Human remains set for moon memorial to instead burn in Earth’s atmosphere
The Peregrine lander carried remains and the DNA of more than 70 people — but a propulsion problem meant it never reached the moon, and will burn up at reentry.
By Kelsey AblesJapan’s spacecraft lands softly on the moon, but is running out of power
The spacecraft appeared to reach the moon, but it was not clear if the lander touched down softly.
By Christian DavenportJapan will attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon precisely
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency hopes the ‘Moon Sniper’ rover will pave the way for precise landings crucial to researching the origins of the moon.
By Julia Mio Inuma and Christian DavenportConcerns rise China might reach moon before NASA’s return
A year-long delay in a planned mission to send astronauts to orbit the moon prompts worries among members of Congress.
By Christian DavenportWould-be historic lunar mission won’t reach moon’s surface, company says
Astrobotic acknowledged late Monday that the spacecraft, which had been leaking propellant since shortly after launch, was fighting an “uncontrollable tumble.”
By Christian DavenportU.S. spacecraft suffers fuel loss, threatening historic moon landing
The Astrobotic Peregrine is carrying experiments and the cremated remains of people it described as ”intrepid souls who never stopped reaching for the stars.”
By Christian DavenportNASA and private industry aim for moon landings in 2024
The launch early Monday of a private company’s spacecraft to the moon is the next step in NASA’s ambitious plans to return humans to the lunar surface.
By Christian DavenportHow to watch the first meteor shower of 2024, the fleeting Quadrantids
The first meteor shower of 2024 is about to peak. Here’s what to know about the Quadrantids.
By Jennifer HassanTwo U.S. firms to launch spacecraft to the moon within weeks of each other
The missions in January, if successful, will result in the first lunar landing by a private company.
By Christian DavenportTaters the cat stars in NASA’s first video streamed from deep space
A playful clip of Taters, who belongs to a NASA employee, was sent from a spacecraft to Earth last week. For science.
By Justine McDanielBlue Origin returns to flight as Bezos reengages with his space company
The mission didn’t carry any people, but marked the first flight in more than a year for Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.
By Christian DavenportGiant space rock made Earth’s ocean boil but also helped early life
Scientists speaking at an annual conference described how the bludgeoning of young Earth may have primed the planet to be more congenial to life.
By Joel AchenbachHow does falling into a black hole feel? A new song imagines the sensation.
Sophie Kastner used NASA telescope data to compose a song about traveling through the Milky Way and the black hole Sagittarius A*.
By Kyle MelnickMore than a year after engine failure, Blue Origin to return to flight
The company said it would launch an uncrewed flight next week from its facility in West Texas.
By Christian DavenportThe many, many reasons space travel is bad for the human body
Humans evolved in conditions of plentiful gravity and relatively little radiation. Space is the reverse — and it upends almost every system inside of us.
By Gretchen Reynolds and William NeffAsteroid pieces brought to Earth may offer clue to life’s origin
The scientific community got its first description of the material recovered by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union.
By Joel AchenbachDiminutive and mysterious, the Pentagon’s X-37B set to launch again
Sunday’s launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy will be the space plane’s eighth orbital mission, all of which are shrouded in secrecy.
By Christian DavenportMary Cleave, shuttle astronaut who tracked climate change, dies at 76
Dr. Cleave was inspired to return to climate research after seeing deforested parts of the Amazon from space.
By Brian MurphyAmazon awards launches to SpaceX, its main internet satellite rival
In awarding the contract, Amazon is tacitly acknowledging that Elon Musk’s rocket company is the world’s most reliable launch provider.
By Christian DavenportAstronomers discover six planets orbiting a nearby sun-like star
The new planets could provide a breakthrough in understanding how planets form and why there are so many “sub Neptune” worlds in our galaxy.
By Joel Achenbach