CBS News Space
Mainstream coverage of space exploration, missions, and aerospace technology
German Engineer Becomes First Wheelchair User Launched Into Space
German aerospace engineer Sabine Müller became the first wheelchair‑bound person to travel to space, completing a ten‑minute sub‑orbital flight aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. The mission, launched from West Texas, marked a historic accessibility milestone for commercial space tourism. Müller’s participation underscores the growing role of European engineers in the private space sector. The flight demonstrates Blue Origin’s commitment to inclusive design and broader market appeal.
Jared Isaacman, Billionaire Who's Flown with SpaceX, Confirmed to Lead NASA
The Senate confirmed billionaire Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator in a 67‑to‑30 vote. Isaacman, a former SpaceX space‑tourist who has flown on commercial missions and performed a private citizen spacewalk, will lead the agency during a critical period. He pledged...
Interstellar Comet Is Making Its Closest Approach to Earth
A stray comet from another star, designated 3I/Atlas, will make its closest approach to Earth this week, passing within 167 million miles. Discovered in July by NASA’s Atlas telescope in Chile, the object is estimated to be between 1,444 feet and 3.5 miles...
"Wet Lava Ball" Exoplanet May Have an Atmosphere, Evidence Shows
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has identified the ultra‑hot super‑Earth TOI‑561b as a potential "wet lava ball" with a thick, volatile‑rich atmosphere. The planet, 1.4 times Earth’s size and orbiting its Sun‑like star every 11 hours, shows a dayside temperature...
NASA Says Maven Spacecraft that Was Orbiting Mars Has Gone Silent
NASA announced that the MAVEN spacecraft, orbiting Mars since 2014, went silent after emerging from a planetary occultation on Dec 6. The probe, which has been measuring atmospheric loss and serving as a communications relay for the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers,...
