An international team of astronomers has created an enormous catalogue of the motions of stars in Omega Centauri, measuring the velocities for 1.4 million stars by studying over 500 images from the Hubble Space Telescope spanning two decades. Most of these observations were intended for instrument calibration rather than scientific use, but they turned out […]

In the weeks leading up to launch, the Ariane 6 rocket underwent rigorous testing and preparations at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Engineers meticulously checked every system, ensuring the vehicle was ready for its maiden voyage into space. The launch campaign culminated in the final countdown, as the powerful rocket was raised to the vertical […]

Ariane 6, Europe’s new heavy-lift rocket, marks a significant milestone in the continent’s space exploration endeavors. Conceived in the 2010s, this powerful launch vehicle is designed to replace the retired Ariane 5 rocket, halving the launch costs over time while offering the potential for more launches each year. The configuration for Ariane 6’s maiden flight […]

As many as four SpaceX Falcon 9 missions are on the roster for this week’s launch schedule. The four missions will be split evenly between Starlink and two payloads for other customers. At least one of the SpaceX missions is likely to be affected by the severe weather currently being experienced on the east coast […]

Scientists have long sought to determine the rate of meteoroid impacts on Mars, employing two primary methods before the availability of seismic data. One approach involved calculating the impact rate from lunar crater chronology models, which are based on studies of craters on the Moon and adjusted to account for Mars’ atmosphere and proximity to […]

Booster 12, which has been in Mega Bay 1 since January 23, is possibly set to roll out to the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM) as early as July 8 or 9. However, depending on Hurricane Beryl, this could be pushed back a few days if Highway 4 is flooded. Along with intermittent closures, SpaceX has […]

In the early days of the Universe, approximately 12 billion years ago, the cosmic environment was significantly different from what we observe today. The primordial gas clouds from which stars formed were metal-poor – meaning they were depleted in heavy elements, often referred to as “metals” by astronomers. These metals are typically formed within the […]

Ariane 6 is the newest addition to Europe’s prestigious rocket family, a series that has been propelling the continent towards the stars for five decades. Building upon an impressive foundation of knowledge, expertise, and cutting-edge technology developed over the years, Ariane 6 promises to be a versatile, modular, and quintessentially European endeavor. Designed to guarantee […]

Ariane 6’s inaugural flight will be divided into three distinct phases, each designed to showcase the launcher’s capabilities. The first phase, spanning events 1 through 5, will propel the rocket from the ground into orbit. The powerful thrust of the Vulcain engine and the two P120C boosters will work in tandem to lift Ariane 6 […]

ESA’s newly approved Lunar Meteoroid Impact Observer, Lumio, is an exciting mission that will orbit an Earth-Moon Lagrange point to detect meteoroid flashes on the night-time lunar farside. This briefcase-sized 12-unit ‘CubeSat’ – a low-cost small spacecraft built up from standardized 10 cm boxes – will be placed in orbit around the Earth-Moon Lagrange Point […]