Orbital data centers could transform our night sky forever
Without drastic interventions, data centers in space could disrupt scientific observations and fragile ecosystems by adding almost innumerable new “stars” to the heavens above
NASA’s rescue mission for the Swift space telescope has failed
The space agency’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which studied cataclysmic cosmic explosions, is expected to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere later this year
Robotic rescue missions are sparking a spaceflight revolution
Two new missions are revealing how robotic repair and assembly could become routine on the final frontier
Drone delivery has reached America’s backyards
Zipline’s tethered delivery system lowers packages from the sky. Now it has to show that people want the service
NASA’s Voyager 2 survives daring ‘big bang’ maneuver
After 49 years in space, NASA’s Voyagers are running low on power—but an audacious move should extend the tenures of the two spacecraft
Rescue mission to save NASA’s Swift space telescope is imperiled in orbit
A private spacecraft launched to boost the decaying orbit of NASA’s Swift Observatory is now suffering from potentially mission-ending malfunctions
Unlucky number 13? SpaceX’s latest Starship launch attempt ends in a scrub
SpaceX’s first attempt to launch the company’s Starship megarocket on the vehicle’s 13th flight test ended before it could properly begin, aborting just before liftoff
China’s long march to reusable rocketry hits another milestone
The inaugural launch and first-stage booster recovery of China’s Long March 10B rocket intensifies the nation’s spaceflight rivalry with the U.S.
SpaceX’s AI pivot promises the stars. Could it cost NASA the moon?
Massive investments in AI may bring synergy and revenue to SpaceX, or could create problems for it and NASA, especially if the AI bubble pops
An electric air taxi passes its hardest test. When can passengers fly?
A British start-up recently pulled off a key maneuver for electric vertical flight—but certification, infrastructure and demand will decide whether air taxis fill our skies
NASA’s moon plans relegate space planes to an almost-forgotten future
After all these years, Dream Chaser—a commercial U.S. space plane—is still chasing the dream of spacecraft that can fly from orbit to airports
Artemis II reveals why humans still love the moon
The triumph of NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in a half-century is a reminder of what the moon really means for Earth—and why we’re going back