Space

ULA's Vulcan rocket returns to flight after 9 months

The rocket, grounded since a booster problem in February, is set to launch Amazon's first batch of Leo internet satellites today.

Euclid space telescope maps 900 million galaxies

The spacecraft's first big data release is step one toward mapping dark matter across the universe.

NASA says gravity-wave hunter could find hidden worlds

NASA scientists say LISA, a space observatory built to detect gravitational waves, could also help find planets circling faraway, small stars.

Caltech's ASTRA robot builds a structure in space, solo

A DARPA-funded robot called ASTRA assembled part of an antenna truss in orbit without any astronaut at the controls — a first for space construction.

NASA unveils $10B in moon base contracts, nuclear rover

NASA named 8 companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, eligible for up to $10 billion in moon base cargo contracts, plus a nuclear scout rover.

Pakistan astronaut to be first foreigner on China's station

China picked a Pakistani astronaut to join its Shenzhou-24 crew, making him the first foreign national ever to visit its Tiangong space station.

Blue Origin unveils a 3rd stage for its New Glenn rocket

The new GS3 stage and a cheaper engine called Northstar aim to send New Glenn deeper into space and undercut rivals on cost.

NASA's Swift telescope burns up over Indonesia

The gamma-ray hunter fell to Earth after 22 years, after a rescue attempt earlier this year couldn't save it.

NASA's Mars simulation crew exits after 378 days inside

Four NASA volunteers stepped out of a simulated Mars habitat in Houston after 378 days in isolation, testing what a real mission would feel like.

NASA asks industry to help save the Hubble telescope

A new request seeks commercial proposals to reboost, repair, or safely bring down the aging observatory.

NASA asks companies how to boost or save the Hubble

NASA wants commercial ideas to lift Hubble higher or service it. Without help, the telescope is expected to fall back into the atmosphere in 2033 or 2034.

Sahara meteorite is a piece of Mars at least 4.1B years old

NASA-funded scientists dated the rock, Teghaza 001, and matched it to 13 possible spots on Mars. It does not prove life existed there.

Vietnam becomes the 78th nation to sign the Artemis Accords

Vietnam's science minister signed the U.S.-led space pledge on Oct. 28, joining a coalition NASA says is committed to peaceful, transparent exploration.

SpaceX signs $40B chip lease with Apollo to power AI

SpaceX will rent about $40 billion of AI chips and data-center gear through an Apollo-managed lessor, with leases starting as chips arrive in 2027.

NASA ends Swift telescope mission after 22 years

The orbiting observatory made its final observation on 20 October and will re-enter Earth's atmosphere in the coming weeks.

NASA plans two docking tests before a Moon landing

Artemis III will stay near Earth in 2027 while astronauts test how Orion connects with Blue Origin and SpaceX landers.

Europe's Space Rider prototype crashes during test

A parachute failure caused the reusable spacecraft prototype to hit the ground during an October drop test.

SpaceX will try catching both Starship stages at once

Elon Musk says the next Starship flight will attempt the first-ever double catch of both rocket stages.

SpaceX revenue jumps 161% to $14.6 billion on AI compute

Growth came almost entirely from SpaceX's new AI computing business, not rockets — the actual space segment grew just 6%.

Japan launches first round-trip mission to a Mars moon

JAXA's MMX spacecraft lifted off for Phobos on Oct. 19, aiming to land, grab a sample, and fly it back to Earth by 2031.

Japan launches a round-trip mission to a Mars moon

JAXA's MMX spacecraft heads to Phobos on Oct. 19, aiming to land, grab a sample, and fly it home.

Artemis II's heat shield held up far better than Artemis I

Divers found just 9 charred spots on the capsule's heat shield, down from 103 last time — a good sign for the next crewed Moon mission.

SpaceX launches classified USSF-481 for Space Force

A secret Space Force payload rode a Falcon 9 into orbit from Vandenberg, with SpaceX staying silent on what it's carrying.

NASA's Perseverance rover sets a Mars driving record

The rover drove past the distance record set by NASA's earlier rover, Opportunity, with years of exploring still ahead.

NASA, SpaceX launch ISS's last new solar arrays today

A Falcon 9 carries the space station's final roll-out solar arrays and 6,300 pounds of supplies, finishing a years-long power upgrade.

NASA opens bidding for space stations to replace the ISS

NASA released its final request for private companies to build the stations that will replace the International Space Station after 2030.

NASA's Webb telescope traces farthest radio burst found

Astronomers used James Webb Space Telescope to pinpoint a radio flash that traveled over 10 billion years before reaching Earth.

ISS is so full an astronaut is sleeping in a capsule

With 11 people aboard, NASA's Jessica Meir gave up her bed to a new crewmate and is bunking in the docked Dragon instead.

UAE unveils asteroid probe for 2028 deep-space launch

Sheikh Hamdan unveiled the finished probe, set to launch in 2028 on a 5-billion-km trip past seven asteroids.

Crew-12 heads home as Crew-13 takes over ISS

NASA and SpaceX are now targeting Oct. 7 for Crew-12's undocking, handing space station duties to the newly arrived Crew-13.