ESA (European Space Agency) has recently announced new names for its contributions to the lunar Gateway, the first space station around the Moon. This exciting project aims to support the most distant human space missions ever attempted and expand our knowledge of the deep space environment. The Gateway, unlike the International Space Station (ISS), will […]

NASA and Lockheed Martin are collaborating to address a series of issues that have emerged during the ground testing of the Orion spacecraft. These issues have led to a delay in the launch readiness target date for the Artemis II circumlunar mission, which is now set for September 2025. The problems include a circuit flaw […]

Tracking down a young Moon early in its lunation is a popular observing adventure. On 9 April, there’s a chance to see the Moon when it is just over 24 hours old (1.02 days with a 1.37 per cent phase) following the new Moon of 8 April at 18:21 UT. At sunset from London and […]

SpaceX is set to continue its impressive launch cadence in April, following a record-breaking 12 Falcon 9 launches in March. The company has several missions planned for the upcoming week, including a Starlink flight, a mysterious launch from China, and three more Falcon 9 launches. The high frequency of SpaceX missions makes them vulnerable to […]

Astronomers from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Through their observations of Sgr A* in polarized light, the team has found strong and organized magnetic fields spiraling around the black hole. This finding not only […]

The Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission has captured a stunning image of northern Brazil, where the mighty Amazon River meets the vast Atlantic Ocean. This image provides an unprecedented view of this incredible ecosystem and sheds light on the threats it faces from human activities. Originating in the Andes, the Amazon River winds its way through six […]

ESA and Samsung Launch the First Watch Face for our Solar System If you’re a space enthusiast or simply someone who wants to experience time and space in a whole new way, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Samsung have a treat for you. On March 31, 2024, as Europe switches over to summertime, Samsung […]

United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV rocket is set to embark on its final mission, the NROL-70, for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). This launch will mark the 45th and last flight of the Delta IV, a rocket that has been in service since November 2002. Delta IV was developed by McDonnell Douglas, which merged with […]

As the total solar eclipse approaches, the Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe, both led by ESA and NASA respectively, are taking advantage of their close approach to the Sun to study the plasma that streams from it. These two spacecraft have eccentric orbits, allowing them to get a close-up look at the Sun and […]

China’s lunar exploration plans were recently detailed, outlining missions such as Chang’e-6 and Chang’e-7. Chang’e-6 aims to return a lunar sample from the far side of the Moon, while Chang’e-7 will focus on environmental and resource surveys of the lunar south pole. These missions will utilize the Chang Zheng 5 rocket and are planned to […]