WATCH LIVE: Rocket Lab launching private Japanese 'Strix' satellite to orbit

Rocket Lab will launch one of the Tokyo-based company Synspective's Strix satellites from its New Zealand site on today (March 20) at 2:10 p.m. EDT (1810 GMT). Watch it live here and read our preview story.

Rocket Lab - 'Eight Days A Week' Launch - YouTube Rocket Lab - 'Eight Days A Week' Launch - YouTube
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Skywatching

Northern lights could get a boost from the spring equinox this weekend — here's why

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Incoming solar storms could spark auroras this weekend and thanks to the spring equinox, Earth is perfectly aligned to amplify the show.

Auroras

Earthshine will reveal the moon's hidden face tonight— here's how to see it

By Anthony Wood last updated

Catch the soft glow of earthshine as a young crescent moon appears low after sunset.

Stargazing
graphic with night sky in large font and silhouettes of people below looking up at the night sky.

Night sky tonight, March 20-22 — Look out for Venus, a razor-thin moon and the Pleiades shining bright

By Jamie Carter last updated

Find out what you can see in the night sky for tonight, from planets and stars to dazzling meteor showers.

Stargazing
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Spaceflight

NASA begins rolling its Artemis 2 moon rocket out to the launch pad from Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building.

Artemis 2 rocket rollout latest news: NASA's giant moon rocket returns to launch pad March 20

By Tariq Malik, Josh Dinner last updated

Friday, March 20, 2026: See our latest news and updates on NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket's return to Launch Complex-39B.

Missions
a cube-shaped spacecraft with two wing-like solar panels above a cratered reddish-orange planet

NASA won't give up hope on silent MAVEN Mars probe: 'We're still looking for it'

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

NASA has not reestablished contact with its MAVEN Mars orbiter since a planned communications blackout ended Jan. 16.

Launches & Spacecraft
The Indonesian satellite Palapa-B1 is seen in orbit after being released from NASA's space shuttle Challenger during the STS-7 mission in June 1983.

On this day in space: March 20, 1987: NASA launches Palapa B2-P satellite for Indonesia

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

On March 20, 1987, NASA launched an Indonesian communications satellite called Palapa B2-P.

Space Exploration
Graphic illustration with 'space calendar' in large blue neon letters and 2023 below it in smaller white letters. Below the title are four neon images depicting a meteor or comet, a telescope, a rocket launch and an astronaut's helmet. There is a starry background to the entire image.

Space calendar 2026: Rocket launches, skywatching events, missions & more!

By Space.com last updated

Reference Keep up with all the rocket launches, astronomical events and mission milestones for 2026 with our space calendar.

Reference
a triple-core rocket blasts off under a sunny, partly cloudy blue sky. smoke expands below next to an obscured launch tower, near a long white hanger with SPACEX written on the side. To the left, a bird flies away.

Rocket launch today: Is there a rocket launch and what time?

By Josh Dinner, Tariq Malik last updated

Follow Space.com's rocket launch blog for the latest on when the next rocket launch will be and how to follow it live.

Launches & Spacecraft
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Science & Astronomy

What is the moon phase today? Lunar phases 2026

By Tariq Malik, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference See what moon phase it is tonight and find out when you can see the rest of the moon phases for 2026.

Reference

These cotton candy exoplanets hide behind a haze even the James Webb Space Telescope can't penetrate

By Keith Cooper published

These worlds are among the least dense ever found, and all attempts to probe their atmospheres have been blocked by a mysterious smog.

Exoplanets
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Space Photo of the Day

SpaceX's Ship 39 looks cool as it undergoes cryosystem checks on Sunday March 8

SpaceX's Ship 39 is so cool in Starship V3 test | Space photo of the day for March 9, 2026

By Robert Lea published

SpaceX engineers tested Ship 39's propellant system, leading to some stunning images.

Space Exploration
An image of RCW 36 in which the Milky Way nebula appears like a vast cosmic bird of prey

Cosmic Hawk spreads its wings| Space photo of the day for March 6, 2026

By Robert Lea published

The Milky Way nebula RCW 36 resembles a stunning cosmic bird of prey in an incredible Very Large Telescope image.

Galaxies
an impressive red spiral structure with a bright point of light at the very center.

Spectacular spiral galaxy revealed by James Webb Space Telescope | Space photo of the day for March 4, 2026

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

The James Webb Space Telescope captured a stunning spiral galaxy 65 million light-years away, revealing glowing dust clouds and stellar nurseries.

James Webb Space Telescope
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Entertainment

Lego's first-ever Tintin set is coming next month and it's a space-themed Lego Tintin Moon rocket

By Alexander Cox published

If you're a fan of Lego, rockets or Tintin, (I am), you'll want the new Tintin Moon Rocket set, featuring six minifigures, available to purchase from April 1.

Space Toys & Lego
two female animated superheroes in a fist fight

How to watch 'Invincible' Season 4 online and from anywhere

By Jeff Spry published

Prime Video's brutally brilliant animated superhero series returns today!

Space Movies & Shows
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What's Up In Space Today

Search For Life

The SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array in Northern California searches for radio signals that could have been generated by intelligent alien life.

Where are all the aliens? Maybe they just don't want to talk to us

By Leonard David published

A civilization capable of interstellar travel may also be one that has moved beyond conquest, excess and ecological self-destruction — and it therefore may not want to talk to us.

Search for Life
Artist's illustration of a free-floating "rogue" planet and its Earth-like moon.

No sun, no problem? How life could thrive on moons of starless 'rogue' planets

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

Exomoons orbiting rogue planets could host liquid water for billions of years, offering potential habitats for life deep in interstellar space.

Search for Life
The SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array in Northern California searches for radio signals that could have been generated by intelligent alien life.

Where are all the aliens? Maybe space weather is scrambling their transmissions

By Keith Cooper published

We may be missing alien radio signals because they have become smeared beyond the narrowband detectors that SETI utilizes, a new study suggests.

Search for Life
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Technology

Four people are stood looking around an object as an elderly man in the center holds it, all in black and white.

You can stream the two 'missing' Doctor Who episodes when travelling, save 73% and claim a free $50 voucher when you sign up for two years of NordVPN

By Alexander Cox published

Deals Two 'missing' episodes of Doctor Who are coming to BBC iPlayer in the UK, so if you have an account, you can stream them, save 73% and claim a voucher with NordVPN.

Deals
an elongated jet emblazoned with nasa logos sits on a tarmac at sunrise with the silhouettes of mountains visible in the distance

X-59 gets ready for 2nd test flight | Space photo of the day for March 18, 2026

By Brett Tingley published

NASA's X-59 jet looks ready to fly into the sunset in this new image taken before its second test flight.

Aerospace
A YACHANCE Night Light Star Projector, with box and remote.

Yachance Night Light star projector review

By Kim Snaith published

The Yachance Night Light star projector is a geared firmly towards children.

Technology
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