Space Exploration | Astronomy.com

How I flew to space, by S. Alan Stern

S. Alan Stern — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In late 2023, I flew in space. But I didn’t fly as a NASA astronaut or a space tourist. Instead, I flew on a training and research mission aboard a Virgin Galactic spaceplane for my company, the more-than-3,000-person research and development nonprofit Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The mission, named Galactic 5, was barely an hourContinue reading "How I flew to space, by S. Alan Stern"

The post How I flew to space, by S. Alan Stern appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Oct. 27, 1961: The first Saturn rocket launches

Elisa Neckar — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Five months after President John F. Kennedy promised that America would put a man on the Moon, NASA successfully showed that they had a rocket to get them there. Under development with Wernher von Braun’s team since 1957, the Saturn I rocket consisted of a booster stage with a liquid oxygen tank at its core,Continue reading "Oct. 27, 1961: The first Saturn rocket launches"

The post Oct. 27, 1961: The first Saturn rocket launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

How spaceflight impacts the immune system

Brooks Mendenhall — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:52:39 +0000

As humanity sets its sights on returning to the Moon and venturing to Mars, protecting the travelers who make the journey is a big challenge. A new guide to the emerging field of “astroimmunology” details one of the most critical threats astronauts face — that spaceflight cripples the human immune system — and offers aContinue reading "How spaceflight impacts the immune system"

The post How spaceflight impacts the immune system appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Duffy: NASA to reopen Artemis 3 HLS contract

Brooks Mendenhall — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:23:23 +0000

U.S. Transportation Secretary and interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy on Monday revealed a potentially seismic shakeup to the agency’s Artemis lunar landing program. During an interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen on Squawk Box Monday morning, Duffy said NASA will reopen a contract to build the human landing system (HLS) for the Artemis 3 mission, which will put American astronautsContinue reading "Duffy: NASA to reopen Artemis 3 HLS contract"

The post Duffy: NASA to reopen Artemis 3 HLS contract appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Oct. 20, 2018: BepiColombo launches

Elisa Neckar — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

BepiColombo, a joint mission of the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, launched Oct. 20, 2018. The spacecraft is actually two satellites in one, the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO), commissioned with investigating one of the least-visited planets in our solar system. To reach its final position,Continue reading "Oct. 20, 2018: BepiColombo launches"

The post Oct. 20, 2018: BepiColombo launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Oct. 17, 1956: Birth of Mae Jemison

Elisa Neckar — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Born Oct. 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama, and raised in Chicago, Mae Jemison showed a passion and talent for science from early in her childhood. After graduating high school by the age of 16, Jemison attended Stanford University and earned a B.S. in chemical engineering and a B.A. in African American studies. She went onContinue reading "Oct. 17, 1956: Birth of Mae Jemison"

The post Oct. 17, 1956: Birth of Mae Jemison appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Oct. 16, 1975: The first GOES satellite launches

Elisa Neckar — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

A joint project of NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) program provides continuous monitoring of weather both on Earth and in space. The GOES satellites map lightning activity, measure and image atmospheric conditions, and track solar activity and space weather. This constant flow of data isContinue reading "Oct. 16, 1975: The first GOES satellite launches"

The post Oct. 16, 1975: The first GOES satellite launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Oct. 15, 1997: Cassini-Huygens launches

Ben Evans — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

At 4:43 A.M. on Oct. 15, 1997, the staccato crackle of the Titan IVB/Centaur’s two side-mounted solid rocket boosters shattered the predawn gloom. Pushing Cassini-Huygens off the pad with a thrust of 3.4 million pounds (1.5 million kilograms), their bright glare turned night into day (and set off numerous car alarms) above a sleeping Florida.Continue reading "Oct. 15, 1997: Cassini-Huygens launches"

The post Oct. 15, 1997: Cassini-Huygens launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Starship’s 11th Test Flight marks new era for SpaceX rocket

Jack Burns — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 19:44:27 +0000

SpaceX’s Starship rocket successfully completed its 11th test flight on Monday, capping a tumultuous year for the hulking vehicle as the company looks to push the envelope with a more powerful configuration. Monday’s test continued Starship’s return to form, marking its second consecutive reentry and splashdown following a string of in-flight and test stand mishaps. It was Starship’s finalContinue reading "Starship’s 11th Test Flight marks new era for SpaceX rocket"

The post Starship’s 11th Test Flight marks new era for SpaceX rocket appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Oct. 12, 1964: Voshkod 1 sends the first crew to space

Elisa Neckar — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Voshkod 1 kicked off the second series of manned Soviet spaceflights, following the Vostok missions that had been the first to put humans in space. When the craft launched on Oct. 12, 1964, for its flight of just over 24 hours, it was the seventh crewed spaceflight for the Soviet Union — but the firstContinue reading "Oct. 12, 1964: Voshkod 1 sends the first crew to space"

The post Oct. 12, 1964: Voshkod 1 sends the first crew to space appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.