SpaceX Earns Certification for the Pentagon

Medicine & Technology May 28, 2015

Although it took millions of dollars, some heated words and even a court case, Elon Musk's SpaceX has finally earned the right to launch satellites for the Pentagon. The Air Force announced that SpaceX has completed and won certification from the Pentagon after a long certification process.

The Deceptive Surface of Mars

May 27, 2015

The team in charge of the Curiosity rover recently had to find a new route to some interesting rocks that they wanted to study because the original path proved too difficult for the rover to safely traverse.

See What Tools Made the Cut Aboard the Upcoming Europa Clipper Mission

May 27, 2015

What would you pack for the 390 million mile trip to Jupiter's icy moon, Europa? Last year, NASA posed that question to a bevy of scientists and after whittling down the final 33 proposals, they have decided on nine items that will rocket aboard the Europa Clipper, which is set to blast off sometime after 2020.

New App Brings Pluto to the Palm of Your Hand

May 27, 2015

New Horizons is currently closing in on its historic meeting with Pluto, the dwarf planet situated at the very edge of our Solar System, and now a new app will let you follow its progress right on your smartphone or tablet.

Methane Spike on the Red Planet Baffles Scientists

May 26, 2015

Scientists have wondered for over 50 years if Mars contained and was emitting Methane. Now, a spike in methane has scientists puzzled. Did the spike come from the Red Planet or was it simply caused by the rovers scouring the planet?

The Question Continues: The Bright Spots on Ceres, What Could They Be?

May 26, 2015

Ceres' mysterious bright spots are clearer and sharper than ever, thanks to NASA's Dawn mission. The mission will need to get much closer to answer all of our questions and provide all of the details, but these recent views provide some interesting insights.

NASA's Curiosity Rover Adjusts Route Up A Mountain

May 25, 2015

NASA's Curiosity Rover has been on the move heading towards some interesting rocks for further study. However, its chosen path proved to be too difficult for it to traverse due to the slippery slopes of the Martian mountain. However, scientists in charge of the mission were able to find a new path to the rocks that proved much safer and easier for the rover.

Were the Moons of Mars from the Red Planet Or Stolen from the Asteroid Belt?

May 25, 2015

The moons of Mars weren’t discovered until after many of the moons around other planets had already been found. In the late 1800s astronomer Asaph Hall finally found the two moons of the Red Planet that he named Phobos and Deimos.

European Space Agency May Have Discovered a Supervolcano on Mars

May 25, 2015

The European Space Agency has found what it believes to be a supervolcano on the surface of Mars that could be the Red Planet's equivalent of Yellowstone. The massive crater has been measured to be 40 kilometers by 30 kilometers and drops as low as 1,750 meters.

NASA Spacecraft Now Closer to the Moon Than Ever Before

May 24, 2015

The NASA probe known as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has moved closer to the moon than it ever has before, and it could set the stage for a new round of discoveries about the body that faithfully lights the night sky here on Earth each and every night.

Brightest Galaxy Ever Discovered Could Contain 300 Trillion Suns

May 24, 2015

Scientists have discovered an ultra bright galaxy that while very far away at an estimated 12.5 billion light years, is still considered to be the most luminous galaxy every found in the universe and scientists believe it could contain more than 300 trillion suns.

A Bird’s Eye View Aboard an Aborted SpaceX Test Mission

May 23, 2015

SpaceX is one step closer to being the first privately-owned company to send astronauts to space. And one of the most important aspects of any mission is protecting the lives of the crew. So they recently tested an abort system that would propel astronauts to safety in the event of an emergency. And a point-of-view camera let us come along for the ride.

Finding the Most Luminous Stars In the Sky

May 23, 2015

NASA has seen the most luminous galaxy ever discovered using its Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) telescope. The remote galaxy glows with enough light to rival 300 trillion suns.

NASA's New Horizon Probe Could Send Crowdsourced Data to Aliens

May 23, 2015

The man responsible for the "golden record" on Voyager now wants to beam crowdsourced data to the New Horizons probe to take with it as it leaves the solar system.

NASA Releases Best Images Ever of "Alien Lights" on Ceres

May 22, 2015

NASA has released the most detailed and clear images of the mysterious lights on the dwarf planet Ceres, but unfortunately the agency is no closer to explaining exactly what they are.