Washington (AFP) Feb 26, 2025
Intuitive Machines made history last year as the first private company to put a robot on the Moon, although the triumph was marred by the lander tipping onto its side. Now, the Houston-based firm is gearing up for a second attempt, determined to achieve a perfect touchdown. Intuitive Machines' hexagonal-shaped lander, Athena, is set to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during a wind

San Antonio TX (SPX) Feb 26, 2025
NASA's Lucy spacecraft has its next flyby target, the small main belt asteroid Donaldjohanson, in its sights. By blinking between images captured by Lucy on Feb. 20 and 22, this animation shows the perceived motion of Donaldjohanson relative to the background stars as the spacecraft rapidly approaches the asteroid. Lucy will pass within 596 miles (960 km) of the 2-mile-wide asteroid on Apr

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 26, 2025
The Power and Propulsion Element for NASA's Gateway lunar space station is currently undergoing assembly, setting the stage for its mission to orbit the Moon as part of the Artemis program. This crucial module will provide the station with unprecedented solar electric propulsion capabilities, ensuring its mobility and energy needs as astronauts prepare for deeper space exploration. Astrona

Berkeley CA (SPX) Feb 26, 2025
A Chinese rover that landed on Mars in 2021 detected evidence of underground beach deposits in an area thought to have once been the site of an ancient sea, providing further evidence that the planet long ago had a large ocean. The now-inactive rover, called Zhurong, operated for a year, between May 2021 and May 2022. It traveled 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) roughly perpendicular to escarpme

Paris, France (SPX) Feb 26, 2025
New research combining spacecraft data from the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA with advanced laboratory experiments suggests that Mars developed its distinctive red hue much earlier in its history than previously assumed. Scientists found that the planet's iron-rich dust likely rusted during a time when liquid water was more abundant on the surface. Mars has long been recognized by i

Boston MA (SPX) Feb 26, 2025
Three MIT payloads will soon hitch a ride to the moon in a step toward establishing a permanent base on the lunar surface. In the coming days, weather permitting, MIT engineers and scientists will send three payloads into space, on a course set for the moon's south polar region.

Pasadena CA (JPL) Feb 26, 2025
Over the past week, Perseverance has been parked at a location called "Tablelands," an area containing the "Serpentine Lake" abrasion patch acquired a few weeks ago. The Mars 2020 team has been diligently analyzing the data from the abrasion patch, and these findings led to the decision to return to Tablelands and attempt a sample at this location. Due to the disaggregated material thwarti

University Park PA (SPX) Feb 26, 2025
Mars may have once been home to sun-soaked, sandy beaches with gentle, lapping waves according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). An international team of scientists, including Penn State researchers, used data from the Zhurong Mars rover to identify hidden layers of rock under the planet's surface that strongly suggest the presence of a

Paris, France (SPX) Feb 26, 2025
A cutting-edge rocket engine demonstrator, developed by the Lukasiewicz Research Network - Institute of Aviation, has completed an extended hot-fire testing phase, demonstrating its ability to dynamically vary thrust levels. The Throttleable Liquid Propulsion Demonstrator (TLPD) is designed for use in upper-stage rockets, spacecraft, kick-stages, and planetary exploration missions, offering a fl

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Feb 26, 2025
Gold Coast and Bowen, Australia - February 24, 2025 - Gilmour Space Technologies has confirmed that its first orbital rocket, Eris, is set for launch no earlier than March 15. This milestone marks Australia's first domestically designed and built rocket attempting to reach orbit. The announcement follows the final regulatory approvals from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and Air