Bioengineered bacteria could be used to 3D print food and tools on Mars
A synthetic biology project called CosmoCrops wants to use bacteria to make it possible to 3D print everything needed for a space mission in space itself.
Cornell’s water-powered CubeSat could be the future of space exploration
At NASA’s Cube Quest Challenge, Cornell University’s Cislunar Explorers aim to send its innovative water-powered satellite in orbit around the moon.
What do 2 million stars look like? Europe’s space agency just gave us a map
The release is the first batch of more than one billion stars that the agency hopes to catalog using its Gaia satellite in the coming year.
How big is the universe? Attempting to answer one of astronomy’s most complex questions
The universe is a big place, but do we really know how big? Scientists think they do, and use an array of methods to figure it out. Here are our CliffNotes.
Astronomers spot asteroid just two days before it comes within 25K miles of Earth
If it weren’t for careful inspection from a team of astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey, we may not have even noticed the asteroid, 2016 RB1.
Juno images reveal that Jupiter’s poles are unlike anything NASA imagined
Dipping 2,500 miles above Jupiter’s clouds, the Juno spacecraft snapped the first images of the gas giant's north pole during a fly-by on August 27.
Astronauts can now sequence viruses, fungi, and — potentially — alien DNA in space
Over the weekend, astronaut Kate Rubins successfully sequenced samples of DNA, establishing the a small sequencer as a valuable new tool for science in space.
NASA's EmDrive thruster just took an important leap forward
NASA's futuristic, physics-defying EmDrive thruster has just taken an important leap toward silencing its critics.
Spitzer telescope lasted longer than expected, but its mission isn't done yet
More than a decade after its launch, the Spitzer Space Telescope still captures and transmits beautiful data about the cosmos.
Juno’s closest Jupiter flyby captured highest resolution images of the planet
The flyby was the closest a spacecraft has ever been to Jupiter and marked the first time Juno had each of its instruments directed at the planet.
What’s it like to live on Mars? Six scientists emerge from a yearlong Mars simulation
Six scientists emerged from a dome on a Mauna Loa mountain without wearing spacesuits yesterday, ending a yearlong Mars simulation.
How bacteria, rust dust, and a murdered star may explain Earth’s Ice Age
After years of meticulous research and the help of fellow astrophysicists, an astrophysicist confirms he's found traces of a supernova underwater.
A landslide may have caused this brilliant comet outburst captured by Rosetta
Astronomers behind the Rosetta mission have captured images of a brilliant comet outburst that they think may the aftermath of a landslide.
Houston, we have a problem: Ambitious space mission faces major danger
Although it’s backed by some of the smartest minds on the planet, a recent study found that Breakthrough Starshot faces some major dangers in outer space.
Astronomers want to create an artificial solar eclipse to study the sun
Astronomers at the ESA want to induce an eclipse, using tandem satellites to block out the sun and study its elusive outer atmosphere for hours on end.
One giant leap for robots: NASA opens Space Robotics Challenge registration
The first astronaut to step foot on Mars may be greeted by a robot. At least that’s NASA’s plan with its Space Robotics Challenge.
See what the Perseids looked like from space in this awesome footage
Astronauts at the International Space Station had the best seats in the house to view the Perseids meteor shower this past weekend.
Friday’s docking adapter installation will allow International Space Station to receive visitors
NASA has detailed plans to install a new dock on the International Space Station later this week. It will be broadcast live for earthbound enthusiasts..
‘Can I borrow your pickup?’ NASA needs help moving an asteroid
NASA wants to capture an asteroid and drag it back to Earth within the next decade, but yesterday said it will need some help to do so.
Lightweight infrared camera technology to help uncover what's unknown about our moon
Lightweight IR camera technology will allow a new mini satellite to photograph the moon from up close. If the first mission is successful, Mars is next.
China is developing a hypersonic space plane that makes the Space Shuttle look primitive
China is moving to the forefront of the space race with a space plane that'll go from runway to orbit and back down again at hypersonic speeds.
This startup is launching a 360 cam into space so we can see Earth in VR
SpaceVR wants to bring the universe to your living room and may do so in 2017 when it launches its first virtual reality camera satellite into orbit.
Watch a nanoscale rocket engine thruster ‘take off’ under a microscope
In the next few years, estimates the number of orbiting nanosatellites — which range from just 2.2 pounds to 22 pounds — at around 1,000.
Watch: Jack White’s Icarus takes vinyl to new heights, plays first record in space
Jack White's Third Man Records has made history, successfully launching and playing the first vinyl record in the stratosphere.
MIT is developing vibrating space boots that warn astronauts of tripping hazards
A team of researchers have developed vibrating boots which could sense obstacles and vibrate to warn their wearers.
Amateur team’s Nexø I rocket shows that space exploration is risky business
Copenhagen Suborbitals's Nexø I rocket looked bound for orbit for the first minute after it launched from the Sputnik floating platform.
Astronomers confirm a huge, X-shaped bulge at the center of the Milky Way
The structure has been theorized for years but it’s finally been observed by astronomers, thanks to their keen eyes, tenacity, and activity on social media.
Jack White’s label makes mysterious promise to create vinyl history on July 30
Jack White's Third Man Records imprint has announced that it plans to make vinyl history on July 30 via a cryptic space-themed video.
Kepler finds 104 exoplanets in the largest single haul of confirmed planets
A total of 104 planets out of 197 original candidates have been confirmed, with four of those offering promise as potentially rocky, habitable worlds.
3D-printed satellite supports are enormous, yet incredibly lightweight
Europe’s two largest qualified 3D-printed metal parts have been successfully printed. Next stop? Space.