Astronomy
US plans to put nuclear-powered spacecraft in orbit by 2026
Nuclear thermal propulsion systems could power missions to Mars, help defense satellites evade attacks, and more.
We have a new way to hunt for potentially hazardous asteroids
To help protect Earth from potentially hazardous asteroids, astronomers developed an algorithm to look for them in existing datasets.
After 350 years, astronomers still can’t explain the solar system’s strangest moon
Saturn's Iapetus, discovered way back in 1671, has three bizarre features that science still can't fully explain.
NASA to help put first Japanese astronaut on the moon
The first non-American to reach the lunar surface will likely do so as part of NASA’s Artemis mission — and could be a Japanese astronaut.
Telescope “sunglasses” find brightest pulsar outside our galaxy
Australian astronomers have discovered the brightest pulsar ever seen outside the Milky Way by putting “sunglasses” on a telescope.
Perseverance rover kicks off new hunt for life on Mars
NASA’s Perseverance rover has begun its Delta Front Campaign, the part of its mission most likely to produce evidence of past life on Mars.
Chinese rover makes surprise discovery about liquid water on Mars
Data from China’s Zhurong rover suggests there was substantial liquid water on Mars far more recently than we thought.
Stanford’s gravity telescope concept uses the sun to see exoplanets
Stanford scientists have designed a gravity telescope concept that could take stunningly clear images of exoplanets.
How the Kessler Syndrome can end all space exploration and destroy modern life
The sheer amount of stuff already floating in space makes the domino effect of explosions a likely possibility.
Everything we now know about the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole
The Event Horizon Telescope team has finally revealed what the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way looks like.