Russia Fixes Launch Pad Damaged by Thanksgiving Astronaut Launch to the International Space Station
Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31, the only pad used for crewed Soyuz flights, was out of service after a Nov 27, 2025 launch damaged its service cabin and infrastructure. Roscosmos announced on March 3 that a 150‑person team completed extensive repairs, replacing 2,350 square meters of structures, new wiring, and over 250 linear meters of welds, including 17‑ton components. The pad is now cleared for its next mission, an uncrewed Progress MS‑33 cargo launch scheduled for March 22, 2026. The restoration re‑establishes Russia’s sole pathway for ISS crew and cargo flights.
The World's 1st Private Space Telescope Just Spotted Its 1st Star. Here's What It Saw.
London‑based Blue Skies Space launched Mauve, the world’s first privately funded space telescope, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in November. On Feb 9 the satellite recorded its inaugural five‑second observation of the bright UV‑rich star η Ursa Majoris, demonstrating its capability to capture visible...
Is It Legal to Own, Buy, or Sell Apollo Mission Moon Rocks and Lunar Samples?
Apollo moon rocks remain U.S. government property, making their purchase or sale illegal under federal law. A 2002 theft of 8 kg of lunar material resulted in an eight‑year prison term, underscoring the seriousness of the offense. NASA’s Lunar Sample Laboratory...
China's Mysterious Shenlong Space Plane Recently Launched on Its 4th Mission. What Is It Doing up There?
China’s reusable Shenlong space plane lifted off from Jiuquan on Feb 6, 2026, marking its fourth orbital mission. The vehicle’s prior flights ranged from a two‑day test to multi‑year stays, each releasing one or more satellites. Unlike the U.S. X‑37B, Shenlong...
Satellite Spies Northern Lights over Iceland and Canada | Space Photo of the Day for Feb. 23, 2026
On Feb 16, 2026 a minor G1 geomagnetic storm lit up the night skies over Iceland and eastern Canada. The VIIRS sensor aboard NASA’s Suomi NPP satellite captured grayscale images of the auroral displays across the Denmark Strait and Canadian provinces. The storm,...
What's the Point of a Space Station Around the Moon?
The Lunar Gateway, a planned orbiting space station, is a cornerstone of NASA’s Artemis program, intended to support crewed lunar missions, scientific research, and technology testing for future Mars trips. Although most international hardware has already been built and is...
Could One of Europe's Most Important Wetlands Really Vanish? Satellites Show It May Happen in Our Lifetime
Doñana National Park, Spain’s flagship wetland, is losing surface water at an accelerating pace, according to ESA Sentinel‑2 satellite analysis. Researchers using machine‑learning classification found a marked decline in wet area, volume and depth since 2005, projecting potential desiccation within...
Elon Musk Wants to Put a Satellite Catapult on the Moon. It's Not a New Idea
Elon Musk told xAI staff he wants a Moon‑based factory to produce AI‑focused satellites and launch them with a massive electromagnetic catapult. He believes that within two to three years space‑based compute will be the cheapest way to run AI...
NASA Will Fuel up Its Artemis 2 Moon Rocket for the 2nd Time on Feb. 19. Will It Leak Again?
NASA is set to conduct a second wet‑dress rehearsal of the Space Launch System for Artemis 2 on Feb 19, loading over 700,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and oxygen. The first rehearsal was halted by an LH₂ leak at the tail service...
From Soyuz to the Stars: A Roscosmos Trivia Quiz
The article presents a Roscosmos‑focused trivia quiz that highlights the agency’s Soviet heritage and its contemporary role in spaceflight. It notes that the modern Russian space agency was established in 1992 and that the Vostochny Cosmodrome was built to lessen...
Trump's Greenland Grab Is Part of a New Space Race – and the Stakes Are Getting Higher
President Trump’s push to expand U.S. presence in Greenland highlights the island’s emerging role as a strategic gateway for space operations. High‑latitude launch sites in Greenland enable efficient polar and sun‑synchronous orbits, making the territory attractive to private launch firms...
NASA Launches Twin Rocket Missions From Alaska to Study Mysterious Black Auroras
NASA launched two sub‑orbital sounding rockets from Alaska’s Poker Flat Research Range to investigate the electrical dynamics of auroras. The BADASS mission reached 224 miles altitude to study rare black auroras, while the GNEISS mission deployed twin rockets to 198...
Watch Vulcan Centaur Rocket Launch 'Neighborhood Watch' Satellites for the US Military Early on Feb. 12
ULA’s Vulcan Centaur will launch early on Feb 12 from Cape Canaveral on the USSF‑87 mission, carrying two Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites for the U.S. Space Force. The payloads will monitor the crowded geostationary orbit, providing “neighborhood watch” data...
Who Are the Astronauts of SpaceX's Crew-12 Mission to the ISS?
SpaceX’s Crew‑12 mission is set to launch ahead of schedule, adding four astronauts to the International Space Station’s thinly‑manned roster. The crew comprises two NASA astronauts, a European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, and a Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut,...
Did the Viking Missions Discover Life on Mars 50 Years Ago? These Scientists Think So
In 1976 NASA’s Viking landers returned positive signals from three life‑detection experiments, but the onboard GC‑MS failed to find organic molecules, leading the team to declare Mars lifeless. Recent analysis by Ben Benner and colleagues argues that the GC‑MS actually detected...
Can Current Space Law Handle the New Space Age?
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, drafted during the Cold War, now underpins a space sector transformed by cheap launches, megaconstellations and commercial lunar missions. Rapid orbital growth has exposed gaps in debris mitigation, traffic coordination and liability, prompting calls for...
The Heart of a Giant Telescope | Space Photo of the Day for Feb. 9, 2026
The European Southern Observatory is advancing construction of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) on Chile’s Cerro Armazones, a 39‑meter primary mirror that will become the world’s largest optical instrument. The site, already home to the Very Large Telescope, positions the...
What Americans Lose if Their National Center for Atmospheric Research Is Dismantled
The Trump administration is moving to fragment the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), a unique NSF‑funded hub that blends observation, supercomputing, and applied research. While Congress rejected outright budget cuts, the latest spending bill lacks language protecting NCAR as...
As China and the US Vie for the Moon, Private Companies Are Locked in Their Own Space Race
Private companies are reshaping the space frontier as launch costs fall, turning low‑Earth orbit into a bustling commercial marketplace. Meanwhile, the United States and China are locked in a geopolitical race to return humans to the lunar south pole by...
Will Astronauts Aboard the ISS Get to Watch Super Bowl LX?
NASA announced plans to beam the Super Bowl LX live to the International Space Station, ensuring the three crew members—two Russian cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut—can watch the game in real time. Engineers are configuring a high‑bandwidth downlink to stream...
SpaceX's Next Astronaut Launch for NASA Is Officially on for Feb. 11 as FAA Clears Falcon 9 Rocket to Fly...
The FAA has cleared SpaceX’s Falcon 9 to resume flights, ending a four‑day grounding caused by an upper‑stage engine failure during a Feb 2 Starlink launch. With clearance secured, NASA’s Crew‑12 mission is set to lift off on Feb 11 from Cape Canaveral,...
Nimoy-Knight Foundation Honors 'Girl Spock' And Her Mission to Become the 1st Openly Autistic Woman in Space
The Nimoy‑Knight Foundation awarded Dr. Jessica Schonhut‑Stasik, known as “Girl Spock,” its Live Long & Prosper Tribute Award. Schonhut‑Stasik, an astrophysicist and neurodiversity advocate, aims to become the first openly autistic woman in space. The award celebrates Leonard Nimoy’s legacy of hope, logic,...
UK Government Proposes 30% Budget Cut to Astronomy and Physics Research: 'It's Pretty Disastrous'
The UK government has announced a 30% reduction in funding for astronomy, particle and nuclear physics through the Science and Technology Facilities Council. The cuts arrive after a previous 15% reduction and follow a decline in the UK’s contribution to...
James Webb Space Telescope's View of 800,000 Galaxies Paints a Detailed Picture of Dark Matter
Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to create the most detailed dark‑matter map to date, covering a sky region 2.5 times the size of the full Moon in Sextans. By observing for roughly 255 hours with NIRCam as part of the...
Photographer Captures Rare Aurora over Brazil During Intense Geomagnetic Storm (Photo)
On January 19 a powerful geomagnetic storm pushed auroral activity far beyond its normal high‑latitude bounds, producing a brief southern lights display over southern Brazil. Astrophotographer Egon Filter captured the faint purple‑red glow from Cambará do Sul, a location well outside...
A 'Cold Earth' Exoplanet Just 146 Light-Years Away Might Be in Its Star's Habitable Zone — if It Exists
Astronomers have identified a possible rocky exoplanet, HD 137010b, orbiting a K‑type dwarf 146 light‑years away. The planet, about 1.06 times Earth’s diameter, receives roughly 29 % of Earth’s solar flux and completes an orbit in about 355 days, placing it on the...
Neutron Star Photobombs Baby Star | Space Photo of the Day for Feb. 3, 2026
The Very Large Telescope’s MUSE instrument captured Ve 7‑27, revealing it as a newborn star rather than a planetary nebula. Energetic jets and bright knots confirm active star formation, and the object sits within the Vela Junior supernova remnant that also hosts...
'Back to the Moon': Time Magazine Salutes Artemis 2 Astronauts in Special Commemorative Cover Issue
Time magazine released a special commemorative issue on Jan 30 featuring the Artemis 2 crew on its cover, marking the upcoming first crewed lunar mission in over five decades. The cover underscores NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the...
A 'Cosmic Clock' In Tiny Crystals Has Revealed the Rise and Fall of Australia's Ancient Landscapes
A novel geochronology technique uses cosmogenic krypton trapped in zircon crystals to date surface exposure for up to hundreds of millions of years. By analyzing zircon from buried Nullarbor Plain beach sands, researchers determined that erosion rates around 40 million years...
The Pelican Nebula Shines Near the Las Vegas Strip in Gorgeous Deep Space Photo
NASA network engineer and amateur astrophotographer Jason Livingston captured a vivid image of the Pelican Nebula, a stellar nursery in Cygnus, from his backyard in Henderson, Nevada, just nine miles from the Las Vegas Strip. Using a ZWO ASI533MC Pro camera...
Gladys West, GPS Pioneer and One of NASA's Famed 'Hidden Figures,' Dies at 95
Gladys West, the Black mathematician whose Earth‑shape models underpinned modern GPS, died at 95 from natural causes. Over a 42‑year tenure at the Naval Proving Ground, she programmed the IBM 7030 and developed algorithms that corrected gravitational, tidal and other distortions,...
What Actually Happens to a Spacecraft During Its Fiery Last Moments? Here's Why ESA Wants to Find Out
The European Space Agency’s Draco mission will deliberately re‑enter Earth’s atmosphere in 2027, carrying a suite of 200 sensors and four cameras to record the fiery breakup of a satellite‑sized capsule. Over a 20‑minute telemetry window after parachute deployment, the...
Is a MacBook or Windows Laptop Better for Astrophotography?
Both Windows laptops and MacBooks offer distinct advantages for astrophotography, but the optimal choice depends on the user’s performance needs and budget constraints. Windows machines provide broader hardware customization, including high‑end GPUs that accelerate stacking and noise reduction. MacBooks deliver...
From Space to the Seabed, Critical Infrastructure Is Becoming More Vulnerable, Experts Warn: 'People Don't Realize How Dependent We Are'
Experts at the World Economic Forum warned that the critical infrastructure linking orbiting satellites and seabed cables is becoming increasingly vulnerable. With more than 15,000 active satellites today and proposals that could swell to half a million by the late...
NASA's Juno Spacecraft Spots the Largest Volcanic Eruption Ever Seen on Jupiter's Moon Io
NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured the most energetic volcanic eruption ever observed on Io, covering 40,400 sq mi and releasing 140‑260 terawatts of power. The event, recorded on Dec. 27, 2024 during a close fly‑by, involved multiple volcanoes igniting simultaneously, hinting at a hidden network of...
James Webb Space Telescope Reveals New Origin Story for the Universe's 1st Supermassive Black Holes
JWST observations have confirmed supermassive black holes existing less than 500 million years after the Big Bang, supporting the direct‑collapse seed model. The model, proposed by Yale astrophysicist Priyamvada Natarajan, suggests pristine gas clouds collapsed directly into massive black holes, bypassing...
NASA and SpaceX Move up Launch of Crew-12 Astronauts to Feb. 11 as Relief Crew After ISS Medical Evacuation
NASA announced that SpaceX’s Crew‑12 mission will launch on Feb 11, moving up from the previously planned Feb 15. The crew of four—NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA’s Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev—will replace the three‑person crew left after...
NASA Exoplanet Probe Tracks Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Gauge Its Spin
NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) conducted a special observation run from Jan. 15‑22, 2026, capturing interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as a bright, fast‑moving dot with a faint tail. The spacecraft measured the comet’s apparent magnitude at about 11.5, providing a rare photometric...
40 Years After the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster, Spaceflight Remains Far From Routine
January 28 marks 40 years since the Challenger disaster, a tragedy that claimed seven astronauts and reshaped NASA’s safety culture. The article recounts NASA’s Day of Remembrance, the investigations that followed Challenger and later Columbia, and the evolution of the...
Astronomers Discover the 'Growing Pains' Of Teenage Exoplanets
Using ALMA, astronomers captured detailed images of 24 debris disks around young stars, revealing the chaotic “teenage” phase of planetary evolution. The observations show multi‑ringed belts, halos, arcs and clumps, indicating frequent collisions and orbital reshuffling. This fills the missing...
NASA Gets New F-15 Fighter Jet to Chase Its X-59 'Quiet' Supersonic Aircraft
NASA has added two retired U.S. Air Force F‑15 fighter jets to its Armstrong Flight Research Center fleet to support the Low Boom Flight Demonstrator program. The aircraft will serve as chase planes for the X‑59 "quiet" supersonic demonstrator, flying...
Watch NASA's Artemis 2 Moon Rocket on the Launch Pad with This 24-Hour Livestream
NASA has placed the Artemis 2 Space Launch System on Launch Complex‑39B and is streaming the rocket’s status 24/7 on YouTube. After a 12‑hour rollout on Jan 17, the vehicle will undergo a wet‑dress‑rehearsal fueling test on Feb 2, just days before the...
Are Mysterious 'Little Red Dots' Discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope Actually Nurseries for Direct-Collapse Black Holes?
Astronomers using JWST have identified enigmatic "Little Red Dots"—compact, red sources seen when the universe was under a billion years old—and propose they are nurseries for direct‑collapse black holes. Simulations by Elia Cenci’s team show that these heavy‑seed black holes...
Super-Earth Exoplanets May Have Built-In Magnetic Protection From Churning Magma — and That's Good News for Life
New research published in Nature Astronomy suggests that super‑Earth exoplanets with masses three to six times that of Earth can generate long‑lasting magnetic fields in a basal magma ocean layer between core and mantle, rather than in a metallic core....
Moon Landings Could Contaminate Evidence About Life's Beginnings on Earth. Here's How
A new study shows methane exhaust from lunar landers can travel ballistically across the Moon and become trapped in permanently shadowed polar craters. Simulations of ESA’s Argonaut mission indicate that over 54% of released methane settles in cold traps within...
Rural Areas Have Darker Skies but Fewer Resources for Students Interested in Astronomy – Telescopes in Schools Can Help
Rural communities enjoy some of the darkest night skies in the United States, yet they often lack the STEM resources needed to turn that natural advantage into educational outcomes. The Smithsonian’s STARS program is delivering free telescopes and curriculum kits...
3 Stunning Lunar Craters to Explore During the Half-Lit First Quarter Moon Tonight
Tonight’s first‑quarter moon offers a prime window to view three prominent lunar craters—Eudoxus, Aristoteles and Cassini—each casting dramatic shadows that enhance their topography. Eudoxus (67 km) sits in the northeastern quadrant above Mare Serenitatis, while Aristoteles (87 km) borders the southern edge of...
Amazon's Internet-Beaming Satellites Are Bright Enough to Disrupt Astronomical Research, Study Finds
Amazon’s low‑Earth‑orbit “Leo” internet constellation is brighter than the International Astronomical Union’s recommended limit, according to a new arXiv study of nearly 2,000 observations. The satellites have an average apparent magnitude of 6.28, making them invisible to the naked eye...
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Will Refly Booster on Next Launch of Powerful New Glenn Rocket
Blue Origin announced that its New Glenn NG‑3 mission, slated for late February, will reuse the first‑stage booster from the NG‑2 flight that delivered NASA’s ESCAPADE probes. The launch will place AST SpaceMobile’s large Block 2 BlueBird satellite into low‑Earth orbit, advancing...
A Colossal Asteroid May Have Warped the Moon From the Inside Out
Chinese scientists analyzing basalt samples returned by Chang’e 6 have found an elevated potassium‑41 to potassium‑39 ratio in the South Pole–Aitken Basin. The isotopic anomaly points to massive volatile loss during the basin‑forming impact 4.2‑4.3 billion years ago. This loss likely depleted water...