Blue Origin successfully launched a mission to Mars — despite solar storms that lit up the aurora as far south as the U.S. Deep South. China sets new launch records, and astronomers uncover unusual planets in a distant star system. This Week in Space

The United States has launched two satellites to study the atmosphere of our neighboring planet, in the first operational launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket — a mission that concluded with a successful landing of its first stage on a sea platform.

The U.S. Air Force has canceled an intriguing space experiment, while new research reveals surprising details about the ocean beneath Enceladus’s icy surface. This Week in Space

Equipped with the largest digital camera ever built, the Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile is poised to capture wide-field images of the sky with unparalleled detail and depth.

Private astronauts arrived at the International Space Station, continuing a long-standing Israeli research initiative. A European spacecraft was lost during reentry, a U.S. solar probe completed another close pass by the Sun, and a new telescope began its mission to map the skies. This Week in Space

For centuries, missiles and rockets have played a dual role in human progress—sometimes advancing science, but more often serving as instruments of destruction. How were these technologies developed? What are they capable of? And how do we defend against them?

Rare documentation of a planet in an unusual planetary system, a delay in a private mission, and a successful launch by Rocket Lab. This Week in Space

A Japanese spacecraft failed in its Moon landing attempt, a new European telescope designed to detect dangerous asteroids, and new research questions whether a galactic collision is truly inevitable. This Week in Space

Researchers recently reported the discovery of a biological molecule in the atmosphere of a distant exoplanet – raising excitement about the possibility of life beyond Earth. However, a series of new studies casts significant doubt on the likelihood of life there.

Scientists photographed a visible-wavelength Mars aurora for the first time, while another study suggests suspected water flows are likely dust avalanches. Starship faces new issues, and India lost a satellite. This Week in Space

Tiangong space station and a culture of Niallia bacteria, closely related to the space-developed species. Sources: China Manned Space Engineering Office, Leibniz Institute DSMZ

Ramon.Space makes headlines with a multi-million-dollar satellite computer deal, another Starship test launch approaches, Venus shows signs of tectonic activity, and new findings suggest the universe’s end may come sooner than expected. This week in space.

Even if the Sun always looks the same to us, sunspots—whose sizes vary—were already identified back in the 18th century. The effort to understand what causes these changes led to a fascinating journey into the Sun’s activity cycles and the influence of the planets on it.

The veteran astronaut returns from space, changes and innovations aboard the Chinese space station, and how does one lose a spacecraft? This Week in Space

Molecules identified in a distant planet’s atmosphere form on Earth only through biological activity.

A development led by an Israeli scientist has significantly improved the image quality of ground-based telescopes. “These are the sharpest images we’ll see this decade.”

Private astronauts are once again pushing the boundaries of exploration, satellites are helping detect wildfires, and scientists have uncovered intriguing organic molecules on Mars. This Week in Space.

Boeing faces another test flight, India’s Moon program gains momentum, galaxies are aging faster than scientists once thought.

NASA is initiating layoffs as part of a cost-cutting plan. Meanwhile, a powerful new space telescope has launched, 128 new moons have been discovered orbiting Saturn, and the Voyager spacecraft are getting a life-extending strategy. This Week in Space.

The risk of an asteroid impact has dropped, a private spacecraft is en route to the Moon, and titanium winds were discovered on an exoplanet. This Week in Space.

The risk of an asteroid impact has risen, the head of Russia’s space was dismissed, an Israeli doctor making strides at NASA, and lunar gravity simulation is advancing. This Week in Space

Israel’s new national solar observatory, evidence of life’s building blocks on an asteroid, a lunar mission in collaboration with Italy, and Israeli technology for satellite refueling. This Week in Space

Scientists analyzing samples from the asteroid Bennu have identified thousands of organic molecules, including the building blocks of proteins and genetic material. “This increases the likelihood of finding life elsewhere,” researchers say.

An impressive success accompanied by a landing failure for Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn rocket, docking of Indian satellites in space, two lunar landers on their way to the Mook, and a remarkable observation satellite by the United Arab Emirates. This Week In Space