Space
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin predicts humans will reach Mars by 2040, emphasizing that the journey hinges on inspiring and educating the next generation in STEM fields. He points to current technological advances and the need for sustained investment in youth as critical to making the mission a reality.
Space
Theoretical physicist Claudius Gros of Goethe University has outlined a concept for sending a 1.5-ton spacecraft with mini-labs to seed life on exoplanets like TRAPPIST-1. Using laser and magnetic sails, the journey would take 12,000 years. The proposal raises ethical questions about humanity's long-term role in the cosmos.
Space
Astronomers confirmed a sub-Earth planet, Barnard b, orbiting Barnard's star, the closest single star to our Sun at six light-years. The discovery, made with the Very Large Telescope, marks the first known planet around this star and adds to the growing census of low-mass worlds in our cosmic neighborhood.
Space
NASA's Perseverance rover has arrived at a new vantage point overlooking the Séítah region of Jezero Crater, marking the start of its dedicated science campaign. The rover will use its autonomous driving capability to explore layered rocks and dunes that may hold clues to ancient microbial life.
Space
A Falcon 9 rocket stage bound for the International Space Station was damaged when it struck a bridge during transport, forcing SpaceX to postpone the Crew-5 launch to late September. The incident adds to a series of hardware challenges for the company, while the mission's crew, including a Russian cosmonaut, remains confident in the vehicle's safety.
Space
Two NASA astronauts whose eight-day mission stretched to eight months due to Boeing Starliner issues plan to vote from the International Space Station. They requested absentee ballots, which NASA transmits electronically, continuing a practice that allows Americans in orbit to participate in elections.
Space
According to a New York Times report, Elon Musk has offered his own sperm to help establish a Martian settlement, underscoring his deep commitment to making humanity multi-planetary. The report also details Musk's concerns about global fertility rates and his company's ongoing plans for a city on the Red Planet.
Space
NASA is deploying a software patch to Voyager 2 to address thruster fuel residue and a glitch that affected Voyager 1, aiming to extend the nearly 50-year mission. Engineers are running out of backup options, but the team hopes to reach the 50-year milestone and celebrate.
Space
A legal expert argues that current international treaties banning nuclear weapons in space could hinder humanity's ability to deflect a catastrophic asteroid. He proposes establishing a new global framework now to authorize nuclear strikes on threatening space rocks, avoiding political gridlock during an actual crisis.
Space
NASA, the Department of Energy, and Los Alamos National Laboratory are developing Kilopower, a compact nuclear reactor that could provide reliable electricity for future Mars and Moon missions. The reactor, tested in 2018, offers a scalable power solution for habitats, with plans for multiple units to meet mission needs.
Space
An Israeli spacecraft is carrying a disc with 25,000 books, Wikipedia, and language guides to the Moon, part of a project to preserve human knowledge for billions of years. The archive, created by the Arch Mission Foundation, launched Thursday on a SpaceX Falcon 9. It is one of several planned backups across the solar system.
Space
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket suffered a structural failure during testing, jeopardizing its planned October launch for NASA's EscaPADE Mars mission. The mishap adds to years of delays and technical issues, raising doubts about meeting the tight deadline.
