Space Flight

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 weeks 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 weeks 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…

1 month 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.…

3 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,…

4 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…

4 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…

5 months ago

Astronauts Struggle To Eat Their Space Food and Scientists Want to Know Why

Astronauts sometimes struggle to consume enough nutritious food on the ISS because it tastes bland. But astronaut food is of…

5 months ago

Warp Drives Could Generate Gravitational Waves

Will future humans use warp drives to explore the cosmos? We're in no position to eliminate the possibility. But if…

6 months ago

Japanese Billionaire Calls Off His Starship Trip Around the Moon

Six years after he announced a grand plan to fly around the moon with a crew of artists in SpaceX's…

6 months ago