Space Exploration

Space exploration is a broad topic covering many facets of deep-space and planetary science. Learn about space probes, Mars Rovers, SETI and other out-of-this-world subjects.

More Science Topics to Explore

How Area 51 Works

Communicating With Aliens Is Hard. Communicating With Alien AI Could Be Harder

Is the U.S. Government Hiding New Proof of Alien Life?

Saturn: Giant Rings and a Moon Full of Space Lakes

New Solar Orbiter Will Get the First Glimpse of the Sun's Poles

Neptune: An Ice Giant With Supersonic Winds

3-D Printed Space Meat: It's What's for Dinner, Astronauts

How Will We Colonize Other Planets?

The Lunar Library: A Backup of Human Knowledge Is Going to the Moon

NASA's Astronaut Beach House Is a Little-known Gem of Space History

NASA's Chief Sniffer's Job Is to Keep 'Stinky' Situations Out of Space

Felicette, the First Feline in Space, Finally Gets Her Due

How the International Space Station Works

NASA's Dragonfly Rotorcraft to Explore Saturn's Giant Moon Titan

Can a Helicopter Fly on Mars? NASA Says Yes

Learn More

Apollo 11 Put the First Men on the Moon. What About Missions 12-17?

You know Apollo 11. But what did the other Apollo missions accomplish after Neil Armstrong made his giant leap for mankind?

By Mark Mancini Aug 30, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

Here's the Buzz on Alcohol in Space

While alcohol consumption is not completely alien to the space program, not much is known about its effects on the body outside our atmosphere.

By Patrick J. Kiger Jul 30, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

LISA: Detecting Exoplanets Using Gravitational Waves

The planned Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, or LISA, will be able to detect the gravitational waves generated by massive collisions in the deep cosmos.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Jul 10, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

Quiz: Apollo 11, the First Moon Landing

Let's see how much you know about Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and the adventure that immortalized them.

By Mark Mancini Space / Space Exploration

Two for Teegarden: Pint-sized Star System Discovered Right Next Door

And one of the exoplanets in the Teegarden star system could have a temperature range between 32 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Space / Space Exploration

NASA Is Sending an Atomic Clock Into Deep Space

Will this groundbreaking clock revolutionize space travel? NASA is banking on it.

By Mark Mancini Jun 7, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

Eugene Shoemaker: The Only Human Buried on the Moon

Eugene Shoemaker's contributions to lunar science were legendary. In a fitting tribute, NASA sent his ashes to the moon.

By Mark Mancini Apr 26, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

The First Image of a Black Hole Is Here

It may be supermassive, but snagging this one-of-a-kind pic was no easy feat.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Space / Space Exploration

NASA Preps to Send People Back to the Moon

NASA is hoping to begin sending scientific probes to the moon in 2019 on private spacecraft, in preparation for a manned lunar mission in 2028.

By Patrick J. Kiger Feb 28, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

The World Cries as 'Oppy' Dies

NASA's Mars rover Opportunity's last words were: "My battery is low and it's getting dark."

By Patrick J. Kiger Feb 14, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

Earth's Oldest Rock May Have Been Discovered (On the Moon!)

The Apollo 14 mission landed on the moon in January 1971, but what the astronauts brought back could be making history now.

By Mark Mancini Feb 4, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

Where Did THAT Come From? Hubble Discovers Galactic Neighbor Bedin 1

On a galactic scale, that's kind of like finding a tree in your backyard that you'd never seen before.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Jan 31, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

Mark Your Calendars for These Space Events in 2019

From rocket launches and eclipses to meteor showers and lunar landings, these are the space events you won't want to miss in 2019.

By Patrick J. Kiger Jan 14, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

Barnard's Star B May Host Primitive Life, Kind of Like Europa

Things just got more interesting on this enigmatic exoplanet.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Jan 11, 2019 Space / Space Exploration

What Are the 'Blueberries' on Mars?

Scientists are still trying to come up with a conclusive explanation for the Martian blueberries.

By Patrick J. Kiger Dec 24, 2018 Space / Space Exploration

Voyager 2 Goes Interstellar, Just Like Voyager 1

That means it takes nearly 17 hours for a radio signal, traveling at the speed of light from Earth, to reach Voyager 2.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Dec 10, 2018 Space / Space Exploration

Gravitational Waves Are Lifting the Veil of Cosmic Darkness

We've identified 11 different times gravitational waves have passed through Earth. Yep, we're getting good at detecting these ripples in spacetime that Einstein predicted.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Dec 7, 2018 Space / Space Exploration

Hungry 'Hot DOG' Eats Nearby Galaxies, Fattens Its Black Hole

And this hot DOG's ferocious appetite shows no signs of slowing down.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Nov 16, 2018 Space / Space Exploration

Discovered! Icy Super-Earth at Barnard's Star, Our Sun's Neighbor

But you can forget about Barnard's Star b bearing any resemblance to our planet.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Nov 14, 2018 Space / Space Exploration

Two Moon Craters Named for Apollo 8 Astronauts

Anders' Earthrise and 8 Homeward are the two moon craters recently named in honor of the 1968 Apollo 8 mission, the first NASA mission to orbit the moon.

By Patrick J. Kiger Oct 11, 2018 Space / Space Exploration

Just Four Dimensions in the Universe, if You Believe Gravitational Waves

Maybe there aren't more dimensions beyond the four that we know and love so well.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Sep 19, 2018 Space / Space Exploration

Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts Are Starting to Pile Up

Fast radio bursts are over in less time than it takes to blink your eye. They come from way beyond the Milky Way. And astronomers can't say with certainty what causes these enigmatic bursts.

By Patrick J. Kiger Aug 14, 2018 Space / Space Exploration

Tiny Satellite to Search Universe for Missing Matter

The tiny HaloSat probe will investigate a galactic halo of hot gas that may account for missing matter from the early universe.

By Patrick J. Kiger Aug 13, 2018 Space / Space Exploration

How Close Can We Get to the Sun?

NASA is launching its new Parker Solar Probe and it will get closer to the sun than any other spacecraft in history. But could we actually touch the sun some day?

By Mark Mancini Aug 9, 2018 Space / Space Exploration