There's a lot more out there than our measly solar system, and astronomers are becoming more adept at finding those worlds all the time. Here are 10 of their coolest discoveries. See more »

Blasting off from the shoulders of giants, China is slowly but steadily getting ready to conquer the next frontier: space. Here are 10 reasons why we're convinced it really might happen. See more »

By the time space shuttle Atlantis touched down after its final voyage in July 2011, a major shift in strategy for space exploration was already under way. What are NASA's newest programs? See more »

Comic books have happily subscribed to the theory of multiple universes for decades. After all, how else could flying and leaping versions of Superman exist at the same time? In the real world, things are a little different. See more »

If you take cosmic dust and add plasma ... do you get life? Findings suggest that plasma crystals may be the key to one of the universe's greatest mysteries: Is there life out there? See more »

In science fiction, explorers often investigate Earthlike planets. In reality, such perfect, life-giving worlds are rare. But scientists may have found one. See more »

On Sept. 14, 2011, NASA announced plans for the Space Launch System (SLS), the driving force behind the American space program for the foreseeable future. How much do you know about the future of American spaceflight? See more »

How do satellites orbit the earth? Why don't they fall straight to the ground like everything else? See more »

You're parched. Do you know what planetary thirst quencher to reach for? Is Martian water of a vintage you'd rather not try? And how are those lunar additives going to work out for you? See more »

Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has ranked as one of man's greatest achievements in space or otherwise. What does the future hold for the great observatory, and will its space telescope successor measure up to Hubble? See more »