• Space Quote: Hubble Detects Water on an Exoplanet

    “This would be the first time that we can directly show through an atmospheric detection, that these planets with water-rich atmospheres can actually exist around other stars…This is an important step toward determining the prevalence and diversity of atmospheres on rocky planets.” –Statement by Björn Benneke of the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets at…

  • A Day in Astronomy: Loss of the Apollo 1 Astronauts

    On this day in 1967, the Apollo 1 capsule caught fire on the launchpad, killing the three astronauts in the capsule – Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. A frustrated Gene Kranz, NASA flight director, had this to say shortly after the fire and tragic loss of three astronauts: Spaceflight will never tolerate…

  • Japanese Moon Mission: It’s Not Pretty, But it’s There

    If you were wondering about the status of the latest Japanese Moon mission, you can rest assured that the Smart Lander for Investigation Moon (SLIM) lander is now safe on the surface of the moon. It also had time to release two small Lunar Excursion Vehicle (LEV) rovers on the lunar surface. Above is an…

  • Pic of the Week: The End of Ingenuity

    This week’s image shows the shadow of little helicopter that could and continued to do so for 72 flights on Mars. The photo taken by NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter shows one of its rotor blades after it finished its last flight on January 18, 2024. During the landing, one of the blades was damaged, permanently…

  • New Postage Stamps for Space Enthusiasts

    If you are in the market for a stamp to mail your Priority Mail package, then look no further than the two new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) stamps recently issued by the U.S. Postal Service. You can enjoy the “Pillars of Creation” or “Cosmic Cliffs” stamps, both of which demonstrate some of the most…

  • Space Stories: Finding Water on Mars, Mini Solar Sails, and a Balloon-borne Telescope

    Here are some recent stories of interest. —Planetary Science Institute: “Vast, Potential Ice-Rich Deposit Found in Martian Equatorial Region“ A potential ice-rich portion of the Medusae Fossae Formation deposits may contain the largest volume of water in the equatorial region of Mars. Data from the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) –  a…

  • Where is This? January 22, 2024 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 “Where is This? The Answer Sheet” page.

  • Movie: I.S.S.

    Speaking of the crowded International Space Station (ISS), it appears things could be much worse if you had a chance to watch the newly release film I.S.S. This trailer is all you need to see. I am not sure watching the movie will be at all helpful to your mindset. Don’t be fooled by the…

  • The ISS is Getting Pretty Crowded

    The seven real astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) are now playing host to four visitors for the next two weeks after the Axiom Mission 3 crew came aboard the station earlier today. Unlike the last two Axiom missions, all three paying members of the Axiom Mission crew are being supported by various European…

  • The End of Two Moon Missions?

    Within a two day period, we saw one Moon lander become a burning wreck plummeting towards Earth and another land on the Moon with an immediate problem that threatened its mission. The Moon may be closer, but it is becoming a hazardous place for space missions, similar to Mars. First, the NASA-contracted Astrobotic Peregrine lander…