On March 9, 1961, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 9. This mission was a test flight of the Vostok spacecraft, which would later carry the first cosmonauts into space. Inside the spacecraft was a mannequin named Ivan Ivanovich, a dog named Chernushka, dozens of mice, some reptiles, and the first-ever guinea pig to fly to […]
NASA’s new water-scouting moon orbiter has been in trouble ever since its Feb. 26 launch atop a SpaceX rocket, but things are looking more dire as the spacecraft runs low on power while spinning in space. Ground controllers for the NASA/Caltech-led mission, called Lunar Trailblazer, have valiantly tried to reestablish communications with the small satellite
Starship put on a show for skywatchers yet again — but not the way that SpaceX would have liked. SpaceX launched the eighth test flight of Starship, the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, from its Starbase site in South Texas on Thursday evening (March 6). Starship‘s huge first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy,
Watch fiery SpaceX Starship Flight 8 debris rain down over The Bahamas (video) Read More »
Starship’s eighth flight was a lot like its seventh. SpaceX launched the eighth test flight of its Starship megarocket today (March 6), sending the 403-foot-tall (123 meters) vehicle aloft from its Starbase site in South Texas at 6:30 p.m. EST (2330 GMT; 5:30 p.m. local Texas time). Seven minutes later, Starship’s huge first-stage booster, known
Every second, phenomena known as “auroral electrojets” that stem from solar activity push about a million amps of electrical charge around Earth’s poles — and that electrical charge can create big problems. Electrojets are intense electric currents that flow above the Earth. Magnetic disturbances from auroral electrojets can lead to power outages on our planet,
SpaceX, NASA To Launch 1st Mission To Study Aurora ‘Electrojets’ In Earth’s Atmosphere Read More »
NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions will need to wait a little longer before heading to space. After delaying the launch of these missions three times — they were originally slated to take to the skies on Feb. 27 — the space agency has postponed liftoff once again for SPHEREx and PUNCH. Both payloads will still
NASA delays launch of SPHEREx and PUNCH Missions to March 6 Read More »
On March 4, 1979, the Voyager 1 spacecraft made a flyby of Io, capturing stunning images of this moon of Jupiter. The detailed images of Io represented the first time that active volcanoes had been seen on the surface of another world. The images of Io helped scientists determine that Io is the most volcanic
The next Starship megarocket to fly is stuck on Earth for a little while longer. SpaceX aimed to launch the eighth test flight of Starship the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built from its Starbase site in South Texas on Monday evening (March 3). That didn’t happen, however. The company encountered issues with both
SpaceX calls off Starship Flight 8 launch test due to rocket issues (video) Read More »
On March 3, 1969, Apollo 9 launched three astronauts on the first crewed test flight of NASA’s lunar module, which astronauts later used to land on the moon. Astronauts James McDivitt, David Scott and Rusty Schweickart orbited Earth for 10 days. They tested the lunar module’s engines and navigation systems. They also practiced docking and
On this day in space! March 3, 1969: Apollo 9 launches 1st test flight of lunar module Read More »
SpaceX launched a batch of 21 Starlink internet satellites from Florida’s Space Coast on Sunday night (March 2). The Falcon 9 rocket flying the mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 9:24 p.m. ET (0224 GMT on March 3), carrying the Starlink 12-20 mission — which included 13 satellites with direct-to-cell capability
