Field: Aerospace
How NASA’s liquid lenses could revolutionize space exploration
NASA recently tested a liquid lens technology that could make a space telescope so large it would dwarf all that have come before.
Space Force backs 125 teams to take down orbital debris
The US Space Force is giving 125 teams up to $250,000 each to develop tech to deal with the orbital debris circling our planet.
China is going to try to move an asteroid
As part of its new planetary defense strategy, the China National Space Administration is going to launch a mission to redirect an asteroid.
Watch: Incredible jumping robot triples world record
A new jumping robot that can soar nearly 100 feet into the air might use the ability to explore the moon for NASA.
This hydrogen aircraft could really work
California startup HyPoint plans to make a hydrogen-powered aircraft with nearly three times the range of a turboprop commuter jet.
Watch a helicopter attempt to catch a falling rocket (Updated)
Aerospace startup Rocket Lab is going to attempt to catch a falling rocket using a long hook dangling from a helicopter.
How hypersonic missiles work and the unique threats they pose
Hypersonic systems have been in use for decades, but the latest ones are highly sophisticated new technology.
Elon Musk’s Starlink fights off Russian attacks in Ukraine
A Pentagon official was impressed by how quickly the Starlink internet network responded to electromagnetic warfare in Ukraine.
NASA uses “holoportation” in space for first time
Holoportation tech developed by Microsoft virtually sent a flight surgeon to the ISS to talk to an astronaut.
Former NHL enforcer builds an incredible electric airplane
An electric airplane developed by Beta Technologies, an ex-NHL player's startup, is on the wish lists of Amazon, the US Army, UPS, and more.
Unbelievably sensitive NACHOS satellite is ready to save lives
The cutting-edge NACHOS satellite will aid in our fight against climate change and potentially save hundreds of people from gruesome deaths.
Israeli and US Navy lasers successfully shoot down drones, rockets, artillery
Israeli and American armed forces have successfully tested air defense systems using lasers to destroy incoming targets.
Inside the luxury cabins taking tourists to space with a balloon
Space Perspective plans to use a massive space balloon to lift a luxury cabin containing space tourists high above the Earth.
Largest comet ever seen is 80 miles wide, says NASA
Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein is the largest comet ever observed, according to a new study based on Hubble Space Telescope data.
SpinLaunch to fling a NASA payload toward space
SpinLaunch is going to use a massive centrifuge to accelerate a NASA payload to supersonic speeds before flinging it toward space.
An old satellite was hacked to broadcast signals across North America
A recent satellite hacking shows that end-of-life satellites may be vulnerable.
Lasers from space create unique new map of Earth’s forests
A lidar instrument on the ISS has been used to create a near-global 3D map of the Earth’s biomass for conservation and climate research.
NASA’s massive SLS rocket is one test away from launch
NASA's moon-bound SLS rocket is at Kennedy Space Center and ready for its wet dress rehearsal — the last major test before launch.
Farthest galaxy from Earth discovered by Tokyo astronomers
Astronomers have discovered a new farthest galaxy from Earth, and it could change what we thought we knew about the early universe.
Hubble smashes record for farthest star ever seen
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has smashed its own record for farthest star ever seen with the detection of “Earendel.”
ESA space telescope snaps pic of new NASA neighbor
ESA’s Gaia observatory has snapped a photo of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, its new neighbor at Earth’s second Lagrange point.
Researchers scheme how they could ride a laser to Mars
Researchers have proposed an idea that will cut travel time to Mars down to just 45 days. All it takes is hitching a ride on a giant laser.
ESA plans to make the first oxygen on the moon
ESA plans to send a device that pulls oxygen from lunar regolith to the moon by 2025 and then build an oxygen-producing plant in the 2030s.
Radical new “Flying-V” plane aims to transform flight
The Flying-V airplane doesn’t look like anything you’ll find at today’s airports, but it could be the future of aviation.
NASA’s helicopter on Mars snaps stunning desert photo
NASA has shared a new photo taken by Ingenuity, its helicopter on Mars, and announced plans to extend the spacecraft’s mission.
Elon Musk’s Starlink internet helps destroy Russian tanks
An elite Ukrainian drone unit is using SpaceX’s Starlink internet service to coordinate attacks on high-priority Russian military targets.
Space lettuce engineered to stimulate bone growth
To protect Mars astronauts from bone loss, scientists genetically engineered a lettuce that produces a bone-stimulating hormone.
NASA shares stunning star image taken by Webb telescope
A star image taken by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope suggests the first-of-its-kind spacecraft is going to work even better than expected.
NASA opens untouched moon rock container from 50 years ago
NASA is opening a vacuum-sealed sample of moon rock and gas to help astronauts prepare for the next mission to the moon.
Curiosity discovers a “flower” rock on Mars
Curiosity has discovered a Martian rock shaped like a flower, and it's helping NASA scientists unravel the history of water on Mars.
An asteroid could wipe out an entire city – here’s NASA’s plan to prevent catastrophe
Cosmic bodies, like asteroids and comets, are constantly zooming through space and often crash into our planet.
NASA considers stingray-like drone to fly the skies of Venus
The winged drone is designed to ride 200-mph Venusian winds.
Starlink lands in Ukraine
Starlink satellite internet service has been established in Ukraine.
Hubble gets first good look at the dark side of a “hot Jupiter”
The first detailed look at the dark side of a hot Jupiter exoplanet reveals conditions that could create metal clouds and liquid gem rain.
A rogue rocket is on course to crash into the Moon. It won’t be the first.
Earlier in the Space Age, little thought was given to leaving what many call “trash” on the lunar surface.
New exoplanet discovered orbiting Proxima Centauri
A third exoplanet has been discovered orbiting Proxima Centauri, and it’s one of the lightest astronomers have ever detected.
NASA gets first images from James Webb telescope
NASA has shared the James Webb Space Telescope’s first images, and so far, it looks like the epic spacecraft is working exactly as hoped.
NASA: Lockheed Martin will build the Mars Ascent Vehicle
NASA’s Mars Ascent Vehicle, a first-of-its-kind rocket capable of launching from the surface of Mars, will be built by Lockheed Martin.
“Space tug” tows dead satellite into a new orbit
China has used a space tug to change the orbit of a defunct satellite, proving it’s a viable way to clean up some old space junk.
NASA offers $1 million prize for prototypes to grow space food
NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge will give away $1 million in exchange for prototypes that could help feed astronauts on long-term missions.
NASA plans to destroy the ISS in 2031
NASA will deorbit the International Space Station in 2031 by sending it plunging into the Pacific Ocean's “spacecraft cemetery.”
Toyota is building a “Lunar Cruiser” for Japan
Toyota's pressurized moon rover, the “Lunar Cruiser,” could help astronauts live on the moon — and help us combat climate change on Earth.
New space plane would fly directly into orbit from a runway
Radian Aerospace is building a first-of-its-kind space plane that flies directly into orbit after taking off horizontally from the ground.
A space film studio is launching into orbit in 2024
A new space module designed for the recording and livestreaming of movies and sporting events is expected to attach to the ISS in 2024.
Chinese lander finds first onsite evidence of water on the moon
The first onsite evidence of water on the moon suggests that subterranean lunar rock contains larger stores than can be found on the surface.
China builds “artificial moon” on Earth
China’s artificial moon, which uses magnets to mimic lunar gravity, could help with the creation of future moon colonies.
SpaceX’s Starship is ready for its first trip into space
SpaceX's Mars-bound Starship — the largest spacecraft ever built — is expected to undergo its first orbital test flight in March 2022.
MIT is testing a levitating space rover
MIT engineers have designed a levitating space rover that could allow us to explore parts of the moon that are too rough for rolling rovers.
The most anticipated space missions of 2022
2022 will be a big year for space missions, with huge rocket launches, several rover rollouts, and a first-of-its-kind asteroid collision.
NASA tosses rockets to prepare for Mars sample return
NASA is developing a system for the Mars Sample Return mission that tosses a rocket into the air just prior to ignition on Mars.
This startup is ready to make electric flight a reality
After years of preparation, Washington-based startup Eviation is ready to lead the charge to electric flight.
Water on Mars found hidden in massive canyon
Scientists have discovered a huge store of hidden water on Mars, and it’s just below the surface of the Valles Marineris canyon system.
The Hubble Space Telescope is dying. Here’s what’s next.
With Hubble living on borrowed time, NASA and its partners prepare to launch the satellite's successor: the James Webb Space Telescope.
Clever sleeping bag design might save astronauts’ eyesight
A sleeping bag designed for use in microgravity could protect astronauts’ vision by pulling eyeball-deforming fluids away from their brains.
What comes after the ISS?
NASA is investing more than $400 million to help private companies develop space stations that could one day replace the ISS.
Is this one-seat flying saucer the future of flight?
Startup ZEVA Aero’s vision for the future of eVTOLs is a one-person flying saucer-shaped vehicle that travels 160 miles per hour.
First commercial mission to the ISS prepares for launch
Private astronauts will have a chance to conduct microgravity research on the International Space Station during Axiom Space’s Ax-1 mission.
NASA plans to put a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2031
NASA and the Department of Energy are asking U.S. companies for help putting a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2031.
Bullet-shaped plane promises to slash air travel costs
Otto Aviation has finished phase 1 flight testing of its Celera 500L, a highly efficient airplane that could cut the cost of air travel.
See the surface of the sun evolve in stunning time lapse
A stunning time lapse of the surface of the sun created using NASA images shows the activity that occurs over the course of just one month.
Russian satellite strike creates huge cloud of space debris
A Russian anti-satellite weapons test threatened the safety of ISS astronauts by adding more space debris to Earth’s orbit.
Perseverance is collecting more rock samples from Mars
NASA’s Perseverance rover is on the hunt for its next samples from Mars, scraping away a small circle of rock to see beneath its surface.
The future of space launches: a giant spinning arm in a vacuum
SpinLaunch has tested a new approach to satellite launches that flings the objects into space, rather than blasting them up with rockets.
The world’s biggest industrial robot lasers off airplane paint
Dutch company Xyrec recently demonstrated a 67-ton industrial robot that uses lasers to quickly strip paint from aircraft.
New thruster tech that vaporizes metal could help clean up space
Hypernova Space Technologies’ metal-fueled propulsion system for small satellites could be a game-changer for space exploration.
“Pulverize It”: The plan to slice and dice space rocks
To prevent asteroid impacts, UCSB physicists suggest we slice up the space rocks using arrays of “penetrator rods.”
Air Force gunship will be equipped with anti-drone lasers
Two U.S. military branches are building compact, portable laser guns — taking us closer to laser warfare.
William Shatner has boldly gone to space with Blue Origin
Star Trek actor William Shatner has gone to space as a passenger aboard Blue Origin’s second crewed flight — making him the oldest astronaut.
Science fiction doesn’t predict the future. It inspires it.
Jeff Bezos’ love of Star Trek inspired him to go to space. Here are a few other innovators to draw inspiration from science fiction.
Spacecraft tech turns moon dust into “near-instant” landing pads
To protect spacecraft from moon dust, Masten Space Systems is developing a tech that quickly creates landing pads on the surface of the moon.
Europe backs “space factory” set for 2022 launch
UK startup Space Forge is developing a space factory designed to make “microgravity on demand” a reality for researchers and manufacturers.
Astronaut to break NASA’s record for longest time in space
Astronaut Mark Vande Hei is poised to set a new NASA record for longest time in space, spending about 353 days aboard the ISS.
Mars colonies could be built from astronauts’ blood and urine
To minimize the cost of building Mars colonies, astronauts could make concrete using space dust and their own bodily fluids.
All-civilian Inspiration4 mission is ready for launch (Updated)
When Inspiration4 launches on September 15, it'll mark a new era in space tourism as the first all-civilian mission to space.
Perseverance rover collects first Mars rock sample — for real
NASA’s Perseverance rover has collected its first Mars rock sample, which the agency plans to send to Earth in 2031.
Space radiation won’t stop missions to Mars
A new study predicts that space radiation alone wouldn’t make missions to Mars too risky for astronauts — as long as we timed them right.
Why NASA is testing an electric flying taxi
NASA is spending two weeks listening to Joby Aviation’s flying taxi as part of a campaign to integrate eVTOL vehicles into U.S. airspace.
NASA pays space startup $.10 for moon mining mission
NASA paid Colorado startup Lunar Outpost $.10 as part of a moon mining contract that could help advance human space exploration.
VR spacewalk will let you see what ISS astronauts see
A VR spacewalk filmed by an “outer space camera” will be the centerpiece of the next episode of Space Explorers: The ISS Experience.
Twin Mars satellites have greenlight for launch
Two tiny Mars satellites will head to the Red Planet in 2024 as part of a NASA program testing smaller spacecraft on planetary missions.
"Space farmer" grows plants under fake cosmic radiation
Researchers created a mini radioactive sky on Earth to study how cosmic radiation might impact how astronauts on Mars grow food.
NASA updates the odds on Bennu asteroid hitting Earth
Using data from the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, NASA has updated its predictions about the Bennu asteroid impacting Earth.
The U.S. Navy is building a solar plane
The U.S. Navy is developing a solar-powered plane that can fly for 90 days while watching military ships below.
NASA needs people to pretend they’re living on Mars
To prepare for a future in which astronauts are living on Mars, NASA is looking for people willing to live in a simulated Mars habitat.
“The Blob,” a strangely intelligent slime mold, is going to space
A strange slime mold that can think despite lacking a brain is heading to the ISS as part of an educational experiment with French schools.
Space manufacturing startup plans to build first off-world factory
Space manufacturing startup Varda Space Industries has raised enough money to bring its dream of building the first space factory to fruition.
Water vapor found on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede
Astronomers have detected the first evidence of water vapor in the atmosphere of Jupiter’s massive moon Ganymede.
NASA interns designed a washing machine for astronauts
NASA challenged its interns to design a washing machine for astronauts so that they wouldn’t have to keep throwing away dirty laundry.
NASA’s new balloon-borne telescope is ready for liftoff
NASA’s new balloon-borne telescope could let astronomers study distant objects with the latest tech at a fraction of the cost of Hubble.
Historic Blue Origin flight included four people — but no pilot
A Blue Origin flight on July 20 marked the first time a pilotless spacecraft has flown with a crew consisting solely of space tourists.
Virgin flight shatters record for number of people in space at once
A Virgin Galactic flight that set a new record for number of people in space at one time may have kicked off the era of space tourism.
Virgin Galactic gets greenlight to fly space tourists
Virgin Galactic is the first spaceline to get the Federal Aviation Administration's approval to fly space tourists — a huge milestone in space tourism.
Astronauts use CRISPR in space for first time
A first-of-its-kind experiment using CRISPR in space could help protect astronauts from DNA damage on long trips beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
New evidence discovered of underground water on Mars
Either underground water on Mars is far more prevalent than previously thought or something we can explain is going on beneath the Red Planet’s surface.
Chunks of Venus’ crust float like icebergs on its mantle
New evidence of tectonic activity on Venus expands our understanding of the hellish planet and offers a window into Earth’s own geological past.
You can now buy a balloon ride to the edge of space
Space tourism company Space Perspective has begun selling tickets for rides in a stratospheric balloon that can reach the edge of space.
See the first 3D map of the heliosphere
Astronomers have created the first ever 3D map of the heliosphere, using satellite data to reveal the part of the universe influenced by our sun’s solar wind.
New Chinese space station receives first astronauts
The new Chinese space station has received its first crew, a huge milestone for a project that began nearly 30 years ago.
Major airlines preorder hundreds of flying taxis
Several major airlines have preordered Vertical Aerospace’s in-development flying taxis, suggesting the industry views eVTOLs as the future of urban mobility.
Ion propulsion will power new space station
China's new space station will get a boost from an ion propulsion system, making it the first crewed spacecraft to feature the sci-fi-sounding engines.