Watch live: ULA launching 2nd test flight of Vulcan Centaur rocket

United Launch Alliance will launch the second test flight of its new Vulcan Centaur rocket today (Oct. 4), during a three-hour window that opens at 6 a.m. EDT (1000 GMT). Watch it live here and read our preview story.

Oct. 4 LIVE Broadcast: Vulcan Cert-2 - YouTube Oct. 4 LIVE Broadcast: Vulcan Cert-2 - YouTube
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Tech

a forest surrounds a large pyramid and other buildings in an aerial view

Why space archaeologists are finding more Mayan ruins than ever before (exclusive)

By Elizabeth Howell published

More Mayan sites have been found in the last 10 years than in the preceding 150. Here's how space technology is helping archaeologists uncover ancient ruins.

Tech
The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) in southwest China's Guizhou Province.

China's enormous FAST radio telescope is getting even bigger (video)

By Andrew Jones published

China has kicked off of a second phase of construction to enhance the capabilities of FAST, which is already the world's largest single-dish radio telescope.

Tech
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Spaceflight

four people in white spacesuits with the visors up pose and smile in front of a white cone-shaped spacecraft

'I think it was hard not to watch that rocket lift off without thinking, that's my rocket and that's my crew.' How the NASA astronauts bumped from SpaceX's Crew-9 watched their ride launch without them

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson were expected to launch on SpaceX's Crew-9 mission on Sept. 28. Still on Earth, they spoke about how they're feeling.

Human Spaceflight
a black and white rocket launches into a cloudy blue sky

FAA requires investigation of anomaly on SpaceX's Crew-9 astronaut launch

By Mike Wall published

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is requiring an investigation of the anomaly a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket experienced during the Crew-9 astronaut launch on Sept. 28.

Human Spaceflight
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Science & Astronomy

An illustration of an asteroid above Earth.

Can you see Earth's new 'mini-moon' with the naked eye?

By Brandon Specktor published

On Sunday, Sept. 29, Earth captured a new "mini-moon" called 2024 PT5. The bus-size asteroid is expected to orbit our planet for 57 days, but is too small to be visible to amateur skywatchers.

Earth
A silver and blue sphere surrounded green loops representing magnetic field lines.

BepiColombo spacecraft's flyby of Mercury begins unraveling the planet's magnetic mystery

By Robert Lea published

The secrets of Mercury's strange magnetic bubble are gradually being unlocked by the BepiColombo spacecraft as it makes its rapid flybys of the world.

Mercury
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Meet the team

Search For Life

An illustration of Uranus and its five largest moons, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon.

Some of Uranus' moons might be able to support life. Here's what a mission might reveal

By Conor Feehly published

"The most exciting prospect at the (Uranian) moons is that they could still host subsurface oceans at present.”

Search for Life
large antennae dishes point up at the sky in a desert

'We are close:' SETI astrobiologist Nathalie Cabrol on the search for life

By Leonard David published

Astrobiologist Nathalie Cabrol seeks answers to two key questions: Are we alone in the universe? How did life on Earth begin in the first place?

Search for Life
An artist's impression of the purported Black Knight satellite, the focus of a long-lived conspiracy theory.

The 'Black Knight' satellite: A hodgepodge of alien conspiracy theories

By David Crookes, All About Space magazine published

According to conspiracy theorists, the Black Knight satellite is an alien spacecraft orbiting Earth. Here's what's really going on.

Search for Life
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Skywatching

map showing the routes of upcoming total solar eclipses and annular solar eclipses across Earth along with their dates.

Top total solar eclipses to look out for over the next decade

By Jamie Carter published

We explore seven of the best solar eclipses to look out for over the next 10 years.

Eclipses
the next solar eclipse will be a partial solar eclipse which makes the sun look like a crescent shape.

When is the next solar eclipse?

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference Our solar eclipse guide will help you plan how to see the next solar eclipse.

Reference
during a total solar eclipse the sun appears as a dark spot with bright white light beaming out from behind. A series of phases surround the main eclipse image, showing the moon take a progressively bigger "bite" out of the sun.

What is a solar eclipse?

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference A solar eclipse occurs when the moon positions itself between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow over Earth. We explore the type of solar eclipses here.

Reference
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Entertainment

Giant sandworm breaching out of the desert in front of a tiny human.

Everything we know about Dune: Awakening

By Fran Ruiz last updated

Experience Arrakis like never before in the upcoming sci-fi MMO game Dune: Awakening.

Space Games & Toys

Top sci-fi movies and TV shows to watch on Amazon Prime in October

By Scott Snowden last updated

Time to catch up on some long overdue sci-fi, so here's our handy guide to what's on

Entertainment

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October

By Scott Snowden published

A veritable treasure trove of sci-fi is available at your fingertips

Entertainment
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References

the next solar eclipse will be a partial solar eclipse which makes the sun look like a crescent shape.

When is the next solar eclipse?

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference Our solar eclipse guide will help you plan how to see the next solar eclipse.

Reference
during a total solar eclipse the sun appears as a dark spot with bright white light beaming out from behind. A series of phases surround the main eclipse image, showing the moon take a progressively bigger "bite" out of the sun.

What is a solar eclipse?

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference A solar eclipse occurs when the moon positions itself between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow over Earth. We explore the type of solar eclipses here.

Reference
A series of images showing the annular ring of fire solar eclipse progress. The moon looks like it is taking a bigger and bigger bite out of the sun until it covers it, but not completely, leaving a ring of orange around it.

Annular solar eclipse 2024: Everything you need to know about the next solar eclipse

By Jamie Carter last updated

Reference The next solar eclipse will be an annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14, 2024. The 'ring of fire' will be visible across the Pacific Ocean and South America.

Reference
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