Space Exploration

Latest about Space Exploration

An illustration of the small Voyager probe drifting away from the bright glare of our sun

NASA reestablishes full contact with Voyager 2 probe after nail-biting 2-week blackout

By Brandon Specktor last updated

After accidentally shifting Voyager 2's antenna by two degrees, NASA fell out of contact with the interstellar probe on July 21. On Aug. 4, the agency succesfully reset the probe's antenna, restoring communications.

Space Exploration
Astronaut on a black background hovering in an outer space.

How long could a person survive in space without a spacesuit?

By Andrew Jones published

How long could you survive if thrust into the harsh vacuum of space without protection? The short answer is, not very long.

Space Exploration
An illustration of two tiny spacecraft exiting a big blue ball representing the solar system

NASA hears 'heartbeat' signal from Voyager 2 probe a week after losing contact

By Brandon Specktor published

NASA engineers have received a "heartbeat" signal from Voyager 2, bringing hope that they may be able to reestablish contact with the probe months ahead of schedule.

Space Exploration
An illustration of a rocket with a blue flame blasting out of Earth's atmosphere

NASA's 1st nuclear-powered rocket could launch as soon as 2025

By Ben Turner published

The $499 million mission will be the first test in orbit of a nuclear spacecraft, NASA announced.

Space Exploration
A large red streak shines across the night sky

Night sky 'bleeds' over Arizona after SpaceX rocket punches a hole in the atmosphere. Here's why.

By Harry Baker published

The recent launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in California created a gap in Earth's ionosphere, which resulted in a blood-red glow across the sky visible for hundreds of miles.

Space Exploration
A picture of two audio tapes from 1977.

Master copy of the Voyager Golden Record, designed as an audio postcard for intelligent aliens, is up for auction

By Brandon Specktor published

Carl Sagan's personal copy of the Voyager Golden Record contains 27 pieces of music and 22 minutes of sound meant to capture the beauty of life on Earth.

Space Exploration
An illustration of the James Webb Space Telescope

James Webb Space Telescope: Origins, design and mission objectives

By Andrew May last updated

Reference NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has launched and it's the most powerful in history, giving us the deepest ever view into our universe.

Reference
A spectacularly colorful image of stars being born in a field of purple and yellow gas

Explosive 'star factory' image marks the James Webb telescope's one-year anniversary of operations

By Joanna Thompson published

In its first year of operations, the James Webb Space Telescope has already revolutionized our view of the cosmos. Its one-year anniversary image is a spectacularly beautiful addition.

Space Exploration
An illustration of satellites criss-crossing the night sky while a telescope sits quietly below

SpaceX's Starlink satellites are leaking radiation that's 'photobombing' our attempts to study the cosmos

By Harry Baker published

New research finds that SpaceX's Starlink satellites are leaking radiation that could interfere with radio astronomy.

Space Exploration
A camera shows SpaceX's Starman mannequin and Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster as they fly above a ROUND Earth after launching on the first Falcon Heavy rocket test flight on Feb. 6, 2018.

15 of the weirdest things we have launched into space

By Harry Baker published

From a dummy-driven Tesla, to a giant disco ball, to U.S. presidents' hair, here are some of the weirdest things humans have put into space.

Space Exploration
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