Space & Physics
NASA’s Kepler Mission May Have Found Fewer Habitable Exoplanets Than Thought
New data from the European Gaia space telescope could lead to a downward revision to tally of Earth-like worlds
Stories by SPACE.com
Space & Physics
Hubble Space Telescope Returns to Action after Gyroscope Glitch
The workhorse orbital observatory has resumed normal science operations, NASA says
Space & Physics
Where Are the “Hotspots” for Europa’s Purported Plumes?
Scientists are seeking—and not finding—thermal evidence for geysers on the Jovian moon
Space & Physics
Hubble Space Telescope Almost Back in Action
The famed orbital observatory has recovered from a glitch that suspended its operations earlier this month
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
Soyuz Rocket Fails, Forces Emergency Landing for U.S.–Russian Space Station Crew
The accident occurred during the rocket’s ascent from the launch pad, allowing an abort system to jettison the crew to safety
Space & Physics
Europa’s Equator May Be Covered in Perilous Ice Towers
Jagged ice spikes called ‘penitentes’ on Jupiter’s ocean-bearing moon could pose grave risks for robotic landers
Space & Physics
Cassini’s Death Dive into Saturn Reveals Weird Ring “Rain” and More
The spacecraft’s final observations are turning up a wealth of bizarre, unexpected phenomena
Space & Physics
Success! Hopping, Shoebox-Size Lander Touches Down Safely on Asteroid Ryugu
The European-built MASCOT lander successfully deployed from Japan’s Hayabusa1 spacecraft to begin its ambitious-but-brief mission
Space & Physics
Newfound World, "The Goblin," May Lead to Mysterious Planet Nine
Drifting far past Pluto, the orbit of the dwarf planet 2015 TG387 appears to have been sculpted by the gravity of something far larger lurking in the solar system’s outer limits
Space & Physics
Would Trump’s “Space Force” Patrol the Moon?
The proposed new military branch could protect the “space commons” in the vicinity of Earth
Space & Physics
Shock Waves from World War II Bombs Felt at Edge of Space
Ripple effects from massive aerial raids include disturbances in Earth’s ionosphere
Policy
Moon Is Stepping-Stone, Not Alternative to Mars, NASA Chief Says
The Red Planet remains the U.S. space agency’s ultimate goal
Space & Physics
Giant Ice Volcanoes Once Covered Dwarf Planet Ceres
A new study suggests a strange and surprisingly lively geological cycle for the small world
Space & Physics
SpaceX Plans to Fly Humans Around the Moon in 2023
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa and a hand-picked coterie of artists could embark on a lunar mission within five years
Space & Physics
The Closest Exoplanet to Earth Could Be “Highly Habitable”
A new study suggests Proxima Centauri could sustain liquid water on its surface
Space & Physics
Space Station Commander: It’s “Absolutely a Shame” to Suggest Astronauts Caused Leak
The lead astronaut on the station defends the integrity of his team
Space & Physics
Faster Than Light? Neutron-Star Merger Shot Out a Jet with Seemingly Impossible Speed
The jet’s apparent (but not actual) superluminal velocity provide new constraints on the merger and its aftermath
Space & Physics
Space Station Leak May Have Been Caused by Human Error, Russian Reports Say
A small hole in a docked Soyuz spacecraft appears to have come from within, perhaps due to drillwork
Space & Physics
To Find Alien Life, NASA Needs Bigger, Bolder Exoplanet-Hunting Telescopes
A new, prestigious report charts an ambitious future for the space agency’s burgeoning search for Earth 2.0
