Showing off? SpaceX says it wants to land three rockets at the same time
Not content with bringing one rocket safely back to Earth at a time, SpaceX says that with its powerful new Falcon Heavy rocket it'll need to land three at the same time. In preparation, it's now seeking permission to build new landing pads at Cape Canaveral.
China plans futuristic $1.5-billion theme park with near-space balloon ride experience
China has unveiled plans for a futuristic $1.5-billion theme park with links to its high-altitude balloon project that could one day take tourists on leisurely rides to near-space.
SpaceX rocket explosion may leave it grounded for up to a year
It's thought SpaceX could be grounded for up to 12 months as it seeks to learn the cause of last week's accident in which one of its Falcon 9 rockets suddenly exploded during a fueling operation.
A Chinese rocket has just blasted off to begin the nation’s longest manned mission to date
China is getting into space in a big way, spending huge amounts on an array of missions and projects in the coming years. Taking a big step toward the deployment of a permanent space station, the nation on Monday launched its longest manned mission to date.
Watch this meat pie take a trip into space as part of a tasty science experiment
In a world first that's likely to be regarded as pointless by many, a team of scientists recently sent a pie spaceward to find out if altitude affects the pie’s molecular structure in a way that makes it easier to swallow and digest.
Japan’s high-tech space junk collector isn’t doing what it’s told
Japan is trying out some new technology in space to help clear up dangerous space junk orbiting Earth. Trouble is, it's not working properly.
Space Poop Challenge: NASA reveals the winner of its microgravity toilet contest
NASA has announced the winner of its Space Poop Challenge that sought to find an efficient method for astronauts to poop in their spacesuits.
The Apollo 11 space capsule is being prepped for another mission
The Apollo 11 capsule that transported the first astronauts to the moon and back is about to embark on a road trip across the U.S.
The UAE’s next ambitious project is to build a city on Mars
The United Arab Emirates' next big project is to complete the construction of a large city by 2117. On Mars, that is.
Blue Origin’s prototype space tourism capsule looks plush and roomy
Blue Origin boss Jeff Bezos has released photos of the capsule that will one day take space tourists on the ride of a lifetime.
Budweiser announces its intentions to be the first beer on Mars
If humans do ever get to colonize Mars, it's likely some of them will want to enjoy the occasional beer. Well, Budweiser wants to serve them.
KFC plans to send its new Zinger sandwich into space for some reason
While some may suggest that space is the best place for many of KFC's greasy offerings, the fast-food chain would certainly disagree and is instead using the vast expanse above our heads to promote its latest sandwich.
If you can't view August's total solar eclipse, NASA has a treat for you
If you can't get to a decent spot to marvel at the total solar eclipse this summer, then NASA has something for you.
SpaceX just sent up two rockets in 48 hours — and landed them again
SpaceX nailed two rocket landings in just 48 hours over the weekend, with each one offering unique challenges.
This ‘inflatable space yacht’ could be in orbit by 2022
Las Vegas-based Bigelow already has one of its inflatable space habitats attached to the space station. Now it wants to send one to the moon.
Dummies in space! Watch Jeff Bezos’ rocket company test a new crew capsule
Check out this video showing what it'll be like to experience a suborbital space flight offered by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin company.
Elon Musk posts pics of huge Falcon Heavy rocket ahead of debut launch
Teasing fans ahead of its maiden launch, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted several photos of the massive Falcon Heavy rocket.
A ‘flying brain’ is going to help out on the space station this summer
CIMON the "flying brain" is heading to the International Space Station this summer to show off its A.I. smarts and assist crew members with a range of tasks.
Airbus to build Mars rover to get first soil samples back to Earth
Getting soil samples from Mars back to Earth would give scientists a big chance to learn a lot more about the red planet. NASA and its European counterpart, ESA, recently announced the intention to embark on such a project, and this week asked Airbus to build a "fetch" rover to help retrieve the samples.
The world’s biggest plane now has some rockets to launch
Stratolaunch, the commercial space firm led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, has unveiled a set of rocket-powered vehicles that will one day travel with the world's largest plane to launch satellites into space. The company said that getting satellites into space "will soon be as easy as booking an airline flight.”
Tennis on the International Space Station is as weird as it sounds
Four astronauts made history this week by playing the first game of tennis in space. OK, it was with a squishy ball and tiny rackets, but it was still tennis ... sort of. The event was to show how ISS astronauts spend their leisure time, and to inspire youngsters to take an interest in space exploration.
Japan preps first test for its awesome ‘space elevator’
Japan is preparing to carry out the first test in space for a so-called “space elevator” that could one day transport people and cargo to orbiting stations way above Earth. Several organizations are looking into the feasibility of the project, with one group aiming for an ambitious-sounding 2050 launch.
Orbiting satellite offers a unique view of a recent rocket launch
Now here's a view of a rocket launch you probably weren't expecting. Showing last week's launch of a Chinese rocket from a launch site in the Gobi Desert around 1,000 miles west of Beijing, the extraordinary footage was captured from an orbiting satellite 332 miles up.
Rocket Lab steps into spotlight with its first commercial rocket launch
California-based Rocket Lab has successfully deployed multiple small satellites into orbit in its first notable commercial rocket launch. Its New Zealand-born boss said that with its Electron launch vehicle, "rapid and reliable access to space is now a reality for small satellites."
Glowing space billboards could show ads in the night sky
Look up at the night sky in 2020 and you might see an ad for McDonald's floating among the stars. A startup is planning to use a constellation of tiny satellites to create glowing ads. The satellites would light up different messages for up to six minutes at a time at about 250 miles above Earth.
Volunteers sent to bed for 60 consecutive days in offbeat space experiment
Twenty-four volunteers went to bed earlier this week and won't be getting up again for two months. It's part of an experiment by NASA and ESA to learn more about the negative effects on the human body of prolonged periods of weightlessness — important if astronauts are ever to embark on missions into deep space.
Germany’s space agency wants to catch rockets in the sky after launch
SpaceX and Blue Origin land their rockets back on Earth shortly after launch, but Germany's space agency is developing an alternative rocket recovery system capable of catching the booster as it glides back to terra firma. The agency hopes the design, if successful, will slash the cost of future satellite launches.
Public vote opens for new planet name, but Planet McPlanetface won’t fly
The largest unnamed world in our solar system needs an official title, and you can help choose it. The scientists who discovered the icy planetoid in 2007 recently announced a public vote offering three choices. The most popular choice will be submitted to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for consideration.
NASA’s eight-rotor Dragonfly drone is heading to Saturn’s largest moon
NASA is sending a drone to Titan, Saturn's largest moon, in an ambitious mission that could unlock the mystery of how life began on Earth. Launching in 2026, the dual-quadcopter will reach Titan eight years later, whereupon it’ll spend several years gathering data from locations of interest.
Here’s how you can watch Tuesday’s total solar eclipse over South America
By all accounts, the 2017 total solar eclipse was spectacular. There’s another one on Tuesday, but this time it's not passing over the U.S.. Thankfully, NASA has stepped in to offer a live-stream of the celestial event so you can still enjoy it -- and from the comfort of your own armchair, too.
Space food: Humble chili pepper to become first fruit grown in space
The Española chili pepper could become the first fruiting plant to be grown and harvested in space as part of an experiment taking place soon on the International Space Station. If successful, it will expand the range of foods able to be used for future, more ambitious missions to planets such as Mars.
Elon Musk says SpaceX’s Starship can land on the moon by 2021
SpaceX boss Elon Musk says he believes its Starship spacecraft can land on the moon by 2021, adding that he hopes his company can help to build a "permanently occupied lunar base" there. However, the comments came a few days before a prototype Starship rocket suffered a fiery mishap during a ground test this week.
The U.S. Air Force’s secretive space plane just set a new record
The U.S. Air Force's secretive X-37B space plane this week has beaten its previous record for the number of consecutive days spent in orbit. It's now been in space for 718 days, though as its missions are classified, it’s hard to know precisely what it’s doing up there.
NASA teams with European counterparts to stop asteroids from hitting Earth
Asteroid researchers and spacecraft engineers from around the world are meeting in Italy next week to discuss plans for an ambitious space mission that aims to test technology designed to change the orbit of a large asteroid. If successful, it could form the basis of a system to protect Earth from such a threat.
First-ever image of a black hole wins scientists a $3-million prize
The team of scientists who worked to capture the first-ever image of a black hole 55 million light years from Earth is to receive a $3 million prize for its efforts. The image was unveiled in April 2019 after decades of work to build a powerful virtual telescope spanning eight countries.
SpaceX conducted a key Crew Dragon engine test — and it didn’t blow up!
The last time SpaceX tested the launch abort system on its Crew Dragon capsule, there was an almighty explosion. This time around, it appeared to go much better. Wednesday’s apparent success takes SpaceX another step closer to a manned test of the Crew Dragon, which could soon be taking astronauts to the ISS.
Hayabusa2 spacecraft begins long journey home laden with asteroid samples
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft is on its way home following a successful 17-month rendezvous with the Ryugu asteroid some 200 million miles from Earth. And there’s a good reason for it coming back as it’s carrying with it the first-ever rock samples collected from the subsurface of an asteroid.
Watch SpaceX’s Starship prototype blow its top during a ground test
SpaceX's Starship blew its top during a pressure test in Texas on Sunday. A nearby camera captured the dramatic incident, which wrecked Starship's upper section. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was quick to respond, confirming the team would continue with work on a more advanced version rather than rebuild the damaged one.