Space

Aerospace

T-Minus: 10 space stations of the future

The International Space Station may be nearing retirement, but 10 new space stations are just preparing for launch.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

T-Minus: SpaceX’s Starship vs. Boeing’s Starliner

A breakdown of SpaceX’s Starship, Boeing’s Starliner, and what they mean for the future of space exploration at NASA.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

T-Minus: Counting down 10 upcoming moon missions

A countdown of 10 upcoming moon missions, all leading up to the one expected to return NASA astronauts to the lunar surface.

Kristin Houser

Outer Space

Astronauts lose muscle in space. These mice could hold the solution

Without gravity, astronauts experience muscle and bone loss, limiting mission time. Mice that gain mass in orbit may hold the key to preventing that loss.

B. David Zarley

Aerospace

New route makes a journey to the moon faster, cheaper

To make a journey to the moon faster, the NASA scientists behind an upcoming moon mission designed a brand new route for their spacecraft to take.

Kristin Houser

Astronomy

Did life on Earth travel here from Mars?

Bacteria that survived on the outside of the ISS for three years suggests that panspermia is still a viable theory for the origin of life on Earth.

Kristin Houser

Outer Space

The dwarf planet Ceres may hide a subterranean sea

The largest body in the asteroid belt, the dwarf planet Ceres may hide a salty subterranean sea.

B. David Zarley

Aerospace

Scientists find a new way to detect space junk orbiting Earth

A new technique for tracking space junk with lasers works during daylight hours — making previously “invisible” space debris visible.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

A sunblock to save Martian explorers from radiation in space

Radiation in space is a major threat to astronauts’ health, but a new biomaterial could make space exploration a little less dangerous by blocking x-rays.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

See prototype of Mars-bound Starship take its first “hop”

The first Starship test flight was a success, with the massive SpaceX rocket lifting off from a base in Texas and landing less than a minute later.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

Tracking the Crew Dragon: Return to Earth

A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft with two astronauts onboard has returned to Earth from the International Space Station, marking a milestone in spaceflight.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

How to watch the Mars 2020 rover launch

NASA plans to launch its Mars 2020 rover on July 30. Here’s what you need to know about the agency’s latest Mars mission.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

Meet NASA's autonomous vehicle — for Mars

When Perseverance lands on Mars, it will hopefully drive further faster than any rover before. NASA’s autonomous vehicle’s secret? A dedicated “pilot.”

B. David Zarley

Sections

Video

Freethink

We focus on solutions: the smartest people, the biggest ideas, and the most ground breaking technology shaping our future.