an undisclosed missile out of Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station earlier this month.

Relativity Space's first Terran 1 rocket is fueled for flight during its second launch attempt at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on March 11, 2023.

Relativity Space aborts launch of Terran 1, the world's first 3D-printed rocket, twice in 1 day

By Tariq Malik published

An attempt by startup Relativity Space to launch the world's first 3D-printed rocket was cut short by two aborts in one day on Saturday (March 11).

Relativity Space's first Terran 1 rocket is fueled for flight during its first launch attempt at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on March 8, 2023.

Relativity Space scrubs debut launch attempt of world's 1st 3D-printed rocket after abort

By Tariq Malik published

The space startup Relativity Space called off the first-ever flight of its new 3D-printed rocket on Wednesday (March 8) after a last-minute abort and temperature issues during the countdown.

Relativity Space's first Terran 1 rocket on the pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Watch Relativity Space abort the launch of Terran 1, world's 1st 3D-printed rocket, on second try

By Mike Wall last updated

Relativity Space's Terran 1 rocket, the world's first 3D-printed launcher, is scheduled to lift off Saturday (March 11) at 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT). Watch it live here.

The Haughton Impact Crater is similar to Mars in many ways, making it a great place for researchers to test new technology that could one day be used to explore other planets. Here a team of researchers working on the ground are seen from a drone.

Designing a drone that can search for life on other planets

By Nina Lanza published

We have yet to find microbial life on another planet. But with the assistance of autonomous drones, we may be able to find it sooner rather than later.

The European Union recently adopted the proposal for the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnection and Security by Satellites (IRISS) constellation, which will provide broadband connectivity via up to 170 satellites.

European Union to build its own satellite-internet constellation

By Andrew Jones published

Europe's planned IRISS constellation will consist of 170 satellites and provide a multi-orbital connectivity infrastructure.

An illustration of Relativity Space's Terran 1 rocket launching into space.

Relativity Space sets launch of world's 1st 3D-printed rocket for March 8

By Elizabeth Howell published

The 3D-printed Terran 1 rocket from Relativity Space will fly from Florida's space coast, and will also mark the first natural liquid natural gas booster in space if all goes to plan.

A U.S. Air Force pilot looked down at the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon as it hovered over the Central Continental United States February 3, 2023.

This photo of China's spy balloon taken from a U-2 reconnaissance plane is absolutely bonkers (video)

By Brett Tingley published

The Department of Defense released an image taken from the cockpit of a U-2 spy plane of the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that floated over the United States earlier this month.

A photograph taken by the Perseverance rover of the Ingenuity helicopter on the surface of Mars in April 2021, just after the rover deployed the chopper.

Mars helicopter Ingenuity's historic 1st flights shed light on Martian dust dynamics

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

Scientists analyzing videos of Ingenuity's historic first flights on Mars are learning more about dust behavior on the Red Planet.

A photograph taken by the Perseverance rover of the Ingenuity helicopter on the surface of Mars in April 2021, just after the rover deployed the chopper.

Ingenuity helicopter aces 43rd Mars flight, its longest in 10 months

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter conducted its 43rd Mars flight on Thursday (Feb. 16), covering 1,280 feet (390 meters) of Red Planet ground.

Artist's illustration of PneumoCell's proposed "PneumoPlanet" habitats on the surface of the moon.

'PneumoPlanet' inflatable moon habitat could house 32 astronauts

By Laurence Tognetti published

The PneumoPlanet inflatable lunar habitat offers an opportunity for future lunar astronauts to comfortably live, eat and work on the moon, its designers say.

Gamma ray bursts happen when neutron stars collide or when giant stars explode into black holes, releasing jets of super-energetic photons that look like narrow beams of a flashlight.

A fleet of gamma-ray burst detecting cubesats could help crack mystery of neutron star mergers

By Tereza Pultarova published

A constellation of tiny satellites could revolutionize the study of the most energetic explosion in the cosmos and help astronomers untangle the mysteries of colliding neutron stars.

A graphic illustration showing an Intuitive Machines' lander on the surface of the moon with Earth in the background.

Intuitive Machines now targeting moon's south pole for delayed lunar landing mission

By Elizabeth Howell published

A United States company may touch down on the moon for the first time in 2023, but who will make the debut landing is hard to predict.

The Vulcan first stage is hoisted into the Vertical Integration Facility at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in late January 2023.

Stack it up! ULA assembles 1st Vulcan Centaur rocket ahead of debut launch (photos)

By Elizabeth Howell published

ULA's heavy-lift Vulcan Centaur rocket could launch for the first time in the next few months, if testing continues to go well.

An illustration of Relativity Space's Terran 1 rocket launching into space.

Relativity Space stacks 3D-printed rocket on launch pad ahead of 1st flight

By Elizabeth Howell published

The 3D-printed Terran 1 rocket from Relativity Space may make its debut flight later this month if all goes to plan, marking the first liquid natural gas booster to reach orbit.