Space Exploration

Latest about Space Exploration

view of the international space station through the window of a departing spacecraft

International Space Station dodges 2nd piece of space junk in 6 days

By Mike Wall published

A Russian Progress freighter docked to the ISS fired its thrusters Monday (Nov. 25) to dodge a piece of debris, the second such evasive maneuver for the orbiting lab in less than a week.

International Space Station
a bright explosion along seaside cliffs next to the ocean on a cloudy, rainy day

New Japanese rocket engine explodes during testing for 2nd time in 16 months

By Brett Tingley published

An engine hot fire test for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's new Epsilon S rocket ended prematurely when the engine caught fire and exploded.

Launches & Spacecraft
a metallic cylinder with two wing-like solar panels

ISS astronauts open hatch to Russian spacecraft after strange smell delays cargo delivery

By Elizabeth Howell published

Cargo is finally being unloaded from a docked Russian Progress spacecraft at the ISS. A delay occurred after astronauts reported an unexpected smell on Nov. 23.

International Space Station
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope in its deployed form as seen in an artist's illustration.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope mission — Live updates

By Robert Lea last updated

Read the latest news about NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.

James Webb Space Telescope
a guitar in the stars

'Flame-throwing' Guitar Nebula's concert caught by Hubble and Chandra space telescopes (video)

By Samantha Mathewson published

NASA telescope spotted a glowing nebula that looks like a guitar shredding rapid pulses of stellar material through space like soundwaves through a packed concert stadium.

Space Exploration
rows of canyons and peaks stretch vertically across the surface of a barren landscape. Plumes of white mist spew from the depths of the rightmost canyon. A crescent planet is scene in the dark, starry sky near upper left of center, with a small bright star shining to its lower left.

Scientists are updating chemistry models to track down life on icy moons

By Victoria Corless published

Scientists are using chemical modeling to dissect whether life exists on icy moons in our solar system.

Search for Life
A close view of the Atlas 5 rocket blasting into space with the Mars Science Laboratory, or Curiosity rover.

On this day in space! Nov. 26, 2011: NASA's Curiosity rover launches to Mars

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

On Nov. 26, 2011, the NASA Curiosity rover launched to Mars. Curiosity was the biggest and most powerful rover anyone had ever sent to the Red Planet.

Space Shuttle
a black-and-white spacex falcon 9 rocket launches into a night sky.

SpaceX to launch 24 more Starlink satellites from Florida tonight

By Mike Wall last updated

SpaceX plans to launch yet another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday night (Nov. 26).

Launches & Spacecraft
illustration of a silvery metallic rotorcraft flying over orangish dunes

NASA's nuclear-powered Dragonfly helicopter will ride a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket toward Saturn moon Titan

By Mike Wall published

NASA has picked SpaceX to launch its Dragonfly astrobiology mission to the intriguing Saturn moon Titan. A Falcon Heavy will loft Dragonfly in July 2028.

Missions
A wide, flat disc of blue gasses bright on the outside with a dimmer inner ring, and bright white center point stretches across vast space.

The Sombrero Galaxy's star-forming days are nearly over — and the James Webb Space Telescope may know why

By Keith Cooper published

A brand-new James Webb Space Telescope image captures the steady, slow lifestyle of the distinctive Sombrero Galaxy.

James Webb Space Telescope
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