• Space Quote: NASA and ESA Cooperation

    “From understanding our changing planet to exploring Mars, I hugely value the cooperation we have with NASA…By contributing key European hardware and services to exciting programmes such as Artemis and Mars Sample Return, we are building Europe’s autonomy while also being a reliable partner.” -Statement by ESA’s Director General Josef Aschbacher as part of the…

  • Chinese Map of the Moon

    Earlier this month, China released a geological map of the Moon’s surface. It is to a scale of 1:2,500,000. Here is the accompanying description of the map: Geologic maps of the Moon provide comprehensive information about the geologic strata, structural features, lithologies, and chronology of the lunar crustal surface, which reflect the evolution of the…

  • Astra Rocket Failure Impacts TROPICS Mission

    This weekend we witnessed another example that space operations are risky. On Sunday, Astra’s Rocket LV0010 launched from Cape Canaveral but was unable to place two satellites into orbit. The satellites were part of NASA’s TROPICS-1 mission. The main issue was the engine on the upper portion of the rocket. As described by Astra on…

  • Russians Hijack A German Space Telescope

    Remember all those sanctions and cancelled projects following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and how we hoped scientists would rise above it? Well, the Russians will have none of it. They have decided to switch on Germany’s eROSITA space telescope. Built by the Max Planck Institute and launched in 2019 together with the Russian ART-XC space…

  • The Chinese Elon Musk?

    Have you read about the Chinese car company with space ambitions? In a June 2 press release, we learn that a unit of the Chinese automaker Geely (owner of Volvo, Polestar, and Group Lotus) already sent 9 communications satellites into orbit this year, with plans for a total of 240 such satellites in a constellation…

  • Space Quote: The Search for UAPs

    “NASA believes that the tools of scientific discovery are powerful and apply here also…We have access to a broad range of observations of Earth from space – and that is the lifeblood of scientific inquiry. We have the tools and team who can help us improve our understanding of the unknown. That’s the very definition…

  • Pic of the Week: Dazzling Star Cluster

    The image this week is from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. It shows a cluster of old and young stars in the globular cluster Liller 1 located within the bulge of the Milky Way Galaxy. Here is a full explanation from NASA: The muted red tones of the globular cluster Liller 1 are partially obscured…

  • JWST: It Can Be Dangerous in Space

    NASA reports that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was hit by a micrometeroid last month. The tweet from NASAWebb stated: In late May, Webb sustained a dust-sized micrometeroid impact to a primary mirror segment. Not to worry: Webb is still performing at a level that exceeds all mission requirements. A second story explained how…

  • Where is This? June 7, 2022 Quiz

    Take a look at the image above. Can you determine where this image originated? Take a guess and then check your answer by going to the menu and selecting the “Where is this?” page.

  • A New Suit for the Moon Mission

    U.S. companies Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace have been tasked to build new suits for NASA’s astronauts. The suits will be worn as part of the Artemis Program returning astronauts to the Moon. First, the new suits will be tested and used on the International Space Station (ISS). While both companies are still in the…