Sophie Allan at the National Space Centre looks at whether astronauts can land on the surface of comets – our Solar System’s travelling space snowballs
Space Exploration
Space Exploration
Space Exploration
Kepler retires from exoplanet-hunting duties
The space telescope has ran out of the fuel needed to advance on its already-impressive nine years of service
Solar System
Liquid water ‘lake’ found on Mars
Radar data points to a pond buried under layers of ice and dust in the south polar region of the Red Planet
Space Exploration
Jupiter moon’s ‘radiation shower’ could help in hunt for life
New comprehensive mapping of the radiation pummelling icy Europa reveals where scientists should look
Space Exploration
New Horizons Update: New global maps of Pluto and Charon released
Now, thanks to the efforts of the team behind the spacecraft, the first official validated topographical maps published and are available to all
Solar System
Complex molecules found on Saturn’s Enceladus, requirements for life met
Using mass spectrometry data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, scientists found that large, carbon-rich organic molecules are ejected from cracks in the icy surface of the moon
Space Exploration
Why do spacecraft need heat shields to enter Earth but not to leave it?
The science of re-entry explained
Space Exploration
Voyager 1 fires up its thrusters for the first time in almost 40 years
NASA’s farthest and fastest spacecraft is the only human-made object that has reached beyond the comfort of our Solar System
Solar System
Enceladus’ ‘loose’ core heats up subsurface ocean
This study explains a number of key characteristics of the icy moon that was observed by the Cassini spacecraft
Space Exploration
New Mars 2020 rover will include twenty-three cameras
This will bring a new perspective to landing, navigating around and studying the surface of the Red Planet
Solar System
Jupiter’s ‘light show’ found to pulsate at its poles
By observing the X-ray emissions from the Jovian planet, scientists speculate that the planet’s magnetic field could be causing unusual aurora
News
FREE PREVIEW: All About Space issue 69
No-nonsense astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson reveals his thoughts on the universe, fears for the American space program and George R. R. Martin – available now!
Space Exploration
Juno Update: Spacecraft captures Jupiter’s Great Red Spot up close
The new shots of the gas giant’s famous feature reveal a tangle of dark, veinous clouds weaving their way through a massive crimson oval
News
Cassini finds ‘surprisingly empty’ gap in Saturn’s ring
As the spacecraft plunges through the gap between the gas giant and its rings, mission members are shocked by the latest finding
News
Cassini spacecraft captures Earth-Moon system through Saturn’s rings
A new image from the NASA mission shows our planet as a point of light
News
LISA Pathfinder to be used as ‘comet crumb’ detector
The mission has successfully demonstrated critical technologies needed to build a space-based observatory capable of detecting slight ripples in space-time
News
Dwarf planet’s temporary atmosphere linked to Sun’s activity
It’s long been thought that Ceres may have a very weak, transient atmosphere, but mysteries lingered about its origin and why it’s not always present
News
Cassini prepares to make ‘death plunge’ into Saturn’s atmosphere
In orbit around the ringed planet since 2004, the spacecraft is about to begin the final chapter of its remarkable story
News
Mars orbiter adjusts flight path to avoid collision with Martian moon
NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft performed a previously unscheduled manoeuvre this week
News
Astronomers measure temperature of Saturn’s rings for first time
Taken by the Subaru Telescope in 2008, the images that reveal the information are the highest resolution ground-based views ever made