Latest

India’s Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully lands on the Moon’s south pole

India chandrayaan3 spacecraft lands on the moon's south pole

In a watershed moment for India’s space program, on Wednesday, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully touched down at the unexplored lunar south pole. This is the first time any country has visited this area of the Moon.

Update: The Pragyan rover has rolled off the Vikram lander. Due to the amount of dust kicked up upon the touchdown of the Vikram lander, the rollout of the rover was delayed.

Expand Expanding Close

This Week in Launches: SpaceX Crew-7 launch week, along with many other missions

This week has proven to be one of the most eventful in recent memory, featuring a flurry of activities including two launches to the International Space Station, four SpaceX launches, and four distinct rockets. From the Crew-7 rotation mission by SpaceX, a specialized SmallSat mission by Rocket Lab, to a rare Japanese launch, this week is poised to be action-packed.

Expand Expanding Close

Crew-7 astronauts arrive in Florida ahead of flight to International Space Station

The four members of the Crew-7 mission arrived at Kennedy Space Center and are in the final quarantine phase before starting their journey to the International Space Station. Launch week has begun with several events taking place as we get ready to see Crew-7 liftoff.

Expand Expanding Close

Earth isn’t the only planet to have had seasons study shows

My favorite part of where I live now is four distinct seasons each year. Wisconsin brings cold winters, hot summers, beautiful falls, and well, rainy springs. In contrast, during my time in Florida, we experienced two seasons: intensely hot and wet, followed by relatively less hot and dry (if you’re curious, the latter is when you most likely came for vacation). Interestingly, seasons appear to have lost their uniqueness in space, as a study indicates that Mars once possessed them before its water reserves evaporated.

Expand Expanding Close

Who will win the space tourist sector: Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic?

galactic 01, galactic 02, virgin galactic

Last Thursday, Virgin Galactic successfully launched its first group of commercial customers into space aboard its SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane, named VSS Unity. This achievement occurred approximately one month after its previous flight. With Virgin Galactic now a significant player in the field, the question arises: Can they outpace Blue Origin in the realm of space tourism?

Expand Expanding Close

NASA says July 2023 was the hottest month ever; here’s why

Scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York have officially confirmed that July 2023 held the hottest global temperature ever in recorded history.

It’s quite obvious at this point that we’re feeling the effects of climate change, but what specifically contributed the most to July’s unprecedented heatwave?

Expand Expanding Close

Maui Fires: Satellite Imagery from Planet Labs reveals devastation

Earlier today, Planet Labs released comparison imagery of the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Void of its typically lush green landscape, photos and videos from the ground have revealed the devastation and deeply personal, emotional, and cultural effects. Now, we get to see the widespread and visual destruction from thousands of kilometers up.

Expand Expanding Close

This Week in Launches: Virgin Galactic flies sweepstake winners, Russia returns to the Moon

This week, we have a pair of space launches from both Russia and SpaceX, along with a noteworthy commercial sub-orbital space tourism flight by Virgin Galactic. The eagerly awaited sweepstakes winner will finally get her chance to fly on VSS Unity, coinciding with Russia’s long-anticipated return to the Moon with Luna 25.

Expand Expanding Close