Space Exploration

Latest about Space Exploration

A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launches an Earth-observing radar satellite for the Japanese company Synspective on Aug. 2, 2024.

Watch Rocket Lab launch a private Earth-imaging satellite this morning

By Mike Wall published

Rocket Lab plans to launch a radar satellite for the Earth-observation company Synspective this morning (Dec. 20), and you can watch it live.

Launches & Spacecraft
A spacesuited cosmonaut standing on a platform at the end of a robotic arm outside the International Space Station releases a bundle of trash into the blackness of space.

Russian cosmonauts install X-ray detector, jettison trash on spacewalk outside ISS

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner installed an X-ray detector and jettisoned trash during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024.

International Space Station
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule that will fly the Crew-9 astronaut mission stand on the pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. SpaceX posted this photo on X on Sept. 24, 2024.

SpaceX inks deal to launch 2 more astronaut missions to the ISS

By Mike Wall published

California-based company Vast Space has booked two crewed flights to the ISS with SpaceX, though the missions still must be approved by NASA.

International Space Station
new glenn rocket blue origin

New Glenn: Blue Origin's powerful reusable rocket

By Mike Wall last updated

Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket has a reusable first stage, like those of SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.

Private Spaceflight
Cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky shared this photo of the International Space Station on Twitter on Sept. 29, 2021. He and two colleagues were relocating a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from one port to another at the time.

International Space Station: Live updates

By Space.com Staff last updated

Find out what's going on at the International Space Station.

International Space Station
a gold-foiled fixed-leg lander probe stands on a grey semi rocky surface beneath a black sky.

SpaceX will launch Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander to the moon in mid-January with these 10 NASA payloads

By Josh Dinner published

NASA and SpaceX are targeting mid-January for the launch of Firefly Aerospace's Ghost Riders in the Sky mission to the lunar surface.

Launches & Spacecraft
an astronaut in a white space suit hangs on to a metal bar on the outside of a large white structure. the blackness of space fills the background

Watch Russian cosmonauts install new X-ray detector during ISS spacewalk today (video)

By Brett Tingley published

Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner will perform a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk on Dec. 19 to install new equipment outside the ISS. Watch it live here, courtesy of NASA.

International Space Station
French astronaut Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency celebrated France's Bastille Day holiday in space with festive shirts and a meal with friends on July 14, 2021 aboard the International Space Station.

On this day in space! Dec. 19, 1961: France creates a space agency

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

On Dec. 19, 1961, France's space agency was born!

Space Shuttle
a white rocket lifts off into a clear blue sky

Private Japanese rocket explodes after liftoff in its 2nd launch failure of 2024 (photos)

By Brett Tingley published

Japanese startup Space One lost its second Kairos 2 rocket shortly after liftoff due to an unknown failure.

Private Spaceflight
A Chinese Long March 5B rocket launches the first 10 satellites for the Guowang broadband megaconstellation on Dec. 16, 2024.

China launches 1st set of spacecraft for planned 13,000-satellite broadband constellation (photo)

By Mike Wall published

A Long March 5B rocket launched 10 big broadband satellites to orbit on Dec. 16, beginning the assembly of China's Guowang ("national network") megaconstellation.

Launches & Spacecraft
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