Space

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.

The Dragon spacecraft Freedom splashed down as planned off the Florida coast, carrying two Starliner astronauts who were originally scheduled to spend just eight days aboard the International Space Station, but ended up remaining there for nine months.

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 private lunar lander overturned upon landing, Starship exploded in space, spacecraft went missing, and a European launch was successful. This Week in Space.

On its eighth test flight, SpaceX successfully landed the rocket on the launch tower but lost the spacecraft again shortly afterward, similar to the previous test

Firefly’s uncrewed lander has completed a soft landing and will primarily investigate the Moon’s geology and surface composition.

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.

Asteroid impact risk is rising but not yet alarming. SpaceX expedites the return of stranded astronauts, a new New Glenn rocket is in development, and the debate over astronomical legacy. This Week in Space.

The Israeli company Creation-Space has raised $2.5 million for its accelerator program, which supports startups developing technologies for use in deep-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.

The FAA is investigating recent SpaceX and Blue Origin accidents, UNASA is facing leadership changes under the new U.S. administration, China has demonstrated oxygen production in space, and discussions on preserving the Moon’s heritage. This Week in Space

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

During the seventh test flight of Starship, the launch rocket successfully landed on the launch tower. However, the spacecraft itself exploded shortly afterward.

Blue Origin successfully reached orbit as planned in the maiden launch of its heavy-lift rocket, New Glenn, but failed in its attempt to land the rocket’s first stage.

Giant rocket launches, the debate over lunar missions, the decision on Mars sample collection, an intriguing Chinese mission, and a centaur on the edge of the solar system. This Week in Space

From a private spacewalk to Starship’s milestones and Boeing’s setbacks, 2024 was a landmark year in space. What’s in store for 2025?

A spacecraft sets a new record for a Sun flyby, NASA privatizes space communication, a new study reveals the Moon’s age, educational astronomy, and a unique ring. This Week in Space

Another delay in returning the astronauts stranded in space, another Chinese space milestone, another Japanese launch failure, more planned lunar landers, and additional complications for SpaceX. This Week in Space

The Israeli-based company Space Pharma has secured a grant from the European Union for drug development in microgravity, repurposing the grounded Ingenuity Mars helicopter, problems with Orion’s heat shield, and an increased risk of satellite collisions. This Week in Space

Marking 90 years since the birth of Carl Sagan, a trailblazer in planetary science and astrobiology, who became an iconic advocate for science in the media and the public sphere through popular books and a successful TV series.

Marking 135 years since the birth of Edwin Hubble, who revealed that the universe is much larger than the Milky Way, showed that it is steadily expanding, and laid the foundation for the Big Bang theory.