Space, features and articles | Educational Science

Feb 17, 2024

An astronomer's lament: SpaceX 'megaconstellations' are ruining space exploration for everyone

I used to love rocket launches when I was younger. During every launch, I imagined what it would feel like to be an astronaut sitting in the spacecraft, listening to that final countdown and then feeling multiple gees push me up through the atmosphere and away from our blue marble....

Feb 18, 2024

Space photo of the week: Astronomers make an 'artificial star' over Hawaii

What it is: The Gemini North telescope When it was published: Feb. 7, 2024 Where it is: The Gemini Observatory at the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii Why it's so special: Stars twinkle — and that isn't good if you want to study them using large telescopes. The twinkling...

Feb 20, 2024

Big, doomed 'TIE fighter' satellite seen from space just days before crashing back to Earth

Photographs taken in space show a big dead satellite as it tumbled towards a fiery end in Earth's atmosphere. Australian commercial imaging company HEO Robotics was able to capture images of the European Space Agency's (ESA) ERS-2 Earth observation satellite on Feb. 14, 2024 as the satellite made an ungraceful...

Feb 21, 2024

5,000-pound European satellite burns up over Pacific Ocean after 30 years in orbit

A defunct, 5,050-pound (2,290 kilograms) satellite has tumbled uncontrollably back to Earth after spending three decades in space. After slowly falling to Earth for more than 12 years, the European Space Agency's (ESA) ERS-2 satellite reentered Earth's atmosphere at 12:17 p.m. ET (5:17 p.m. GMT) on Wednesday, Feb. 21, burning...

Feb 23, 2024

'The US has returned to the moon': Private company makes historic moon landing with Odysseus probe

The first private spacecraft to ever land successfully on the moon touched down safely last night (Feb. 22). The Odysseus lander, built by Houston-based company Intuitive Machines, arrived near the lunar south pole at 6:23 p.m. ET. It is the first U.S. lander to park on the moon since Apollo...

Feb 27, 2024

Russia's space weapon: How anti-satellite nuclear weapons could lead to utter chaos in orbit

In a week where national security has taken center stage in Washington, the White House confirmed on Thursday (Feb. 22) that it had evidence that Russia was developing a space-based nuclear anti satellite weapon. John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesperson, informed reporters that the White House believe Russia's programme...

Mar 1, 2024

'Goodnight, Odie': Odysseus, the 1st US moon lander since Apollo, shares farewell image after lunar face-plant

The Odysseus lander has sent back a final image from the moon's surface in a farewell transmission before it plunges into the lunar night. The first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon in 50 years has fallen silent just one week after touching down. The lander, built by Houston-based...

Mar 4, 2024

Why ISS astronauts don't know where to look for the April 8 total solar eclipse

NASA astronauts plan to watch the total eclipse from space on April 8, but there will be some complications. The Expedition 71 crew, which will include SpaceX's Crew-8 slated to launch no earlier than Feb. 22, is finalizing its solar eclipse observing schedule. The goal is to catch the event...

Mar 5, 2024

James Webb telescope reveals targets for the next year, including monster black holes, exomoons, dark energy — and more

The Space Telescope Science Institute has announced which astronomy proposals have been selected to be given time with the James Webb Space Telescope over the next two years. On Thursday (Feb. 29), the organization outlined 253 General Observers (GO) programs that will use humanity's most powerful and sensitive space telescope...

Mar 5, 2024

China will launch giant, reusable rockets next year to prep for human missions to the moon

China plans to launch two reusable rockets in 2025 and 2026 in preparation for future crewed missions to the moon. The upcoming launches are part of a new lunar program introduced by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC), the main contractor for the Chinese space program, that...

Mar 8, 2024

Russia and China announce plan to build shared nuclear reactor on the moon by 2035, 'without humans'

Russia's space agency Roscosmos has announced plans to work with China to build an automated nuclear reactor on the moon by 2035. The proposed reactor will help power a proposed lunar base that the two countries will jointly operate. Back in 2021, Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration (CNSA)...

Mar 12, 2024

Dying SpaceX rocket creates glowing, galaxy-like spiral in the middle of the Northern Lights

A massive swirl of bright white light seemingly appeared from out of nowhere in the night sky above the Arctic last week, briefly upstaging a vibrant aurora display that spanned thousands of miles. The ethereal, galaxy-shaped light show was caused by an illuminated cloud of frozen fuel that was dumped...

Mar 13, 2024

Controversial paper claims satellite 'megaconstellations' like SpaceX's could weaken Earth's magnetic field and cause 'atmospheric stripping.' Should we be worried?

Spacecraft dust from defunct satellites burning up in Earth's atmosphere could weaken our planet's magnetic field, a controversial new paper suggests. In the worst-case scenario, the unchecked expansion of commercial satellite megaconstellations orbiting Earth, such as SpaceX's Starlink network, may generate enough magnetic dust to cut our planet's protective shield...

Mar 13, 2024

NASA unveils cryptic message from Earth to be sent to Jupiter's icy ocean moon Europa

NASA has unveiled a cryptic human message it will be shipping off in its latest mission to Jupiter's icy ocean moon, Europa. In 2023, the space agency launched a campaign called Message in a Bottle, asking millions of members of the public to sign their names to a message that...

Mar 14, 2024

SpaceX's incredibly powerful Starship lost in the Indian Ocean after reaching orbit for 1st time

SpaceX's Starship rocket just reached orbit for the very first time, but now it's gotten lost upon reentry. The giant rocket — the biggest and most powerful ever built — blasted off from its launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on Thursday (March 14) at 9:25 a.m. EDT (1:25 p.m. GMT),...