Beijing (AFP) June 25, 2024
A Chinese probe carrying samples from the far side of the Moon returned to Earth on Tuesday, capping a technically complex 53-day mission heralded as a world first. The landing module of the Chang'e-6 spacecraft touched down at a predetermined site in Inner Mongolia at 2:07 pm (0607 GMT), the China National Space Administration said, hailing the mission a "complete success". It comes bea

Using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, scientists observed the region above Jupiter’s iconic Great Red Spot to discover a variety of previously unseen features. The region, previously believed to be unremarkable in nature, hosts a variety of intricate structures and activity.

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Watch the replay of the Ariane 6 inaugural flight pre-launch media briefing to learn more about the first flight of Europe’s new heavy lift launch vehicle.

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jun 25, 2024
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the nation's leading space contractor, achieved a significant milestone on Sunday by conducting a critical test for its upcoming reusable carrier rocket. The State-owned conglomerate announced that its subsidiary, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, successfully executed a "hop test" using an experimental rocket. This test, conducted

Paris (AFP) June 24, 2024
The James Webb space telescope has discovered massive clusters of stars in the early universe so huge and densely packed that they influenced how their galaxy formed, astronomers said on Monday. The five clumps of stars, known as globular proto-clusters, are the earliest ever observed, dating back to 460 million years after the Big Bang when the universe was three percent its current age.

Beijing (AFP) June 24, 2024
A Chinese probe carrying samples from the far side of the Moon is expected to return to Earth on Tuesday, capping a technically complex 53-day mission heralded as a world first. Beijing has not disclosed the spacecraft's estimated arrival time, but experts say it will likely touch down in a barren expanse of desert in the northern Inner Mongolia region at around midday (0400 GMT). It com

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 25, 2024
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), the nation's leading space contractor, conducted a significant technological test on Sunday, bringing the company closer to its goal of building the nation's first reusable carrier rocket. The state-owned conglomerate announced that one of its subsidiaries, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, used an experimental rocket to per

by Maria Iacobo | School of Architecture and Planning
Boston MA (SPX) Jun 25, 2024 A new MIT course this spring asked students to design what humans might need to comfortably work in and inhabit space. The time for these creations is now. While the NASA Apollo missions saw astronauts land on the moon, collect samples, and return home, the missions planned under Artemis, NASA's current moon exploration program, include establishing long-term bases

Canberra, Australia (SPX) Jun 25, 2024
Space exploration has always captivated our imagination, offering the promise of discovering new worlds and pushing the boundaries of human capability. As commercial space travel becomes more accessible, individuals with various underlying health conditions-including heart failure-may soon be among those venturing beyond Earth's atmosphere. This raises critical questions about the impact of spac

Rochester NY (SPX) Jun 25, 2024
The space environment is harsh and full of extreme radiation. Scientists designing spacecraft and satellites need materials that can withstand these conditions. In a paper published in January 2024, my team of materials researchers demonstrated that a next-generation semiconductor material called metal-halide perovskite can actually recover and heal itself from radiation damage. Meta