Space Exploration
Ongoing coverage on Space Exploration.
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SpaceX Bets $100 Billion on a Louisiana Starbase — With Construction Set for 2027
SpaceX plans to invest $100 billion in a new spaceport in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, with construction beginning in 2027 and Starship launches targeted for 2029. This ambitious project hinges on the successful development and reusability of the Starship rocket, which has yet to achieve full booster and upper stage recovery on a single flight. The new facility is crucial for scaling SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet business and future AI-focused constellations.
SpaceX is building a $100 billion 'Starbase' launch site in Louisiana
SpaceX is planning to construct a massive $100 billion spaceport named 'Starbase' in Louisiana. The company aims to build a launch site that surpasses current science fiction concepts, indicating a significant expansion in space infrastructure.
How to watch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's launch
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is scheduled to launch on August 30. This marks a significant event in space exploration, with the telescope set to embark on its mission.
A Falcon 9 stage gouged a 60-foot crater into the Moon — and ULA finally has a new chief
A spent Falcon 9 upper stage created a 60-foot crater on the Moon, captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. In leadership news, Mark Peller has become the new CEO of United Launch Alliance, taking over from Tory Bruno. The article also covers recent developments in rocket launches and failures from various companies including SpaceX, Innospace, and China's LandSpace, alongside updates on European and Chinese space programs.
Six Days of Waiting: NASA’s Orbiter Finally Captures the Moon Crater Left by a Falcon 9
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of a crater left by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage impact on the Moon. The crater, measuring approximately 60 feet across, was observed after a six-day wait to align the orbiter's position and lighting conditions. The impact provided scientists with a cross-section of the Moon's uppermost layers, and independent astronomers initially helped pinpoint the impact trajectory.
Swift Observatory Left to Burn Up as NASA Calls Off Its Orbital Rescue
NASA has cancelled the mission to boost the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory back into a safe orbit due to an attitude control failure in the rescue spacecraft, LINK. The telescope is now expected to burn up in Earth's atmosphere by the end of the year. While the primary mission failed, LINK will still attempt a rendezvous to gather data for future satellite servicing efforts.
NASA calls off mission to rescue the falling Swift observatory
NASA has called off its mission to rescue the Swift observatory, which is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere this year. The decision means the observatory will not be saved.
Stellar Odyssey launches as an idle RPG MMORPG trip through the cosmos with space dragons
Stellar Odyssey, a new free-to-play idle sci-fi MMORPG, has launched and features procedurally generated galaxies, guild systems, and space dragon battles. The developers at Stellar Games have stated they utilize AI for certain visual assets. Future updates will include base building, colonization, and dungeons.
NASA images show crater on the moon caused by SpaceX Falcon 9 crash
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured images of a crater on the moon, which was formed by the crash of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The images provide visual evidence of the impact event.
SurviRail Playtest Sign-Ups Are Now Open! news
Sign-ups for the SurviRail playtest are now open, allowing players to explore space stations, find blueprints and resources, and prepare a train for its next journey. The playtest will focus on testing core gameplay mechanics, particularly the train expansion system. Future updates include a public demo with an additional location and expanded mechanics.
NASA updates Voyager 2 to extend the 1977 probe's lifespan yet again
NASA has successfully implemented a plan to extend the operational lifespan of the Voyager 2 probe's scientific instruments. This update aims to further prolong the mission of the 1977 spacecraft.
Voyager 2 Gets a Power Reprieve: NASA’s “Big Bang” Buys the Probe Another Year
NASA engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have implemented a power-saving procedure nicknamed the "Big Bang" for the Voyager 2 spacecraft. This initiative is expected to extend the operational life of its remaining science instruments by at least another year, preventing the loss of another instrument before the end of 2026. A similar procedure is planned for Voyager 1 in the coming months.
No Man’s Sky Celebrates 10th Anniversary, Teases Next Major Update “Cosmos”
Hello Games is celebrating the 10th anniversary of No Man's Sky with a new trailer showcasing its extensive post-launch updates. The developer has also announced its next major update, titled "Cosmos," though an exact release date has not yet been provided. No Man's Sky is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
No Man's Sky 10th Anniversary trailer celebrates what came before & teases what's next
Hello Games celebrated the 10th anniversary of No Man's Sky with a trailer that looks back at the game's evolution and teases the upcoming 'Cosmos' content update. The trailer highlights major updates over the past decade, including co-op, organic ships, mechs, and underwater exploration, while offering a glimpse of future content.
No Man's Sky Cosmos is the next big update as Hello Games refuses to slow down after 10 years
Hello Games has announced "Cosmos," the next major update for their decade-old space exploration game, No Man's Sky. While details are scarce, the update is expected to focus more on space travel and elements beyond individual planets. The developer also noted that updates for the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck versions take longer due to memory constraints.
Nova Offline - Free Online Browser Game
Nova Offline is a single-player, 100% offline space exploration and combat browser game built with HTML5/JavaScript. It features procedurally generated universes with multiple galaxies, factions, trading, mining, and combat, all playable without an internet connection. The game offers a deep progression system with unlockable ships and modular upgrades, accessible instantly in any modern web browser.
NASA’s Perseverance is about to out-drive every rover that ever reached Mars
NASA's Perseverance rover is set to break the record for the longest distance driven by any vehicle on another world, surpassing the mark set by the Opportunity rover. Perseverance has achieved this milestone primarily through its advanced auto-navigation system, which allows it to drive autonomously for most of its journey on Mars. This technology, enabled by a more modern processor compared to its predecessor Curiosity, allows Perseverance to cover ground more efficiently and expand the scope of its scientific investigations in Jezero Crater.
NASA may reroute Perseverance’s Earthbound twin to the lunar south pole
NASA is considering repurposing a ground-based engineering test model of its Perseverance rover, potentially as a hybrid with the Curiosity rover, for a lunar south pole mission named PROMISE. This rover would utilize a plutonium-powered radioisotope thermoelectric generator for continuous operation, independent of sunlight, to survey the lunar south pole for water ice and characterize the environment. The project, estimated to cost between $700 million and $1.3 billion, is not expected to launch before the early 2030s.
Ten Months of Polar Night, 12 Crew Members, and a Result That Undercuts Mars Assumptions
Research conducted at Antarctica's Concordia Station during a ten-month overwintering period found that increased social interaction among 12 crew members correlated with rising conflict and diminished performance, challenging the assumption that companionship always fixes loneliness. The study utilized proximity sensors to objectively track interactions, revealing that prolonged closeness in confined environments can become a stressor and that crew members tended to cluster by language or nationality, potentially fostering social divides. These findings have implications for planning long-duration space missions to Mars and the Moon, highlighting the psychological weight of habitat design and crew scheduling over traditional team-building.
One of NASA's Mars rovers could find itself promised to the moon instead
NASA is planning to leverage existing technology from its Mars rover program to gather more information about the moon. This initiative aims to explore various aspects of lunar exploration using repurposed or adapted existing systems.