Science

The US space agency will host a press conference on 26 May to detail plans for the Lunar Base, highlighting progress toward long-term exploration and infrastructure development.

The US space agency invites proposals for payloads capable of robotic manipulation in low Earth orbit, with winners set for a cost-free demonstration aboard the Fly Foundational Robots platform in 2028.

Researchers report the tool successfully detects specific algal species in complex coastal waters, aiming to help health agencies target water sampling and issue warnings more efficiently.

The 2026 Civil Space Shortfall Ranking streamlines feedback into 32 categories and selects 40 investment focus areas, including lunar surface operations and advanced computing.

Leadership will discuss progress toward a sustained human presence at the lunar South Pole, including new industry partnerships and the strategic foundation for future Mars exploration.

The open water lead explains the shift from capsule-focused to crew-first protocols following the Artemis II mission splashdown off San Diego.

International team using 16 years of data identifies magnetar as power source for exceptionally bright supernova, marking a milestone in high-energy astronomy.

A wildland fire has burned approximately 16,600 acres on the second-largest island in the park, threatening rare Torrey pines and prompting public closures.

The image, acquired shortly after the spacecraft’s closest approach to the planet, highlights variations in dust, sand, and bedrock within the 470-kilometre-diameter crater.

Newly released imagery from May 15, 2026, reveals wind streaks and impact craters in the Syrtis Major region, while calibration efforts leverage data from multiple orbital and surface missions.

The mission’s instruments were calibrated during the encounter, with data gathered from multiple planetary missions supporting the spacecraft’s journey to the main asteroid belt.

Photographs taken on Monday reveal the Moon and Venus appearing close together above the Washington Monument, a visual effect created by their alignment from Earth’s perspective despite vast physical distances.

With 37 years of service, the exploration scientist combines classroom instruction and Antarctic field exercises to ensure crews can interpret the Moon’s geologic history from orbit.

Volunteers will help sort chaotic and peaceful plasma regions using over a decade of Magnetospheric Multiscale mission data to improve understanding of space weather impacts.

Astronaut imagery reveals how 15,000-year-old silt and clay, combined with 19th-century survey grids, shape Canada’s agricultural landscape.

The Curiosity rover has begun drilling operations at a new site named Campo Marte, while simultaneously gathering atmospheric data to assist the Psyche spacecraft during its close approach to the Red Planet.

The trio received top awards in the portrait category at the 2025 NASA Imagery Experts Program Annual Awards, with Director Vanessa Wyche praising their documentation of the agency’s precision and creativity.

Data from a December 2023 solar storm reveals charged particles being squeezed along magnetic flux tubes in the Martian ionosphere, challenging previous assumptions about unmagnetised bodies.

The Translational Research Institute for Space Health has appointed Dr Baiyang Liu and Dr Dylan Pham to its fellowship program, aiming to reduce spaceflight risks and improve terrestrial health outcomes.

An image taken on 7 May 2026 shows gas heating up as it orbits the central black hole, while bright spikes are identified as optical artefacts of the telescope.

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Friday evening, with the Dragon spacecraft scheduled to autonomously dock with the International Space Station on Sunday morning.

The rock, nicknamed Atacama, fragmented upon release after becoming lodged in the drill mechanism in late April.

New observations reveal how a supermassive black hole’s powerful winds are stripping a distant galaxy of the material needed to create new stars.

New satellite data from 2014 to 2022 challenges assumptions of uniform growth, highlighting the impact of urban development, energy efficiency retrofits, and geopolitical crises on the night sky.

The Mars Telecommunications Network aims to provide high-bandwidth communications for science data and imagery, supporting future surface, orbital, and human exploration missions.

A nine-month mission launching no earlier than July 17 will evaluate 11 technologies to manage super-cold propellants in microgravity, supporting the development of in-space refuelling stations.

The latest resupply mission includes equipment for blood stem cell research, gut health protection, and an advanced exercise system from the European Space Agency.

Landsat 9 observations detail the progression of a dynamic breakup event that triggered a flood watch and inundated low-lying areas in May 2026.

A Freeform 3D Printing process, originally supported by NASA for lunar habitat construction, is now being used to manufacture lightweight, efficient wall panels and cladding for buildings on Earth.

The four-person Artemis II crew, accompanied by the mission’s zero gravity indicator “Rise”, spoke with congressional staff at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, marking a post-mission engagement in the nation’s capital.

Artemis III mission will use a spacer to simulate upper stages, testing docking systems and life support ahead of the Artemis IV Moon landing.

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite has released a mosaic combining 96 sectors observed between 2018 and 2025, highlighting nearly 6,000 locations of confirmed or candidate exoplanets.

New NASA-led investigation uses the unique space environment to observe how pneumonia-causing bacteria affect stem cell-derived heart tissues, aiming to improve treatments for Earth and long-duration space travel.

The feature highlights the island’s formation by retreating ice sheets, its historic role as a major fish supplier, and its recent designation as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary.

Will Cummings-Grande of NASA Langley found the absence of an operational connection between the Tower Data Link Services and the Terminal Flight Data Manager, a discovery that could accelerate the timeline for safer, automated ground operations.

Assembled from 61 frames, the photograph documents the rover's westward advance and recent rock analysis work within Jezero Crater.

NASA's Perseverance rover has reached the farthest western point of its mission, capturing a self-portrait that highlights geological features including megabreccia and potential volcanic dikes while continuing its fifth science campaign.

Kathleen Harmon, a systems engineer with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, oversees the global array of radio antennas that keep the Artemis II spacecraft in contact with Earth.

The radiation-hardened chip aims to support future lunar and Martian exploration by processing vast sensor data without human intervention

Morning mist fills shaded valleys in eastern Victoria while a unique cloud formation drifts across the bay, illustrating the region's dynamic weather patterns.

Following a carefully planned sequence of movements, the Mars Science Laboratory rover has returned to analysing exposed rock and sand at multiple sites

NASA's Curiosity rover has published new imagery of a rock nicknamed 'Atacama' following a mechanical snag that required several days of robotic arm repositioning and vibration to resolve.

The recurring challenge offers bragging rights to the first correct guesser, with the official answer and detailed analysis to be published in about a week.

Nicholas Houghton at NASA's Johnson Space Center manages the lifecycle of pressure suits and life preserver units used during the Artemis II mission around the Moon.