Space
New Atlas keeps you up to date with the latest space news and fantastic images from all corners of the Universe.
Latest News
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Gibberish download may save Voyager 1 deep space probe
March 17, 2024NASA's Voyager 1 deep space probe may get a new lease on life thanks to an unexpected download from one of its onboard computers. After months of sending back gibberish instead of collected data, the craft may have provided a clue to its salvation. -
Starship successfully makes orbit – but the FAA has grounded it anyway
March 14, 2024Third time's the charm! SpaceX's Starship roared into orbit today from the company's Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas. Larger and more powerful than the venerable Saturn V, the giant rocket lifted off into the history books at 8:25 am CDT. -
Newly found monster Martian volcano might be hiding an icy secret
March 14, 2024A massive volcano has been hiding in plain sight on Mars, says new research. Not only is its sheer size noteworthy, but the team believes it might also harbor glacial ice that could be critical for further exploration and Martian settlements. -
How to watch the third Starship launch
March 13, 2024Want to see if SpaceX's Starship steps up or blows up on its third orbital launch attempt? Here's how to watch the action live from the Starbase facility in Texas. And, after the first two launch attempts, you can expect some drama. -
Supermassive tension measured between the heaviest cosmic couple
March 06, 2024We’ve all regretted taking too long to make a move, but at least it wasn't 3 billion years. That’s how long the sexual tension has been building between two slow-dancing supermassive black holes, whose eventual congress could rock the entire universe. -
Cosmic billiards: 1.3 million asteroid paths check for 2029 impact
March 05, 2024In 2029, a large asteroid will whizz past Earth so close it’ll be visible to the naked eye. But could collisions with other asteroids bounce it off-course into us? To find out, astronomers have now crunched the paths of 1.3 million known asteroids. -
Juno probe tweaks the odds for life on Europa
March 04, 2024Data from NASA's Juno Jupiter orbiter suggests that the Jovian moon Europa produces about 26 lb/s (12 kg/s) of oxygen or almost 100 times less than previously estimated. This changes the probability of life being found in the moon's subterranean ocean. -
NASA and SpaceX run Moon lander docking system through the wringer
February 29, 2024Tackling one of the unsung but absolutely necessary tasks of Moon exploration, NASA and SpaceX are doing intensive testing of the docking mechanism that will be used to transfer astronauts from Artemis to the Starship Human Landing System. -
Odysseus broke leg on landing thanks to overlooked laser switch
February 28, 2024As the Odysseus Moon lander faces its final hours, there's one final twist in the saga: The spacecraft broke one of its legs on landing, thanks to a cascade of mistakes that began back on Earth, when a safety switch wasn't flicked on prior to launch. -
Asteroid-redirecting DART probe made a splash slamming into Dimorphos
February 27, 2024When NASA's DART deep space probe smashed into the asteroid Dimorphos, it didn't leave a crater. Instead, there was a splash, where the asteroid was distorted like a jelly as its entire structure shifted. -
Japan's SLIM lunar lander comes back to life after killer Moon night
February 27, 2024Beating incredible odds, Japan's SLIM lunar lander came back to life after surviving the intense dark and cold of the Moon's night. On February 25, JAXA confirmed that it had temporarily reestablished communications with the robotic spacecraft. -
The Odysseus lunar mission ends following human error on Earth
February 26, 2024The IM-1 Moon landing mission will come to a premature end on Tuesday morning. Intuitive Machines has announced that Odysseus will no longer be able to charge its batteries by February 27, as sunlight stops falling on its solar panels. RIP Odie. -
Metal scar found on world-destroying star after its reign of terror
February 26, 2024In a few billion years, the Sun will destroy the solar system’s inner planets – and if it’s lucky, it might get a big cool scar to brag about. That’s what happened to a newly found white dwarf, which appears to have a bizarre metal scar on its surface. -
Youngest neutron star detected turned 37 years old last Friday
February 26, 2024The youngest neutron star detected so far turned 37 years old last week. To celebrate, James Webb Space Telescope has finally found the most direct evidence of it, hiding among the remains of the supernova cloud it was born in. -
Oops: Odysseus lunar lander fell over on touchdown
February 25, 2024Intuitive Machines says that its Odysseus Moon lander tripped and fell over on touchdown and is now lying on its side. One of the legs of the robotic spacecraft dug into the lunar surface during landing maneuvers, making it fall over on a rock.
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