After 8 years in space, the spacecraft BepiColombo is finally nearing Mercury
In a critical maneuver on Thursday, the mission successfully deployed its two science orbiters—beginning the final phases of its arrival at Mercury
Scientists discover a mysterious wave shaped like a decagon in Saturn’s atmosphere
The strange structure appears to have formed recently, but nobody can explain exactly why
Bizarre ‘thermal anomaly’ may explain Mars’s two-faced appearance
The Red Planet’s global geography of low-lying northern plains and rugged southern highlands seems to have surprisingly deep roots, with profound implications for Mars’s ancient habitability
60 years ago NASA took the first ever photo of Earth from the moon
Snapped on August 23, 1966, by the uncrewed Lunar Orbiter 1, the photo’s legacy lives on in the breathtaking images of Earth taken by the Artemis II crew
China is going back to the moon in search of water ice
The country’s latest mission, Chang’e 7, will be the first ever to land directly at the moon’s south pole. Whatever it finds there could radically reshape a new space race
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
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
Spectacular images reveal never-before-seen whirlpools on the sun
Strange whirlpools of plasma seen in the sharpest images ever captured of our star help explain the deep origins of Earth-threatening space weather and more
Surf’s up! Here’s how to ride the waves on Saturn’s moon Titan
Lakes of liquid methane on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, could offer exhilarating—and terrifying—opportunities for otherworldly surfing
Spacecraft will swarm asteroid Apophis during fateful 2029 Earth flyby
Space agencies around the globe are coordinating missions to visit the asteroid Apophis during a close encounter with Earth in 2029
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
Has NASA already found life on Mars?
In searches for past and present Martian life, some scientists say we’ve been too cautious to see what’s right in front of us