Space & PhysicsMarch 24, 2016
Volcanic Activity May Have Caused Lunar Poles to Wander
Ice deposits that formed in craters on opposite sides of the moon suggest it once rotated on a different axis
Stories by Mike Wall
Mike Wall has been writing for Space.com since 2010. His book about the search for alien life, “Out There,” was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Space & PhysicsMarch 14, 2016
Liftoff! European Mission to Mars Launches to Seek Signs of Life
The two robotic spacecraft are the first part of the two-phase European–Russian ExoMars program to hunt for signs of life on the Red Planet
Space & PhysicsFebruary 23, 2016
Virgin Galactic Unveils New SpaceShipTwo Unity for Space Tourists
The new vehicle replaces the company's original SpaceShipTwo, which was destroyed in a fatal accident 15 months ago
Space & PhysicsFebruary 12, 2016
NASA to Decide Fate of Troubled Mars Lander Next Month
The space agency will decide whether the InSight heads to the Red Planet in mid-2018, or not at all
Space & PhysicsJanuary 28, 2016
Rogue Planet Finds Home in Biggest Solar System Ever Seen
Gas-giant exoplanet orbits 600 billion miles from its host star, 175 times farther than Pluto is from the sun
Space & PhysicsJanuary 28, 2016
Challenger Disaster 30 Years Ago Shocked the World, Changed NASA
On January 28, 1986, the space shuttle exploded just 73 seconds after blasting off, killing all seven astronauts on board
Space & PhysicsJanuary 22, 2016
How Astronomers Could Actually See "Planet Nine"
Evidence of this new addition to our solar system is indirect at the moment, but direct evidence could come relatively soon, in the form of a telescope observation, Planet Nine's proposers say
Space & PhysicsJanuary 21, 2016
Rings of Saturn and 2 Moons Shine in Gorgeous NASA Photo
The space agency just released an image of the spherical Tethys and the lumpy Janus, with the planet's rings in the foreground
AerospaceJanuary 13, 2016
SpaceX to Attempt Another Rocket Landing Sunday
Private spaceflight company will try to land the first stage of its two-stage Falcon 9 rocket on an uncrewed ship in the Pacific
The SciencesJanuary 12, 2016
These Are the Space Missions to Watch in 2016
A brief rundown of the biggest spaceflight milestones to keep an eye out for this year
Space & PhysicsDecember 22, 2015
SpaceX Successfully Lands Rocket and Sets a Course for Mars
After several previous failures, the historic rocket landing paves the way for a new era of faster, cheaper spaceflight
Space & PhysicsNovember 19, 2015
Birth of Planets! Formation of Alien Worlds Photographed for First Time
Scientists photograph a gas-giant exoplanet forming around a young star that lies about 450 light-years from Earth
The SciencesNovember 6, 2015
Bad News for Terraforming: Mars's Atmosphere Is Lost in Space
New data from NASA's MAVEN mission reveals most of the Red Planet's atmosphere was stripped away
The SciencesOctober 27, 2015
NASA Probe to Dive Through Saturn Moon's Icy Plume
The Cassini spacecraft will zoom just 50 kilometers above Enceladus at about 1 P.M. EDT on October 28
The SciencesOctober 26, 2015
Building Blocks of Life Follow Comet Lovejoy
Astronomers detected 21 different complex organic molecules streaming from Lovejoy during its anticipated close approach to the sun this past January
Space & PhysicsOctober 20, 2015
20 Years on, the Future Is Bright for Exoplanet Science
Astronomers have now confirmed the existence of nearly 2,000 planets beyond our own solar system
Space & PhysicsSeptember 28, 2015
Rare "Supermoon" Total Lunar Eclipse Thrills Skywatchers Worldwide
Space.com received images from lunar eclipse observers from across the U.S. and Canada as well as Mexico, the U.K. and elsewhere
Space & PhysicsSeptember 24, 2015
Sunday's "Supermoon" Total Lunar Eclipse: When and Where to See It
The evening of September 27 will be the fourth time in the last 17 months that the moon becomes immersed in the Earth's shadow
Space & PhysicsSeptember 23, 2015
"Supermoon" Eclipse Offers Risk, Reward for NASA Moon Probe
The Earth’s shadow will darken the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in addition to the moon
Space & PhysicsSeptember 23, 2015
Amazing Video Shows the Scale of the Solar System
In "To Scale: The Solar System" filmmakers Wylie Overstreet and Alex Gorosh, along with a few of their friends, build a size-accurate model of our cosmic backyard in Nevada's Black Rock Desert
Space & PhysicsJuly 27, 2015
Kepler 452 b: What It Would Be Like to Live on Earth's "Cousin"
NASA Ames researcher, former astronaut muse on the challenges and advantages of spending time on the high-gravity planet
TechnologyJuly 21, 2015
SpaceX Rocket Explosion Likely Caused by Faulty Strut, Musk Says
Steel strut holding down a bottle of high-pressure helium snapped during ascent, though Dragon capsule would have survived if not for software glitch
Space & PhysicsJuly 20, 2015
Mysterious Ice Plains Spotted on Pluto [Video]
“Sputnik Planum” region is a vast stretch of icy plains whose surface is broken into cell-like polygon blocks by snaking troughs
Space & PhysicsJuly 7, 2015
Pluto's Odd Dark Spots Continue to Puzzle Scientists
A spacecraft set to fly by Pluto next week has returned photos that reveal more detail of four large dark patches near the equator