A CubeSat is flying to the moon to make sure Lunar Gateway"s orbit is stable
Before this decade is over, NASA will send astronauts to the moon for the first time since the Apollo Era. As part of the Artemis Program, NASA also plans to establish the infrastructure that will allow for a "sustained program of lunar exploration.".....»»
See a flyby of Io, a hellish moon with lakes of lava and an otherworldly mountain
NASA's Juno spacecraft has been investigating Jupiter's moon Io, the most volcanically active body in the solar system, and has observed some dramatic features......»»
NASA may alter Artemis III to have Starship and Orion dock in low-Earth orbit
If it were to happen, a revised Artemis III mission could echo Apollo 9. Enlarge / This image taken by NASA's Orion spacecraft shows its view just before the vehicle flew behind the Moon in 2022. (credit: NASA) Although.....»»
This AI-controlled jet fighter has now flown against human pilots
After flying against simulated opponents, the AI agent has taken on humans. Enlarge / The X-62A VISTA Aircraft flying above Edwards Air Force Base, California. (credit: Kyle Brasier, U.S. Air Force) An AI test pilot has.....»»
Watch how NASA plans to land a car-sized drone on Titan
Watch the cool way in which NASA is aiming to land its car-sized Dragonfly drone on Titan, Saturn's largest moon......»»
Baby white sharks prefer being closer to shore, scientists find
Remember #BabyShark? And no, this was not the very catchy song for kids that took the internet by storm. Earlier this year, social media was abuzz with stunning footage of a newborn great white shark, captured by a flying drone......»»
NASA"s Juno gives aerial views of mountain and lava lake on Io
Scientists on NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter have transformed data collected during two recent flybys of Io into animations that highlight two of the Jovian moon's most dramatic features: a mountain and an almost glass-smooth lake of cooling lava. Ot.....»»
How insects control their wings: The mysterious mechanics of insect flight
Many of us would love the superpower to fly, and for good reason: Flight offers a crucial evolutionary advantage. Flying enables an animal to travel large distances quickly, in search of food and new habitats, while expending far less energy than wal.....»»
The Lyrid meteor shower peaks this weekend, but it may be hard to see it
The Lyrid meteor shower is underway. But with a nearly full moon in the sky during the peak, it might be tough to see clearly......»»
NASA gives green light to mission to send car-sized drone to Saturn moon
NASA’s Mars helicopter mission is now officially over, but following it is an even more complex flying machine destined to explore Saturn’s largest moon......»»
NASA green-lights mission to send car-sized drone to Saturn moon
NASA’s Mars helicopter mission is now officially over, but following it is an even more complex flying machine destined to explore Saturn’s largest moon......»»
Astronauts to patch up NASA"s NICER telescope
NASA is planning to repair NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer), an X-ray telescope on the International Space Station, during a spacewalk later this year. It will be the fourth science observatory in orbit serviced by astronauts......»»
NASA"s Dragonfly rotorcraft mission to Saturn"s moon Titan confirmed
NASA has confirmed its Dragonfly rotorcraft mission to Saturn's organic-rich moon Titan. The decision allows the mission to progress to the completion of the final design, followed by the construction and testing of the entire spacecraft and science.....»»
Saturn"s ocean moon Enceladus could support life—researchers are working out how to detect extraterrestrial cells there
Saturn has 146 confirmed moons—more than any other planet in the solar system—but one called Enceladus stands out. It appears to have the ingredients for life......»»
NASA Goddard to build quake detector for Artemis III moon landing
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, will build a moonquake detector for astronauts to deploy on the moon in 2026 during the Artemis III mission, which will return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in more than.....»»
Birds of a feather flocking together: Research shows storks prefer to fly with conspecifics during migration
With long legs and large wings, the white stork is a prominent star of the pageant that is animal migration. Flying from Europe towards Africa in autumn, and then back again in spring, birds can be seen taking to the sky in conspicuous flocks that he.....»»
Starliner spacecraft just took a major step toward first crewed flight
Boeing has stacked the Starliner spacecraft atop an Atlas V rocket ahead of the capsule's first crewed flight to orbit next month......»»
Second-biggest black hole in the Milky Way found
May help explain why we see so many of these monsters colliding. Enlarge / The star's orbit, shown here in light, is influenced by the far more massive black hole, indicated by the red orbit. (credit: ESO/L. Calçada) As.....»»
NASA"s VIPER moon rover gets its head and neck
In this image from Feb. 12, 2024, engineers lift a mast into place on NASA's VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) robotic moon rover. VIPER's mast and the suite of instruments affixed to it look a lot like the rover's "neck" and "h.....»»
The history of the young cold traps of the asteroid Ceres
Ceres, the largest asteroid in our solar system, harbors a dark secret: extremely young ice deposits in permanently shadowed craters near its poles. If that sounds vaguely familiar, it's because our moon and planet Mercury also have such polar ice de.....»»
Orbital eccentricity may have led to young underground ocean on Saturn"s moon Mimas
Saturn's moon Mimas could have grown a huge underground ocean as its orbital eccentricity decreased to its present value and caused its icy shell to melt and thin......»»