Astronomy
James Webb Space Telescope Launch Delayed to Christmas Eve—or Later
A communications glitch between the observatory and its launch vehicle forced the delay, NASA officials say
Stories by Hanneke Weitering
Space Exploration
Blue Origin Launches William Shatner and Crew to the Final Frontier
The 90-year-old Star Trek actor is now the oldest person to fly in space
Space & Physics
NASA Renames Next-Generation Telescope after Nancy Grace Roman
The pioneering astronomer and ‘mother of Hubble’ paved the way for revolutionary space observatories
Space & Physics
Blue Origin Unveils “Blue Moon,” Its Big Lunar Lander
The spacecraft could ferry astronauts to the moon’s surface as early as 2024
Space & Physics
Exotic Matter Made in Space Could Boost the Hunt for Gravitational Waves
Off-world Bose–Einstein condensates might measure spacetime ripples better than any ground-based technique
Space & Physics
Small Air Leak Detected on International Space Station
Crew determines leak is in Russian segment of orbiting laboratory
Space & Physics
This Ultrahot Exoplanet Has Metallic Skies
Astronomers have found iron and titanium in the atmosphere of the Jupiter-sized world KELT-9b, the hottest known exoplanet
Space & Physics
U.S. to Launch Space Force in 2020, Pence Says
The Vice President provided more details on the Trump administration’s controversial plans to create a new space-focused military branch
Space & Physics
How Theoretical Physicists Can Help Find Aliens
To be successful, scientists searching for extraterrestrial beings may need to revisit some fundamental assumptions about the nature of life itself
Space & Physics
NASA Offers New Plan to Detect and Destroy Dangerous Asteroids
The federal government's five-point strategy is a roadmap for dealing with threatening near-Earth objects
Space & Physics
Moon Had Ancient Atmosphere, Study Suggests
Volcanic eruptions could have created a temporary lunar atmosphere billions of years ago
Space & Physics
Arecibo Observatory Closed by Hurricane Maria
The condition of the world’s second-largest radio telescope remains unclear after being battered by the storm
Space & Physics
Still a Glaring Problem: How a Solar Eclipse Can Fry Your Eyes
From chemical changes to thermal burns, a rundown on exactly what staring at the sun can do
Space & Physics
Big, Shiny Asteroid to Buzz Past Earth on April 19
Approach of the 2,000-foot space rock is closest for such a large object since 2004
Space & Physics
50th Anniversary of Apollo 1 Fire: What NASA Learned from the Tragic Accident
January 27 marks the 50th anniversary of the first major, deadly disaster for the U.S. space program
Space & Physics
John Glenn, First American in Orbit, Falls Ill in Ohio
The 95-year-old former astronaut and senator has been in hospital for more than a week
Space & Physics
Weird Extragalactic X-Ray Flares Baffle Astronomers
A new class of stellar objects could be causing ultrabright repeating outbursts from old, quiescent galaxies
Space & Physics
Barack Obama Declares U.S. on Track to Mars
In a new op-ed, the President of the United States reiterated his plan to send humans to Mars sometime in the 2030s.
Space & Physics
A Bus-Size Asteroid Just Gave Earth a Close Shave
Scientists spotted the space rock two days before its flyby
Space & Physics
NASA’s Juno Transmits First Close Look at Jupiter
The spacecraft's closest-ever swoop over Jupiter's clouds offers a new view of the giant planet's north pole
