Expert Q&A: NASA"s cancellation of VIPER is a frustrating setback for lunar exploration
In July 2024, NASA announced it canceled its plans to send the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the moon's southern polar region. The rover was meant to search for water and other resources called volatiles, such as hydrogen.....»»
Lab work digs into gullies seen on giant asteroid Vesta by NASA"s Dawn
Pocked with craters, the surfaces of many celestial bodies in our solar system provide clear evidence of a 4.6-billion-year battering by meteoroids and other space debris. But on some worlds, including the giant asteroid Vesta that NASA's Dawn missio.....»»
Report analyzes long history of NASA support for commercial space
NASA published a new report on Thursday highlighting 17 agency mechanisms that have directly and indirectly supported the development and growth of the U.S. commercial space sector for the benefit of humanity......»»
Avalanches, icy explosions and dunes: NASA is tracking New Year on Mars
Instead of a winter wonderland, the Red Planet's northern hemisphere goes through an active—even explosive—spring thaw. While New Year's Eve is around the corner here on Earth, Mars scientists are ahead of the game: The Red Planet completed a tri.....»»
Watch NASA’s SLS rocket take one small step toward the Artemis II moon mission
Though it isn't expected to launch until 2026 at the earliest, NASA is quietly preparing its SLS rocket for the Artemis II lunar mission......»»
ESA and NASA satellites deliver first joint picture of Greenland Ice Sheet melting
Academics from Northumbria University are part of an international research team which has used data from satellites to track changes in the thickness of the Greenland Ice Sheet......»»
Gateway: Wired for deep space
A maze of cables and sensors snakes through a major piece of Gateway, humanity's first space station around the moon, during a key testing phase earlier this year to ensure the lunar-orbiting science lab can withstand the harsh conditions of deep spa.....»»
Chang"e-6 farside basalts reveal a reinforced lunar dynamo
The evolution of the lunar dynamo is crucial for understanding the moon's deep interior structure, thermal history, and surface environment. A study by Chinese scientists conducted paleomagnetic analyses on basalts returned by the Chang'e-6 mission a.....»»
Watch NASA’s SLS rocket taking one small step toward Artemis II moon mission
Though it isn't expected to launch until 2026 at the earliest, NASA is quietly preparing its SLS rocket for the Artemis II lunar mission......»»
Apollo lunar mission samples reveal origins of lunar water and its connection to Earth"s early history
A team of international scientists has unveiled groundbreaking research on the origins of lunar water, offering insights that could reshape our understanding of the Earth-moon system and the broader solar system. Published in the journal Proceedings.....»»
Cenotectic concept redefines search for life on icy worlds
As NASA's Europa Clipper embarks on its historic journey to Jupiter's icy moon, Europa, Dr. Matt Powell-Palm, a faculty member at Texas A&M University's Department of Mechanical Engineering, has unveiled research that could transform our understandin.....»»
NASA payload aims to probe moon"s depths to study heat flow
Earth's nearest neighboring body in the solar system is its moon, yet to date, humans have physically explored just 5% of its surface. It wasn't until 2023—building on Apollo-era data and more detailed studies made in 2011–2012 by NASA's automate.....»»
NASA finds "sideways" black hole using legacy data and new techniques
NASA researchers have discovered a perplexing case of a black hole that appears to be "tipped over," rotating in an unexpected direction relative to the galaxy surrounding it. That galaxy, called NGC 5084, has been known for years, but the sideways s.....»»
Researchers explore, sample and interpret lunar volatiles in polar cold traps
The moon has both a South and North Pole, but just how cold are they? For context, Antarctica's coastal temperatures average around 14°F (-10°C), while the interior drops to -76°F (-60°C), making Earth's South Pole one of the coldest places on th.....»»
UN experts urge three "transformations" for nature
Human societies need a radical overhaul to stop the destruction of the planet, according to the UN biodiversity expert panel's "transformative change" report released Wednesday......»»
Expert shares factors increasing forest fire ignitions
As firefighters strive to contain the blaze threatening to consume homes in Malibu, California, other wildfires burn in Texas, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Virginia. Forest fires are natural phenomena, yet studies show they are becoming more wide.....»»
NASA again delays return of astronauts stranded on space station
Two US astronauts stranded for months on the International Space Station will remain there at least until late March, NASA said Tuesday as it announced another delay in the mission to bring them home......»»
Submarines for space exploration
Submarines are emerging as a unique research platform to study human adaption to extreme environments—from ocean depths to outer space......»»
NASA sees progress on Starlab commercial space station development
A NASA-funded commercial space station, Starlab, recently completed four key developmental milestones, marking substantial progress in the station's design and operational readiness......»»
NASA missions spot cosmic "wreath" displaying stellar circle of life
Since antiquity, wreaths have symbolized the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. It is fitting then that one of the best places for astronomers to learn more about the stellar lifecycle resembles a giant holiday wreath itself......»»
NASA telescopes capture a cosmic wreath for the holidays
Two NASA telescopes have worked together to capture a stunning view of a star cluster......»»