Space Exploration
Cassini Scientist Would Be Surprised if Life Doesn't Exist on Enceladus - The Crux
By Eric Betz | September 14, 2017 12:44 pm<p>Enceladus <i>(Credit: NASA)</i><p>The Cassini spacecraft has entered its final hours. And with the end nigh, <i>Discover</i> …
ExplorationTwo years on, the Kuiper Belt is in sight
ON SEPTEMBER 11th, nearly 6bn kilometres from Earth, beyond the orbit of Neptune, a spacecraft emerged from hibernation. The primary task of <i>New</i> …
ExplorationHighlights from the Cassini-Huygens mission
<b>The Cassini spacecraft spent 13 years exploring the Saturn system. In 2005, it deployed a probe, known as Huygens, to the surface of Titan.</b><p>Here is a selection of science highlights from the international mission.<p>Gushing geysers<p>Images sent back by the Voyager missions in the 1980s showed that …
PlanetsElon Musk: With new SpaceX tech, rocket costs will drop by a factor of 100
First, Reusability<p>Since the beginning, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has stressed the importance of making the company’s rockets reusable. After …
ExplorationNASA's Curiosity Rover Captures Spectacular Images as It Climbs Toward a Mysterious Outcrop
Over the past few days, NASA’s Curiosity rover has been making a steady climb towards a strange Martian ridge that’s captivated scientists since …
PlanetsVirgin Orbit announces contract to launch a dozen Cloud Constellation satellites
Air-launch rocket builder Virgin Orbit took another step in making low-cost rockets a reality in a new deal with satellite developer Cloud …
ExplorationWhy scientists are so excited about Saturn's icy moon Enceladus
Scientists explain how they discovered a water ocean beneath the ice shell of Saturn's moon Enceladus.<p>The ocean was revealed after Nasa's Cassini spacecraft spotted plumes of water-ice erupting from fissures at the moon's south pole.<p>The finding showed that there might be many places in the Solar …
ExplorationAstronomers discover a pitch black planet that reflects almost zero sunlight
When you imagine planets outside of our solar system you might dream up ocean worlds, thick plains of ice, or boiling seas of molten rock. Worlds …
ScienceAsteroid Mining Is Our Best Hope for Colonizing Mars
Asteroids will be the unsung heroes that help us become a multiplanetary species.<p>For the first time since the 1960s, space exploration is truly exciting again. This is thanks in large part to the advent of New Space, the name given to the new generation of commercial space companies that are …
Space TravelCassini team reflects on 'a tremendous adventure'
<b>(CNN) —</b> On Friday, roughly 900 million miles away, a collection of metal and electronics will crash into Saturn, disintegrating into its atmosphere. It sounds almost routine -- or at least a mere blip on the radar of importance for people grappling with hurricanes, war and political discord.<p>But …
News (U.S.)How Cassini probe reached Saturn
It took seven years for the US-European mission Cassini-Huygens just to get to the ringed planet, Saturn.<p>This animation shows that journey and how the probe used gravitational flybys of both Venus and Earth.<p>The animation was made for a Horizon documentary that will review the mission and its final …
ExplorationCassini's final mission: death plunge into Saturn's rings – video
During its 20-year mission to Saturn, Nasa’s Cassini spacecraft has revolutionised our understanding of the ringed planet and its moons, and captured some breathtaking images. Now it undertakes its final mission, to steer to its death through the planet’s rings, capturing data until the very last …
ExplorationNew theory on origin of the asteroid belt
(Phys.org)—A pair of researchers with Université de Bordeaux has proposed a new theory to explain the origin of the asteroid belt. In their paper …
PhysicsMeet one of the people who got us to Saturn
On Friday, the 20-year-long Cassini mission to Saturn will end. The spacecraft has flown through the planet's rings and discovered subterranean …
ExplorationSpaceX releases blooper reel of Falcon 9 "landings"
SpaceX showed some tongue in cheek humility today as it released a "blooper" video of the series of crashes and explosions leading up to the first …
SpaceLet’s Get To Know The Major Asteroids, The Middle Children Of Astrology
In our astrological study, the planets get plenty of attention. But what about the little guys? Though they might not be on every astrological enthusiast's mind, asteroids play an important role in determining the more granular aspects of our personalities. Where the planets command broader areas …
AsteroidsNew Horizons probe awakens to receive software upgrade
The New Horizons probe has successfully ended its five-month hibernation and resumed chats with its mission controllers.<p>The Johns Hopkins Applied …
ExplorationMy handwriting is about to crash into Saturn
The Cassini space probe carries a dozen instruments to "sniff" planetary gases, measure gravity and give us more detail than ever about the mysteries …
Australian NewsCassini Spacecraft Set To Complete 13-Year Saturn Mission
The Cassini spacecraft completes its 13-year Saturn mission Friday by plunging into Saturn's atmosphere, incinerating itself in the process. Astrophysicist Jonathan Lunine tells NPR's Ailsa Chang what the Cassini mission accomplished and why it's destined for such a grand finale.
ScienceExploring the solar system graveyard
Where spacecraft go to die<p>Research: Giorgia Guglielmi<p>14 September 2017<p>On 15 September, NASA's Cassini spacecraft will conclude a nearly 20-year-long …
ExplorationIce mined on Mars could provide water for humans exploring space
As humans spread out across the Earth, the locations of new colonies were driven by the accessibility of resources: not only food and water, but also …
ExplorationScientists produce a map marking water hotspots on the Moon
Scientists have created the first map that traces the water content on the surface of the Moon, in the hopes that it may come in handy for astronauts …
WaterImage - Interacting Galaxy Pair Arp 87
About this image<p>Two galaxies perform an intricate dance in this new Hubble Space Telescope image. The galaxies, containing a vast number of stars, …
GalaxiesTurtle, the earthbound crowdfunded rover
With ten days to go until the end of their crowdfunding campaign, the team behind the Turtle Rover are waiting eagerly for their project to become a …
Raspberry PiCassini will plunge into Saturn on Friday as NASA and the world watches: Live video
On Friday morning the Cassini spacecraft will turn its antennae towards earth one last time as it plunges into Saturn’s atmosphere and eventually …
ExplorationCassini says goodbye with its final photos from Saturn
As with all good things, they must come to an end, and space exploration is no different.<p>The Cassini spacecraft is now feeling the inexorable tug of Saturn's gravity as the bus-sized spacecraft is being pulled down into the giant planet's cloud tops.<p>Even though the probe — which has been exploring …
ExplorationCassini's Grand Finale
The Cassini spacecraft has spent the last two decades exploring Saturn and its unique moons, making discoveries that will advance space exploration …
ExplorationCassini prepares for a death plunge to Saturn
The Cassini space probe will end its two-decade mission with a fiery descent into Saturn's atmosphere. CNN's Robyn Curnow reports.
World NewsTarget is hiring 40% more holiday-season workers than last year
Target plans to hire 100,000 people to work during the hectic holiday shopping season, up 40% from last year.<p>The retailer said Wednesday that the …
San DiegoSpaceX bloopers video: 'How NOT to land an orbital rocket'
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX has put together a bloopers video showing "How NOT to land an orbital rocket booster."Set to John Philip Sousa's …
Exploration