Mercury's BepiColombo Mio and Earth's GEOTAIL Show Shared Wave Frequency Properties Across Planetary Magnetospheres
An international team has confirmed that chorus emissions—electromagnetic waves previously studied in Earth’s magnetosphere—also occur in Mercury’s weak magnetic field. Using BepiColombo’s Mio plasma‑wave instrument, six flybys between 2021 and 2025 captured audible‑frequency waves that match the instantaneous frequency chirps recorded by the GEOTAIL satellite over three decades. The study provides the first robust evidence of intense electron activity and cold‑electron populations at Mercury, extending Earth‑based space‑weather concepts to another planet. Results appear in Earth, Planets and Space.
Deep Magma Oceans Could Help Make Super-Earths Habitable
Researchers led by Miki Nakajima have shown that deep basal magma oceans (BMOs) in super‑Earths can become highly electrically conductive, enabling them to generate magnetic dynamos. Laboratory laser‑driven shock experiments on iron‑rich ferropericlase and numerical simulations demonstrate that planets with...
Proba-3 Mission Captures Rare Solar Prominence Eruptions in Sun's Inner Corona
The European Space Agency’s Proba‑3 mission captured a rare sequence of three solar prominence eruptions within a five‑hour window on 21 September 2025. Using its ASPIICS coronagraph, the twin‑satellite formation created an artificial eclipse that revealed the sun’s inner corona in unprecedented...
Space Forum January 22: Cape Canaveral, World’s Premier Gateway to Space
The National Space Society’s Space Forum on Jan. 22 will feature James Draper, director of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum, who will trace the site’s evolution from post‑World War II missile tests to the launchpad of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions....
Filming the Universe’s Biggest Dramas: Best Ideas of the Century
Astronomers have moved from relying on chance to systematically hunting fleeting cosmic explosions by deploying dedicated time‑domain surveys. The Palomar Transient Factory (2009‑2012) pioneered a coordinated “conveyor‑belt” approach, triggering follow‑up observations across multiple telescopes. Its successors, the Zwicky Transient Facility...
China Previews How Powerful Its New Xuntian Space Telescope Will Be Ahead of 2027 Launch (Video)
China’s 2‑meter Chinese Space Station Telescope, dubbed Xuntian, is slated for launch as early as 2027 and will operate in low‑Earth orbit alongside the Tiangong station. The observatory carries a 2.5‑billion‑pixel camera with a field of view roughly 300 times...
China Launches More Satellites in Its Guowang Satellite Constellation
China successfully placed the 19th group of Guowang (SatNet) satellites into orbit using a Long March 12 launch from the Wencheng coastal spaceport. The launch brings the constellation to roughly 150 satellites, positioning it as a direct competitor to SpaceX’s...
What the First Medical Evacuation From the International Space Station Tells Us About Health Care in Space
In early January 2026 NASA performed the first medical evacuation from the International Space Station in 25 years, returning the Crew‑11 astronauts aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. The incident, though details remain confidential, underscores the rarity of serious health events in...
Japan’s Government Gives Ispace a $125 Million Contract to Build a High-Precision Lunar Lander
Japan’s government awarded lunar‑exploration startup Ispace a $125 million contract under the second phase of the Space Strategy Fund to develop a high‑precision lander aimed at a 2029 launch to the Moon’s polar regions. The agreement also funds a lunar orbiter...
China’s Damaged Shenzhou-20 Manned Capsule Successfully Returned Unmanned Today
China successfully recovered the Shenzhou-20 crew capsule unmanned after a reported window breach, touching down in Inner Mongolia. State media released only distant photos, showing a damaged window but no clear view of the alleged debris impact. The limited visual...
UK Advances Navigation Security with New PNT Hub, Presents SPARK Report
The UK Space Agency has launched a new Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) landing page that centralises information on the nation’s navigation initiatives. The site aligns with the UK’s broader PNT framework and the recently published Framework for Greater PNT...
Dangerous Solar Storm Expected January 19/20
On Jan 18 2026, the Sun emitted an X1.9‑class flare from active region AR4341, accompanied by a full‑halo coronal mass ejection directed toward Earth. The CME, traveling over 1,000 km s⁻¹, is forecast to strike late Jan 19 or early Jan 20, with geomagnetic activity potentially...
X-Ray Observations Reveal Hidden Disturbances in Galaxy Cluster Abell 3571
X‑ray observations by the Einstein Probe’s Follow‑up X‑ray Telescope have uncovered hidden disturbances in the massive galaxy cluster Abell 3571, part of the Shapley Supercluster. Although the cluster previously appeared morphologically relaxed, residual and thermodynamic maps reveal surface‑brightness excesses and a...
Jan. 19, 1965: Gemini 2 Launches
The Gemini program served as NASA’s bridge between Mercury and Apollo, focusing on long‑duration spaceflight and rendezvous capabilities. After the uncrewed Gemini 1 proved the Titan II could reach orbit, Gemini 2 launched on Jan 19 1965 to test heat shields, retrorockets, and parachutes. The...
Rocket Roll
NASA rolled the Artemis II Orion spacecraft to its launch pad, marking a critical milestone for the agency’s first crewed deep‑space mission since Apollo. The rollout follows extensive integration of the Space Launch System core stage and the European Service Module....
Searching for 'Green Oceans' And 'Purple Earths'
The Living Worlds Working Group’s white paper outlines the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) as a next‑generation exoplanet telescope that will directly image planets using a coronagraph. To meet Decadal Survey goals, HWO must achieve extremely high signal‑to‑noise and cover a...
Space Force Ends ‘Resilient GPS’ Satellite Program
The U.S. Space Force has terminated the Resilient GPS (R‑GPS) program, an exploratory effort launched in 2024 to develop smaller, lower‑cost navigation satellites. The initiative funded Astranis, L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Space to produce design concepts, but Phase 1 funding was...
Micro Nano Robots Aim to Cut Carbon Buildup in Closed Life Support Systems
Researchers at Guangxi University unveiled micro‑nano reconfigurable robots (MNRM) that capture and release carbon dioxide using sunlight as an energy source. In laboratory tests the robots sequestered 6.19 mmol CO₂ per gram of sorbent and regenerated at just 55 °C, maintaining over...
Liftoff for European Launch Startups
European launch startups are receiving a surge of public funding after the ESA’s European Launcher Challenge allocated over €900 million to five companies, aiming to restore sovereign access to orbit. Isar Aerospace is preparing its second Spectrum flight, carrying five cubesats...
Why Is SpaceX Lowering Its Starlink Satellites?
SpaceX will lower roughly 4,400 Starlink satellites from about 550 km to 480 km by 2026. The move leverages the upcoming solar minimum, which will contract the upper atmosphere and increase drag at higher altitudes, helping clear debris faster. A tighter orbital...
The PSLV-C62 Failure Marks a Setback for India's Space Ambitions
On Jan 12, ISRO's PSLV‑C62/EOS‑N1 mission failed to reach orbit after an anomaly in the third stage, losing the primary EOS‑N1 hyperspectral satellite and 14 other payloads. The launch also carried the Kestrel Initial Demonstrator, which managed to transmit limited...
The Successful Development of Russia's Counterspace Activities in LEO and GEO
Russia has accelerated its counter‑space programme, fielding both co‑orbital and direct‑ascent anti‑satellite systems across low‑Earth and geostationary orbits. The Nivelir series of co‑orbital satellites have demonstrated repeated proximity operations, coming within tens of kilometres of U.S. reconnaissance and communications satellites,...
Apollos Anew
The blog reviews the newly released photo‑books — Apollo 1, 7 and 8 in Photographs — which compile hundreds of previously unseen images from NASA’s early lunar missions. The author argues that the visual material reshapes readers’ perception of the Apollo program, revealing details of hardware assembly,...
The Universe's Most Common Water Is a Hot Mess
Scientists at SLAC and the Sorbonne have experimentally produced superionic water—an exotic, electrically conductive ice—by compressing water to 1.8 million atmospheres and heating it to 2500 K with diamond‑anvil cells and laser pulses. High‑speed X‑ray diffraction showed the material’s crystal lattice is...
China And Algeria Strengthen Space Alliance With AlSat-3A Satellite Launch
China launched AlSat-3A, an optical Earth‑observation satellite for Algeria, on 15 January using a Long March‑2C rocket. Built by the China Academy of Space Technology, the spacecraft will deliver civilian imagery for land‑use planning and disaster mitigation. The launch fulfills the...
ExoAnalytic Tools to Power FireSat Wildfire Monitoring Constellation
ExoAnalytic Solutions has been chosen to develop containerized web applications that visualize the orbits and 1,500 km swath coverage of the Earth Fire Alliance’s FireSat wildfire‑monitoring constellation. The tools will provide both public‑facing and secure interfaces, enabling real‑time and predictive track...
Keck Backed Team Advances First Graviton Detector Concept
A team led by Igor Pikovski and Jack Harris, backed by the W. M. Keck Foundation, has moved graviton detection from theory to a concrete laboratory concept. Their approach merges recent gravitational‑wave observations with macroscopic quantum sensors, proposing that a gram‑scale superfluid‑helium resonator can...
Billionaire Fight Night: Insults Fly as Musk Takes on Ryanair
Elon Musk and Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary have turned a technical debate over Starlink satellite Wi‑Fi into a public feud, trading barbs on social media. Ryanair estimates the equipment would increase fuel burn by about 2%, costing roughly $250 million annually,...
Dcubed to Supply Solar Panels for Lunar Rover on Blue Ghost 3 Mission
Blue Origin’s Honeybee Robotics has chosen Dcubed to provide five body‑mounted solar array panels for its lunar rover, which will ride aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 3 lander in 2028. The rover will explore the previously unvisited Gruithuisen Domes, operating...
Experiments Bring Enceladus' Subsurface Ocean Into the Lab
Researchers in Japan and Germany have reproduced the chemical environment of Saturn’s moon Enceladus’ subsurface ocean using a high‑pressure reactor that mimics tidal heating and freezing cycles. By feeding a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and other plume‑derived compounds into...
Live Coverage: Space Falcon 9 Rocket Counting Down to Starlink Delivery Mission
SpaceX is set to launch 29 Starlink V2 Mini satellites on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, from Cape Canaveral’s pad 40. The mission, designated Starlink 6-100, has a four‑hour window that opens at 6:31:40 p.m. EST and closes at 9:04 p.m. EST, with...
How to Prevent Charge Buildup in a Lunar Rover
Future lunar rovers risk hazardous triboelectric charge buildup on wheels as they traverse the Moon’s insulating regolith. While solar‑wind plasma normally dissipates excess charge, plasma‑starved regions such as night‑side wakes and permanently shadowed craters limit this natural discharge path. Researchers...
The Essential Viewing Series:  SETI Documentaries
The article curates a top‑20 list of SETI‑related documentaries, spanning historic series, modern technosignature explorations, and UAP investigations. It highlights how each film frames the scientific workflow—from target selection and measurement to verification—while contrasting instrument‑driven research with anecdotal UFO narratives....
Jan. 18, 2004: Mars Express Maps the Red Planet’s South Pole
On Jan. 18, 2004, ESA’s Mars Express successfully mapped the Martian south pole, revealing both water ice and carbon‑dioxide ice for the first time. Launched in June 2003, the orbiter arrived at Mars in December 2003 and has been equipped...
What Is Below Earth, Since Space Is Present in Every Direction?
The article explores how “down” is a relative concept, varying with a person’s position on Earth and the larger cosmic reference frames. It explains that the ecliptic, galactic, and supergalactic planes are tilted relative to each other—by roughly 60° and...
Astronomers Aim to Take ‘Revolutionary’ Moving Image of Black Hole
Astronomers using the Event Horizon Telescope will attempt to film the supermassive black hole at the core of Messier 87 during a March‑April 2026 campaign. By capturing a sequence of snapshots every three days, they aim to stitch together the first...
The Giants That Never Flew: A Deep Dive Into the Studied Derivatives of the Saturn V
The Saturn V, NASA’s iconic Moon‑rocket, spawned a suite of ambitious derivative concepts in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Studies explored uprated F‑1A and J‑2S engines, stretched tanks, massive solid‑rocket boosters, and advanced upper stages such as NERVA nuclear thermal...
NASA's Artemis II Mission Clears Big Hurdle, Rolling Out to Launchpad
NASA’s Artemis II mission cleared a critical milestone on Tuesday as the Orion‑bound Space Launch System (SLS) completed its four‑mile rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39‑B at Kennedy Space Center. The move positions the rocket for final integration...
FZ Scraps Major Proposal to Prevent Space Debris
The Federal Aviation Administration announced the withdrawal of its 2023 proposed rule that would have mandated the removal of launch vehicle upper stages from orbit within 25 years. The decision follows a limited comment period in which industry stakeholders highlighted...
Who Gets to Inherit the Stars? A Space Ethicist on What We’re Not Talking About
At TechCrunch Disrupt, Varda Space Industries founder Will Bruey claimed that within 15‑20 years it will be cheaper to send a blue‑collar human to orbit than to develop more advanced robots. Mary‑Jane Rubenstein, a space ethicist, warns that this cost‑driven...
NASA Begins Artemis II Rollout to Launchpad
NASA has started rolling out its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, marking the final integration phase for Artemis II. The massive SLS core stage and Orion crew module are now...
NASA's New Moon Rocket Heads to the Pad Ahead of Astronaut Launch as Early as February
NASA rolled its 322‑foot Space Launch System (SLS) rocket out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B on Jan. 15, 2026, positioning it for a crewed Artemis II lunar fly‑by as early as February. The 11‑million‑pound launch vehicle will carry commander...
US Office of Space Commerce Seeks Industry Feedback on Indian Space Market
The U.S. Office of Space Commerce has issued a formal request for input from American space firms about the regulatory landscape and competitiveness of the Indian market. The solicitation focuses on the 2023 India Space Policy, the 2024 Non‑Governmental Entity...
Space Observatories and the Quest to Understand the Universe
Space‑based observatories have transformed astronomy by eliminating atmospheric interference and covering the full electromagnetic spectrum. Instruments such as Hubble, JWST, Chandra, and Planck deliver high‑resolution data from gamma rays to microwaves, revealing star formation, black‑hole physics, and the universe’s early...
Managers on Alert for “Launch Fever” As Pressure Builds for NASA’s Moon Mission
NASA’s Artemis II crew‑flight is set to roll out from the Vehicle Assembly Building on Saturday, beginning an eight‑to‑ten‑hour crawl to Launch Complex 39B. The mission will carry four astronauts around the Moon, achieving the fastest human speed ever recorded and marking...
The Human Extinction Event Horizon: Analysis of Top 20 Potential Scenarios
The article catalogues twenty plausible human‑extinction scenarios, ranging from artificial superintelligence and engineered pandemics to climate collapse, nuclear war, and cosmic events such as asteroid impacts and gamma‑ray bursts. It groups the threats into technological, biological, environmental, and cosmic categories,...
Indra Group Writes Off Damaged SpainSat NG 2
Indra Group, majority owner of Hisdesat, announced that SpainSat NG 2 has been written off after a millimetric space particle struck the satellite while it was moving from a supersynchronous transfer orbit to its final geostationary slot. The impact, likely a...
NASA Receives 15th Consecutive ‘Clean’ Financial Audit Opinion
NASA received an unmodified, or “clean,” audit opinion for its FY2025 financial statements, marking the agency’s 15th consecutive year of clean audits. The opinion verifies that NASA’s accounts comply with federal GAAP and accurately reflect its financial position. Administrator Jared...
Astronomers Searching for Alien Life Are Sharpening Our Cosmic Clocks. Here's Why
Astronomers at the SETI Institute have quantified how interstellar gas subtly delays pulsar signals by tens of nanoseconds, a phenomenon known as scintillation. An extensive ten‑month campaign using the Allen Telescope Array observed the bright pulsar PSR J0332+5434, revealing timing shifts...
NASA Develops Blockchain Technology to Enhance Air Travel Safety and Security
NASA researchers conducted a drone‑based flight test at Ames Research Center using an open‑source blockchain framework to secure real‑time transmission of flight data. The system proved capable of protecting telemetry, flight plans and operator registrations from interception or tampering. By...
