Astronautics

You can’t fly an inflatable module to space without bursting a few on Earth. Sierra Space watched its giant, 20-foot tall space station module explode in dramatic fashion, but the company wasn’t too stressed about it. In fact, it marked a successful test on the road to building the first commercial space station in low Earth orbit.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewThe Colorado-based company carried out a burst test of a full-sized version of its Large Integrated Flexible…

The saga of Peregrine is coming to a tragic end, with the lunar lander scheduled for reentry through Earth’s atmosphere after failing to touch down on the Moon.China's Plan to Land Astronauts on the MoonAfter 10 days of journeying through space, Astrobotic has positioned its lunar lander on a trajectory towards Earth to perform a controlled re-entry over a remote area of the South Pacific on Thursday, January 18 around 4:00 p.m. ET, the company wrote in an update.Peregrine launched on January 8 on board United Launch…

NASA, in its relentless pursuit of space innovation, announced on Thursday the selection of 13 new projects for its 2024 Phase I awards under the Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. These awards, totaling up to $175,000 each, are granted to teams proposing advanced and unconventional space technologies.Will You Click Windows’ New Copilot Button?The NIAC program, known for funding groundbreaking concepts, has previously contributed to notable missions such as the Mars Ingenuity helicopter and instruments used in…

An example of what a deep brain stimulation device looks like under X-ray imaging.Photo: Hellerhoff/Wikimedia CommonsModern medicine has extended our lives and reduced suffering in all kinds of ways. Many of the impactful interventions we have available today have been around for a long time, like antibiotics, most painkillers, and various forms of cancer screening. But every once in a while, scientists come up with novel treatments that jump the line from “cool” to “whoa.” Here are five sci-fi medical innovations that…

A view of Starship’s 33 Raptor engines during its second test flight on November 18.Image: Photo: SpaceXExperimental rockets, Moon landers, planetary flybys, breathtaking spacewalks, and vintage boosters—these are just a few of the many stories that contributed to the most striking and memorable images of 2023.Indeed, the past 12 months have been a whirlwind of activity in the realm of spaceflight, whether in the lab, on the launch pad, or in space itself. The resulting visuals from the past year are particularly…

China’s Shenlong robotic spaceplane, on its third mission, has added a new layer of intrigue to its space activities by deploying six unidentified objects into Earth’s orbit.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewShenlong, meaning “Divine Dragon,” embarked on its third mission on December 14, successfully deploying six objects into orbit shortly afterward. These objects are currently being tracked by both the U.S. Space Force and amateur observers. The items, which appear to be…

It’s time to look back at spaceflight in 2023, a real “two steps forward, one step back” kind of year, filled with highs, lows, and everything in between.China's Plan to Land Astronauts on the MoonThe New Space Race is in full swing, and with both public and private entities pushing the limits of what’s possible, failures are an inevitability, as is progress. 2023 was no exception, with some notable achievements like historic deep space missions and advancements in satellite and rocket technology, alongside setbacks such…

Space is hard, as the cliché reminds us, and that was plenty clear this week, as several groups ran into trouble: NASA with its aging Voyager 1 spacecraft, AstroForge with a struggling debut mission to prove asteroid mining can work, and a few missing-in-action satellites from a recent SpaceX launch. Back on Earth, doctors issued a dire warning against holding in a sneeze. - Rose PastoreTrump Went Through Twitter WithdrawalNASA’s Voyager 1 Spacecraft Is Speaking GibberishAn artist’s depiction of the Voyager 1…

For the first time, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy will attempt to deliver the Pentagon’s spaceplane to low Earth orbit. The mission marks the seventh for the mysterious spacecraft, aiming to expand the Space Force’s knowledge of the space environment and test new technologies.Zillow Says You’ll Buy Your Next House With… AI? | AI UnlockedThe Falcon Heavy is slated to launch at 8:15 p.m ET on Sunday, December 10 from launch complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Both side boosters will attempt vertical landings shortly…

Photo: NASAOn November 23, astronauts aboard the International Space Station, orbiting 260 miles (418 km) above Earth, captured an image of Turkey’s dormant Nemrut volcano. Within its caldera lies Lake Nemrut, a freshwater lake fed by hot springs. Prominently visible near the bottom of the image is Lake Van, Turkey’s largest lake, known for its alkaline waters. Photo: NASAOn November 23, astronauts aboard the International Space Station, orbiting 260 miles (418 km) above Earth, captured an image of Turkey’s dormant…