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Some of the first James Webb Space Telescope investigations will focus on a variety of planet very different from what’s found in our cosmic neighborhood. Once Webb finishes its six-month commissioning period around June, it is scheduled to start a series of studies in exoplanets. One such project will study 11 “super-Earths,” which are worlds … Read more
Fisher Space Pen is ready for NASA’s next missions to the moon, 50 years after its writing instruments were used by astronauts on the lunar surface. The Nevada-based, family-run company has introduced its new Artemis Space Pen series, as well as a special edition of its original model space pen that made history on NASA’s … Read more
NASA astronaut Victor Glover will join other agency representatives Wednesday (Feb. 2) to talk about the International Space Station‘s research activities. You can watch the whole event live at the Destination Station NASA website at 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT). You must register to join the webinar on Zoom; registration is free. Along with Glover, … Read more
The International Space Station’s final nine years are going to be busy. NASA just released a report outlining the big-picture goals for the rest of the orbiting lab’s operational life, which is expected to end with a controlled deorbit in January 2031. These goals are: enabling deep-space exploration, conducting research to benefit humanity, inspiring our … Read more
The space shuttle Challenger — during its 10th launch – on Jan. 28, 1986, exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crewmembers and changing NASA’s space program forever. Challenger was the second shuttle to reach space, in April 1983. It successfully completed nine milestone missions during nearly three years of service. In total, the … Read more
Spacecraft controllers started powering up the four cutting-edge instruments on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope as they prepare for the observatory’s first glimpses of a target star. That star, called HD 84406, is located 241 light-years from Earth and part of the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear. The images will not be used for … Read more
Ever thought about buying one of the best monoculars, instead of a pair of binoculars? For astronomy, a pair of binoculars are often considered as a portable and travel-friendly alternative to a small telescope. When it comes to monoculars you’re cutting down weight and bulk again. Weighing at least half as much as a pair … Read more
Festive red adorns China’s Tiangong space station in new footage celebrating the lunar new year in orbit. The Shenzhou 13 astronauts are the first to celebrate the holiday in orbit, according to the China National Space Administration, and were given ample supplies to do so. “They have decorated the space station core module with traditional … Read more
North Korea has launched yet another missile, in what appears to be the nation’s biggest such test in more than four years. North Korea conducted a test launch of its Hwasong 12 intermediate-range ballistic missile on Sunday (Jan. 30), continuing a very busy January for the rogue nation. And the vehicle managed to snap some … Read more
Exoplanets, planets that orbit stars other than the sun, are found at distances very far from Earth. For example, the closest exoplanet to us, Proxima Centauri b, is 4.2 light-years away, or 265,000 times the distance between the Earth and the sun. To the naked eye, the planets in the solar system appear as bright spots. … Read more