Space Exploration
9 reportsEvidence from space policy, human spaceflight, and launch systems supports a focused comparison. It examines where mission data are released and how exploration missions are selected, separating design goals from performance demonstrated in operation.
Starlink Satellites Face Near-Constant Collision Avoidance in Orbit
SpaceX's Starlink satellites have performed hundreds of thousands of collision avoidance maneuvers in the past year, highlighting the growing challenge of managing orbital traffic and the risks posed by increasing satellite numbers
Perseverance Rover Images Ancient Martian Bedrock at Jezero Crater Rim
NASA's Perseverance rover has captured a detailed view of the Jezero Crater rim on Mars, revealing a thick sequence of ancient rocks. The Mastcam-Z instrument recorded the scene, offering new evidence about the planet's impact history and surface evolution
Webb Telescope Detects Hidden Giant Planet in Beta Pictoris System
Astronomers have identified a third giant exoplanet in the Beta Pictoris system using the James Webb Space Telescope's spectroscopic capabilities, revealing a world previously concealed by the system's bright debris disk
Metasurface Grating Demonstrates Compact Solar Magnetic Field Mapping
A polarization-sensitive metasurface grating has matched conventional instruments in mapping solar magnetic fields, offering a route to smaller, simpler, and potentially more robust hardware for future space-based solar telescopes
Portable X-ray Imaging System Demonstrates Diagnostic Quality in Space
A commercial portable X-ray device was operated aboard an orbital spacecraft, producing diagnostic-quality radiographs comparable to those acquired on Earth and highlighting the potential for in-flight medical imaging beyond ultrasound
Soyuz MS-29 Launches NASA and Roscosmos Crew to Space Station
A Soyuz rocket has launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina to the International Space Station for a long-duration mission focused on scientific research
Glaciers Observed Flowing Down the Himalayas from Space
A NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured detailed images of glaciers moving across the Himalayas, providing a rare perspective on the scale and dynamics of these ice flows as they descend toward the Tibetan Plateau
Curiosity Rover Images Unusual Honeycomb Patterns on Martian Surface
NASA's Curiosity rover has captured detailed images of a honeycomb-like texture on Mars, revealing polygonal surface patterns and scattered dark rocks. Scientists are investigating the origin of these features using in situ rover observations and orbital data
SpaceX Starship Flight 13 to Test Starlink V3 Deployment
SpaceX is preparing to launch Starship Flight 13 from Starbase, Texas, aiming to deploy 20 Starlink Version 3 satellites and test upgraded booster recovery systems in a mission scheduled for July 16