Space Exploration

European scientists are inviting gamers to become citizen scientists, sifting through real astronomical data to spot undiscovered planets orbiting other stars.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Outer planets in our solar system have atmospheres made up of flammable chemicals that can cause explosions on Earth. Could a rocketship, or electric spark, ignite them?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Elton's always maintained that Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids. Is he right?

By Julia Layton

Yes, we have some amazing inventions thanks to space exploration, and we're curious about life on other planets. But the cosmos also touches a deeper part of our psyches. Here are 10 reasons space exploration matters to you.

By Patrick J. Kiger

The history of space exploration is full of firsts: first animal in space, first human on the moon, first probe to reach mars. But as they say, you've got to look before you leap. So what was the first telescope launched into space?

By Kate Kershner

Missions to Mars are increasing and the dream of landing a human on the red planet is no longer far-fetched - it might even happen in the next decade. So, how long does it take to get there?

By Valerie Stimac

Lettuce has key nutrients that give both astronauts and Earth-dwellers alike a physical and psychological boost. And the lettuce grown in space is no less nutritious than the Earth-bound variety.

By Katie Carman

A new kind of survival story: Scientists discovered a star that came near a black hole and lived to tell the tale - at least temporarily.

By Nathan Chandler

A distant asteroid made mostly of iron is potentially worth $10,000 quadrillion, making it many times more valuable than the global economy.

By Patrick J. Kiger

The groundbreaking Saturn mission has come to an end, protecting Saturn's moon in its final plunge.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D.

We don't know the answer to how many civilizations might exist in the universe. But we do know the factors that allow life on Earth. Are there other planets that fit the bill? Oh yes indeed.

By Kate Kershner

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope will look back in time to see the earliest stars in creation, and serve as the premier deep space observatory for the next decade. Ready to meet the mighty Webb?

By Nicholas Gerbis & Sarah Gleim

Surprisingly, the solar system isn't odorless - it has a distinct scent that some astronauts like and others think is stinky. So, what does it smell like and why?

By Valerie Stimac

Kepler-186f was the first Earth-sized planet found within its star's habitable zone. But there's still a lot we don't know about it.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Gliese 581c was one of the first "Earth-like" planets found, back in 2007. It generated a lot of excitement then but what about now?

By Kathryn Whitbourne

The coldest place in the universe exists some 5,000 light-years from Earth. Do you know where it is and what it's called?

By Valerie Stimac

Debris on Mars comes from three main sources: inactive spacecraft, discarded hardware and crashed spacecraft. What risk does this trash pose to current and future missions?

By Cagri Kilic

The two passengers might not be human, but they have a job to do. They're manning Artemis I to be zero gravity indicators.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Yep, two small-bodied Russian tortoises made it to the moon and back before man did.

By Mark Mancini

The Chinese space station Tiangong, now with its first crew of astronauts, is scheduled for completion in 2022. What does that mean for the future of the aging International Space Station and multinational space cooperation?

By Patrick J. Kiger & Desiree Bowie

Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, a team of scientists discovered what could very well be the first exoplanet outside the Milky Way. It's massive and might even orbit a black hole.

By Valerie Stimac

NASA's DART spacecraft hit its mark Monday, Sept. 26 after years of planning. The bullseye was asteroid Dimorphos. Here's what NASA hopes to learn now.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Sonification is the process of taking data and turning it into sound. When it come to the universe we live in, scientists are finding that the sounds are definitely otherwordly and very beautiful.

By Valerie Stimac

After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I in 1957, the space race was on. And what followed was decades of secrecy that dominated its space program.

By Clint Pumphrey

And it's just a galactic hop, skip and a jump away.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D.