Japanese space probe returns to Earth with precious asteroid samples
In 2010, a spacecraft from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully managed to bring samples of an asteroid back to Earth, marking the first time this has ever happened in history. This month, JAXA did it all over again, returning precious samples from the asteroid Ryugu. After Read More...
Scientists figure out how to turn briny water on Mars into oxygen and fuel
Figuring out ways for astronauts to source as many basic necessities as possible on Mars — or the Moon — is essential for future interplanetary space missions. With that in mind, engineers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a new electrolysis device that may be able to Read More...
Scientists have created a method that turns moon dust into oxygen
As you might expect, supporting human life on the Moon requires breathable oxygen. But there’s only so much that astronauts can take with them, so figuring out how to produce it there is essential. Now, a British company is working on extracting oxygen from moon dust, which could be invaluable Read More...
NASA collects samples from a space asteroid for the first time
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has spent nearly two years in space circling Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid. Now, it has successfully helped NASA gather samples from an asteroid in space for the very first time. In a momentous milestone for space exploration, the spacecraft’s robotic arm was Read More...
NASA to fly stadium-sized high-altitude balloon to watch newborn stars
NASA’s latest mission won’t involve launching a rocket into space, but rather a stadium-sized high-altitude balloon that will fly high up in the Earth’s atmosphere - all in an effort to watch newly formed stars. The mission is called ASTHROS (Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Read More...
NASA’s “Perseverance” rover will still launch on time this summer
The new Mars rover, scheduled to launch in July, is most appropriately named “Perseverance.” Despite budget complications and the global COVID-19 pandemic, NASA is confident that the six-wheeled rover will still take off this summer. According to division director Lori Glaze, the rover is Read More...