spaceflight
-
These Failed Missions to the Moon Remind Us That Space Is Hard
We’ve sent all sorts of things to the Moon over the past 64 years, but not every mission has gone as planned.
-
A Trip to Proxima Centauri and Other Far-Out Ideas NASA Is Exploring
NASA, in its relentless pursuit of space innovation, announced on Thursday the selection of 13 new projects for its 2024 Phase I awards under the Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. These awards, totaling up to $US175,000 each, are granted to teams proposing advanced and unconventional space technologies. The NIAC program, known for funding groundbreaking concepts,…
-
China’s Spaceplane Just Released Six Mysterious Objects in Orbit
China’s Shenlong robotic spaceplane, on its third mission, has added a new layer of intrigue to its space activities by deploying six unidentified objects into Earth’s orbit. Shenlong, meaning “Divine Dragon,” embarked on its third mission on December 14, successfully deploying six objects into orbit shortly afterward. These objects are currently being tracked by both…
-
Crucial Rocket Parts End Up Crushed in a Landfill, Imperilling Satellite Mission
The final mission of the European Space Agency’s Vega rocket has encountered a bizarre setback. Key propellant tanks required for its last flight were found damaged in a landfill, jeopardizing the scheduled 2024 launch. It’s common for wallets to go missing. Same for car keys and mobile phones. It happens. But for two propellant tanks…