Earth
Four astronomical discoveries from ancient Greece
The Histories by Herodotus (484BC to 425BC) offers a remarkable window into the world as it was known to the ancient Greeks in the mid-fifth century BC. Almost as interesting as what they knew, however, is what they did not know. This sets the baseline for the remarkable advances in their understanding over the next …
SpaceX launch of Crew-1 mission set for Oct. 23
NASA is targeting no earlier than Oct. 23 for the first operational flight of the commercial SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft with astronauts launched by a Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program – following the recent conclusion of the historic Demo-2 test flight to the station …
From the pyramids to Stonehenge – were prehistoric people astronomers?
Ever since humans could look up to see the sky, we have been amazed by its beauty and untold mysteries. Naturally then, astronomy is often described as the oldest of the sciences, inspiring people for thousands of years. Celestial phenomena are featured in prehistoric cave paintings. And monuments such as the Great Pyramids of Giza …
Grounded by pandemic, NASA interns keep researching
Students selected for a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) summer program have continued conducting research in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic grounding their flight plans. NASA, which is responsible for the U.S. government’s civilian space program, selects several dozen college students each year for internships with its Student Airborne Research Program (SARP). Most summers …
UAE’s Mars mission aims to inspire citizens to pursue STEM fields
Dn July 14, a new Mars-bound spacecraft will launch from Japan. While several Mars missions are planned to launch over the next month, what makes this different is who’s launching it: the United Arab Emirates. Though new to space exploration, the UAE has set high goals for the probe, named Hope. The mission aims to …
SpaceX Crew Dragon pinpoints first-ever splashdown in Gulf of Mexico
After two action-packed months in Earth orbit two NASA astronauts splashed down safely in the Gulf of Mexico today, Sunday, Aug. 2, inside their SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship on the history-making first human spaceflight launch from US soil in nine years and the first-ever commercially built and operated human space mission. Returning from the International …
Go outside and view Comet NEOWISE before it disappears for 6800 years
Recently discovered Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) is now putting on a dazzling display in the early evening for skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere and it is right at prime time, roughly 45 minutes or so after sunset, and showing off a spectacular tail to boot – as it passes through the inner solar system, weather …
Meteorites contain clues about geology of Mars
Despite the pandemic, NASA is on track to launch its Mars rover, Perseverance, this July from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Its central mission will be to search for evidence of previous life on Mars. An exciting component of the rover will be a specialized drill that will collect rock and soil samples to be cached on …
NASA renames HQ in honor of ‘Hidden Figure’ Mary Jackson
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced that the agency’s headquarters building in Washington, D.C., will be named in honor of Mary W. Jackson, the first African American female engineer at NASA. The ‘Hidden Figure’ story of Mary Jackson and other African-American women trailblazers that helped launch America’s first astronauts safely into space and back including Alan …
Dragon Endeavour delivers astronauts to ISS after historic flight
A pair of veteran NASA astronauts flying aboard a commercial SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft safely docked at the International Space Station ISS) this Sunday morning just 19 hours after the first human launch from US soil for the first time in nine years on a history-making and flawless blastoff from the Florida Space Coast. NASA …