Space & PhysicsMarch 29, 2017
New Supply Could Prevent Deep-Space Plutonium Shortage
Public-private partnerships may boost available nuclear fuel for space exploration
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 24, 2017
Gravitational Waves Send Supermassive Black Hole Flying
The billion-solar-mass object is the largest runaway black hole ever seen
Space & PhysicsMarch 18, 2017
Titan’s Lakes May Fizz with Nitrogen
Bubbles of nitrogen gas may explain strange shape-shifting “magic islands” in the hydrocarbon seas of Saturn's largest moon
Space & PhysicsMarch 16, 2017
Enceladus's Buried Ocean Is Just beneath the Surface
New research suggests parts of the subsurface ocean are covered by as little as two kilometers of ice
Space & PhysicsMarch 14, 2017
Star in Record-Breaking Close Orbit around Black Hole
A white dwarf star in the globular cluster 47 Tucanae circles a black hole twice per hour
Space & PhysicsMarch 4, 2017
Could SpaceX Get People to the Moon in 2018?
The private launch company must overcome several hurdles to meet its aggressive schedule for an ambitious lunar mission
Space & PhysicsFebruary 23, 2017
Could Pluto Regain Its Planethood?
A proposed new definition for what constitutes a "planet" could reinstate the demoted icy world
EngineeringFebruary 14, 2017
North Korea's Missile Threats to the U.S. May Not Be Empty for Long
North Korea has always talked the talk, and now it seems to be walking the walk as never before
Space & PhysicsFebruary 8, 2017
World’s First Atomic Blast Tests Theories of Moon’s Formation
Radioactive glass from the Trinity nuclear test site resembles ancient moon rocks
Space & PhysicsFebruary 7, 2017
Black Hole Binges on Record-Setting Stellar Meal
A trio of x-ray observatories has spied a supermassive black hole feasting on a giant star for more than a decade
Space & PhysicsJanuary 26, 2017
Cosmic Lenses Show Universe Expanding Surprisingly Fast
Light-bending warps in spacetime reveal a speedy cosmic expansion
Space & PhysicsJanuary 24, 2017
5 Teams Race to the Moon by Year's End
Finalists in the Google Lunar XPRIZE have until December 31 to lift off
Space & PhysicsJanuary 9, 2017
The Exoplanet Revolution Turns 25
Astronomers confirmed the first planets beyond our solar system a quarter-century ago
Space & PhysicsJanuary 4, 2017
NASA Unveils New Missions to Bizarre Asteroids
The Lucy spacecraft will investigate Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, while the Psyche mission will voyage to a mysterious metallic space rock
Space & PhysicsDecember 14, 2016
Ancient Mars Could Have Harbored Life for a Long, Long Time
New data suggest Mars was habitable for perhaps hundreds of millions of years
Space & PhysicsDecember 14, 2016
How to Stop an Incoming Comet
The icy bodies are fast, wild and and can “come out of nowhere,” unlike many asteroids
Space & PhysicsDecember 6, 2016
Saturn Probe Dives Past Rings for the First Time
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft closes in on the planet’s cloud tops
Space & PhysicsDecember 1, 2016
Russian Spacecraft Crashes after Failed Launch to Space Station
The robotic Progress spacecraft fell to Earth after a malfunction in the third stage of its Soyuz rocket
Space & PhysicsNovember 11, 2016
Watch an Earth-Observing Satellite Launch Today
After delays due to wildfires, the Worldview-4 satellite is finally headed to space
Space & PhysicsNovember 2, 2016
This Blue Alien Planet Is Not At All Earth-Like
Scientists have found a world that looks like ours, but has deadly winds and rains molten glass
Space & PhysicsOctober 27, 2016
After Glitch, NASA’s Juno Probe Resumes Science Mission at Jupiter
Now recovered from protective hibernation, the spacecraft is preparing for its next close encounter with the giant planet
Natural DisastersOctober 6, 2016
Hurricane Matthew Forces Closure of Kennedy Space Center
A “ride-out” team of 139 people is staying through the two-day shutdown
EngineeringOctober 5, 2016
Blue Origin's Suborbital Rocket Passes Milestone Safety Test
The fifth and final flight of the New Shepard vehicle demonstrated the vehicle's in-flight escape system for future passengers
Space & PhysicsOctober 5, 2016
“Tabby’s Star” Keeps Getting Stranger
The bizarre object’s overall brightness has been gradually dimming for years