SPACE
- NASA Celebrates Restoration of Guam Station Damaged by Typhoon Mawar
by Korine Powers on 16/09/2026NASA celebrated the full restoration of its Guam Remote Station with a ribbon-cutting on Sept. 10, closing out more than three years of recovery after Super Typhoon Mawar devastated the site in 2023. Engineers from across the agency completed the final and most complex step of the rebuild on July […]
- NASA’s Life-Saving Technology Where Cell Signals Can’t Go
by Andrew Wagner on 10/09/2026Search and rescue technology developed in part by NASA saved five lives
- Anak Krakatau Rumbles Again
on 09/09/2026A powerful eruption from the Indonesian volcano lofted ash into the atmosphere, disrupting thousands of flights and degrading air quality.
- NASA Calls for Proposals to Accelerate Lunar Surface Technologies
by Lauren E. Low on 08/09/2026NASA is seeking proposals to advance the technology and infrastructure needed to explore the Moon and establish a Moon Base in the lunar South Pole region. Announced on Tuesday, Sept. 8, the solicitation targets capability gaps, including power generation, oxygen extraction, and producing materials […]
- NASA Technique for Manipulating Satellite Photos Now Reveals Ancient Images
by Andrew Wagner on 08/09/2026Algorithm NASA first applied to satellite imagery is now used to peer into antiquity
- NASA Selects Blue Origin as Mars Telecommunications Network Provider
by Jessica Taveau on 01/09/2026NASA awarded Blue Origin a contract Tuesday to develop the agency’s Mars Telecommunications Network, a next-generation communications system that will enable reliable, high-bandwidth communications and navigation services for current and future Mars missions. The firm-fixed-price contract has a […]
- Ribbon-Cutting Event for NASA Deep Space Network’s Deep Space Station 23
on 30/08/2026Description Leadership from NASA Headquarters, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Deep Space Network (DSN) stand in front of the recently completed Deep Space Station 23 antenna at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, on Aug. 25, 2026. From left: Germaine […]
- NASA Deep Space Network’s New Goldstone Antenna Goes Online
on 30/08/2026Description Long shadows are cast by the recently completed Deep Space Station 23 at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, in August 2026. A 34-meter (114-foot) multifrequency beam-waveguide antenna, DSS-23 will boost the DSN’s capacity and enhance NASA’s deep […]
- Panorama Showcasing the 34-Meter Antennas of the DSN’s Goldstone Complex
on 30/08/2026Description Five antennas soak in the summer sun at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, in August 2026. The recently completed Deep Space Station 23, a 34-meter (114-foot) beam-waveguide antenna, can be seen to the right of the frame in the foreground. The other […]
- New Next-Gen Dish Adds Muscle to NASA’s Deep Space Network
by albarne1 on 25/08/2026NASA’s Deep Space Network facility in California is marking the addition of a brand new 34-meter-wide (114-foot-wide) radio frequency antenna to the agency’s deep space communications and navigation system. The network uses giant dish antennas located at three global facilities to support more […]
- Perseverance’s View of ‘Turquoise Bay’
by Rafael Alanis on 21/09/2026Description NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera to capture this 360-degree panorama of “Turquoise Bay,” a geologic area of interest in the “Margin Unit.” The 818 images used to create the natural-color panorama were captured between Oct. 5 and Oct. 16, 2023, the 933rd […]
- Curiosity Postcard Celebrates Rover’s 5,000th Day on Mars
by Rafael Alanis on 16/09/2026Description While parked at a sand ridge nicknamed “Chocolatal,” NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its black-and-white navigation cameras to capture panoramas at two times of day. The first was taken on Aug. 30, 2026, at 9:56 a.m. local Mars time; the second was taken on Sep. 2, 2026, at 5:39 […]
- Ribbon-Cutting Event for NASA Deep Space Network’s Deep Space Station 23by Rafael Alanis on 30/08/2026
Description Leadership from NASA Headquarters, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Deep Space Network (DSN) stand in front of the recently completed Deep Space Station 23 antenna at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, on Aug. 25, 2026. From left: Germaine […]
- NASA Deep Space Network’s New Goldstone Antenna Goes Onlineby Rafael Alanis on 30/08/2026
Description Long shadows are cast by the recently completed Deep Space Station 23 at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, in August 2026. A 34-meter (114-foot) multifrequency beam-waveguide antenna, DSS-23 will boost the DSN’s capacity and enhance NASA’s deep […]
- Panorama Showcasing the 34-Meter Antennas of the DSN’s Goldstone Complexby Rafael Alanis on 30/08/2026
Description Five antennas soak in the summer sun at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, in August 2026. The recently completed Deep Space Station 23, a 34-meter (114-foot) beam-waveguide antenna, can be seen to the right of the frame in the foreground. The other […]
- Galaxy Gallery: Galactic Gems Glisten in New Gallery From NASA’s Chandra
by lamohon on 25/08/2026This gallery displays a collection of 16 galactic images from Chandra and other telescopes. Astronomers put galaxies into three main categories: spirals like our own Milky Way, ellipticals that are older and likely the results of mergers, and irregulars that can encompass a wide range of galactic […]
- Perseverance Captures Another Phobos Transit
by Rafael Alanis on 24/08/2026Description NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera to capture the silhouette of Phobos, one of the two Martian moons, as it crossed in front of the Sun on Aug. 12, 2026, the 1,948th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The animation has been tinted to simulate what a human […]
- MAIA Air Sensor at Work in Addis Ababa
by Rafael Alanis on 24/08/2026Description This roof-mounted air sensor in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is one of 10 used by NASA’s Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) to study the city’s air quality. MAIA’s air sensors provide a detailed look at particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers or less in […]
- Mapping Air Pollution With MAIA Sensors in Addis Ababa
by Rafael Alanis on 24/08/2026Description This map of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, shows the locations of 10 air sensors that NASA’s Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) mission is using to provide one of the most detailed looks ever at the city’s air pollution. Over the course of three years, these sensors […]
- NASA’s SkyFall Helicopters at Work (Artist’s Concept)
by Rafael Alanis on 06/08/2026Description This artist’s concept depicts NASA’s three SkyFall Mars helicopters collecting data while flying over the surface of the Red Planet. The green frequency waves emanating from the helicopters’ large antennas depict collection of subsurface radar data. The red beams depict collect […]
- JUICE Mission to Swing by Earth on September 28
by Matthew Williams (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/houseofwilliams) on 23/09/2026The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) will return to Earth on 28 September, with flight controllers guiding the spacecraft close to our home planet to alter its speed and direction en route to Jupiter.
- Following Neptune Through Opposition 2026
by David Dickinson (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/david-dickinson) on 23/09/2026Never seen Neptune for yourself? Late September 2026 presents an ideal opportunity to cross the outermost ice giant off of your ‘life list,’ as the planet reaches opposition for 2026, rising opposite to the setting Sun and riding high to the south towards local midnight.
- Astronomers Directly Image the Youngest Exoplanet Ever
by Andy Tomaswick (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/andy-tomaswick) on 23/09/2026Most exoplanets we find have been around a long time. They’ve cleared out their orbital path (one of the requirements of planethood, as fans of Pluto well know), have their own gravitational pull, and in many cases shine with their own infrared light. But it takes a long time to get to that point […]
- How Diffractive Solar Sails Could Stop a Killer Asteroid at 100 km/s
by Andy Tomaswick (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/andy-tomaswick) on 23/09/2026Asteroids don’t come with a warning label that they might one day hit Earth. While we don’t know of any currently on course to do so, we are finding thousands of new ones each year, and there’s always a potential that one could. We proved a viable technique for dealing with that eventuality - […]
- SKA May Detect Magnetic Fields on Distant Exoplanets
by Laurence Tognetti, MSc (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/laurencetognetti) on 23/09/2026Studying exoplanets has provided astronomers with a plethora of insights regarding what characteristics need to be searched to find life beyond Earth. For the longest time, astronomers merely thought an exoplanet in a star’s habitable zone was a sufficient criterion for an Earth-like world. […]
- First Diagnostic X-Rays in Space Mark New Era for Astronaut Health
by Matthew Williams (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/houseofwilliams) on 23/09/2026A team of researchers acquired the first diagnostic X-ray images during a commercial spaceflight, demonstrating that X-ray medicine can be performed in space.
- 3I/ATLAS Has An Extreme Taste For Heavy Water
by Andy Tomaswick (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/andy-tomaswick) on 22/09/2026More and more details about 3I/ATLAS are filtering through the scientific process as time goes on. Our third known interstellar visitor attracted the attention of some of the most powerful observatories in the world when it was discovered in July 2025, and some of those telescopes found something […]
- Space Rocks Carry Hundreds of Thousands of Complex Organic Molecules—and We Just Photographed Them
by Andy Tomaswick (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/andy-tomaswick) on 22/09/2026Scientists have known for a while that meteorites contain the “building blocks” of life - complex organic molecules such as amino acids, simple sugars, or even the chemical rungs of DNA. But anyone who has taken an organic chemistry class knows there are plenty of other carbon-based molecules […]
- A Rare, Distant Clump of Early Galaxies Reveals Ancient Cosmic Secrets
by Carolyn Collins Petersen (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/cc-petersen) on 22/09/2026The discovery of a very early and rare proto-supercluster of infant galaxies may help give clues to the formation of such clusters and their connection to the Cosmic Web.
- Smashed Icy Moons Cool Too Rapidly to Retain Oceans
by Laurence Tognetti, MSc (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/laurencetognetti) on 22/09/2026There are more than 450 confirmed moons orbiting the eight major planets, but only a handful of them provide unique scientific value to pique the interests of the scientific community, specifically their potential for hosting life as we know it. This is due to the subsurface oceans that exist […]
- SpaceX stack Starship and Super Heavy for first orbital flight
by Will Robinson-Smith on 23/09/2026The inclusion of the upper stage, tail number Ship 41, comes ahead of a probable fueling demonstration planned in the days leading up to a launch attempt. Starship Flight 14 is scheduled for no earlier than Sept. 28, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
- SpaceX’s Super Heavy booster arrives at pad ahead of first orbital Starship launch
by Will Robinson-Smith on 21/09/2026The first planned orbital Starship mission is scheduled for launch from Starbase in Texas as soon as Sept. 28, pending final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
- Russian Progress cargo ship arrives at International Space Station
by Steven Young on 19/09/2026The Progress M-25 docked at the space-facing port of Russia’s Poisk module at 9:44 a.m. EDT (1344 UTC) after a one-week delay.
- SpaceX launches 27 Starlink V2 Mini satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg
by Will Robinson-Smith on 19/09/2026Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base happened at 6:47 p.m. PDT (9:47 p.m. EDT / 0147 UTC). It was the 81st Starlink mission of the year.
- SpaceX launches national security payload for U.S. Space Force from Vandenberg
by Will Robinson-Smith on 15/09/2026The rocket carried an unspecified number of satellites to orbit. Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base happened on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 6:07:56 p.m. PDT / 9:07:56 p.m. EDT on Sept. 16 (0107:56 UTC on Sept. 17).
- Avio launches pair of climate monitoring European spacecraft to study plants, oceans and atmospheric changes
by Will Robinson-Smith on 15/09/2026The mission, with the shorthand VV30, is the second launch of a Vega-C rocket managed solely by Avio without Arianespace. Liftoff from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana happened at 10:21 p.m. local time (9:21 p.m. EDT / 0121 UTC / 3:21 a.m. CEST).
- Launch preview: Avio to launch spacecraft to monitor plant health and ocean conditions
by Will Robinson-Smith on 14/09/2026The mission, with the shorthand VV30, is the second launch of a Vega-C rocket managed solely by Avio without Arianespace. Liftoff from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana is scheduled for 10:21 p.m. local time (9:21 p.m. EDT / 0121 UTC / 3:21 a.m. CEST).
- SpaceX launches 700th Falcon rocket, carries final 3 O3b mPOWER satellites to orbit for SES
by Will Robinson-Smith on 13/09/2026The launch marks the 400th orbital flight from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff is scheduled during an 87-minute window that opens at 2:49 p.m. EDT (1849 UTC).
- SpaceX launches classified payload for the U.S. Space Force
by Will Robinson-Smith on 09/09/2026The mission, dubbed USSF-153 mission, launched an undisclosed number of satellites for the U.S. Space Force. Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base happened at 8:42 a.m. PDT (1142 a.m. EDT / 1542 UTC).
- SpaceX launches 80th Starlink mission of 2026
by Will Robinson-Smith on 05/09/2026SpaceX decided to shift all Starlink missions flying on Falcon 9 rockets to the West Coast as it pushes towards the debut of its Starship-Super Heavy in Florida. Liftoff of the Starlink 15-24 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base happened at 7:26 a.m. PDT (10:26 a.m. EDT / 1426 UTC).