Space Flight

Japanese Lander Looks Back at Earth as it Heads to the Moon

The Hakuto-R 2 mission launched on January 15, 2025. It's the successor to Hakuto-R, which launched in December 2022 but…

2 weeks ago

Getting To Mars Quickly With Nuclear Electric Propulsion

A spacecraft takes between about seven and nine months to reach Mars. The time depends on the spacecraft and the…

3 weeks ago

There Were Over 260 Orbital Launches in 2024. A New Record

The launch of a rocket into orbit should never become routine. There was a time, probably around the 50’s and…

1 month ago

What Should Light Sails Be Made Out Of?

The Breakthrough Starshot program aims to cross the immense distances to the nearest star in just decades. Using a high-powered…

3 months ago

A Spider Stellar Engine Could Move Binary Stars Halfway Across a Galaxy

Eventually, every stellar civilization will have to migrate to a different star. The habitable zone around all stars changes as…

3 months ago

Add Astronaut Nutrition to the List of Barriers to Long-Duration Spaceflight

Though there are no firm plans for a crewed mission to Mars, we all know one's coming. Astronauts routinely spend…

4 months ago

NASA's New Solar Sail Extends Its Booms and Sets Sail

Solar sails are an exciting way to travel through the Solar System because they get their propulsion from the Sun.…

6 months ago

Astronauts’ Muscle Loss Mimics Age-Related Muscle Loss

One of the hazards astronauts must contend with is muscle loss. The more time they spend in a microgravity environment,…

7 months ago

The Shelf Life of Many Medications Is Shorter Than A Round Trip To Mars

Check any container of over-the-counter medicine, and you'll see its expiration date. Prescription medicines have similar lifetimes, and we're told…

7 months ago

The Most Dangerous Part of a Space Mission is Fire

Astronauts face multiple risks during space flight, such as microgravity and radiation exposure. Microgravity can decrease bone density, and radiation…

7 months ago