SPACE

Future Mars Missions Threatened by Cosmic Radiation

SPACE Young would-be space explorers received some bad news this week. Due to the Sun entering in to a phase of relatively low solar activity, cosmic radiation is projected to increase to such levels that any prolonged manned space expedition would prove harmful and even deadly to the astronauts involved.

Forget Ebola, Journey to Mars May Be More Lethal Death Sentence

Since 2012, when Dutch nonprofit Mars One led by Bas Lansdorp announced plans for a permanent colony to be established on Mars, many have been questioning whether or not the company will be able to make good on its promise. But researchers at MIT say that even if they can, the first Martian pilgrims may not last a year around the Sun.

Earth's Rapidly Shifting Magnetic Field Could Impact Your Health

Scientists are now claiming that Earth's magnetic field could potentially reverse itself in a shorter time frame than ever before thought possible. It has long been thought that our magnetic field flips every 450,000 years, however, a recent study has been published, which concludes that the most recent flip only took 100 years.

Not Just NASA ‘Ducks & Covers’—Comet Siding Spring

As news spread worldwide of the arrival of Comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring, anticipated to arrive yesterday Sunday Oct. 19 just outside of Mars’ outer atmosphere, it appears that aerospace agencies invested in the red planet headed the warnings and got out of the way of the fast moving rock. Following NASA’s lead in safety protocol, intended to keep Mars orbiters functional and safe from cosmic debris, other agencies like the European Space Agency (ESA) elected to “duck and cover” behind the planet Mars and peak out only for an up-close look at the rare, passing comet.

Orionid Meteor Shower: Best Viewing Times and Live Stream Info

It's time for another one of Earth's annual meteor shower events, the Orionid meteor shower. Those who are willing to wake up early enough to catch a glimpse of the pre-dawn sky over the next week should be able to spot a few meteors are they streak across the morning sky.

ESA Asks Public to Name Philae Landing Site of Comet 67P This November

It’s been a conversation months in the making. No, it’s not a new iPhone product or what celebrity baby names will be hot this Winter, but rather what to call one of the greatest achievements mankind will make in your lifetime? Reaching out to the public for a little bit of inspiration in creative names, researchers at the ESA have created an open competition where anyone and everyone can submit their own ideas for what the site should be named.

Watch: NASA Moves Martian Orbiters to Avoid Comet Siding Spring

Mars had a close call this past weekend as a comet passed so close to the Red Planet that NASA moved its three Mars orbiters to the opposite side of the planet hoping to shield them from the dust and gas debris left by the tail of Comet Siding Spring.

NASA’s Spacecrafts ‘Duck And Cover’ Behind Mars as Comet Passes Through

It’s been a flyby anticipated for months, and one whose arrival sparked much commotion at NASA’s headquarters this past weekend. Hurtling through the night sky at nearly 125,000 miles per hour, Comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring passed right by the planet Mars early Sunday afternoon, Oct. 19, coming in close contact with the Martian outer atmosphere at about 2:27pm ET.

Taking A Bite Out of Sunlight—US Expects A Partial Solar Eclipse

Predicted to occur this Thursday, Oct. 23, the off-center new moon will pass in front of the sun creating a partial solar eclipse seen across the United States. Though the predicted visibility will range anywhere from twelve to seventy percent of clarity, researchers at NASA expect that the event will be widely visible across the entire continental US.

How the Milky Way Dominates the Stellar Block—Dwarf Galaxies, Get Out of the Way

It’s no big secret that humans tend to think of themselves as the center of the universe. It’s a flaw that has countlessly been proven wrong as science emerged and showed a different view of the world a around us. However, as it turns out, our galaxy may also be to blame for believing it too is the center of the universe.

Video: X-37B Space Plane Lands After 2 Years in Orbit

The U.S. Air Force's mysterious X-37B space plane landed this week after a record of nearly two years in orbit, yet government officials still haven't commented as to the nature of its mission. The 'orbital test vehicle' is the third such OTV mission, and orbited the Earth for 674 days.

Saturn's 'Death Star' Moon Might Have an Ocean

Saturn's 'Death Star' Moon Might Have an Ocean Saturn's Moon Mimas, also referred to as the 'Death Star' moon because of its resemblance to the Star Wars space station, may have a secret that no one knew about previously.

ESA Rosetta Spacecraft Is Showing Off Its ‘Cheops’

While Rosetta mission team members are preparing to touch down on the surface for a more up-close view of the comet, Rosetta’s Optical, Spectroscopic and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) is taking a look at the surface from afar. And in the newest batch of images sent back Monday morning, researchers have revealed a large pyramid-shaped boulder standing 82-feet-tall near the intended landing site for Rosetta’s Philae rover.

NASA Plans Life and Death on Mars—Planet’s First ‘Mars Plant Experiment’ to be Launched in 2020

In hopes of a long future on the Red Planet, researchers have proposed the addition of a horticultural experiment onboard NASA’s next Mars rover mission, scheduled to land in 2021. The proposed project, known simply as the “Mars Plant Experiment” (MPX) would not only aid in the understanding of plant growth on foreign planets, but also would lay the foundations for future colonies currently planning on settling in on Mars.
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