Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific advances and more. A marvel of the “Dune” sci-fi film series is the survival suits worn by the desert-dwelling Fremen — “pillar suits” that convert all bodily fluids into drinkable water. Now, such technology appears on the horizon,… Read More »
SpaceX’s stalwart Falcon 9 rocket, which powers not only satellite launches but also astronauts’ journeys into orbit, suffered a rare and troubling malfunction Thursday night while trying to pull a group of internet satellites into orbit. The ordeal prompted federal regulators to ground the rocket, which has become a cornerstone of the United States and… Read More »
By Joey Roulette WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The first two astronauts to fly Boeing’s Starliner capsule said on Wednesday from the International Space Station that they were confident the spacecraft could return them home if the company and NASA could fix thruster problems that have kept them in space much longer than expected. “I have a… Read More »
Crew Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft They said Wednesday that despite a helium leak in the ship’s propulsion system and problems with its maneuvering thrusters, they were confident the capsule would carry them safely back to Earth at the end of their long stay at the International Space Station. Launched on June 5th Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore… Read More »
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific advances and more. Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and crew have been in space for more than a month, far longer than the initially anticipated one-week stay. Due to technical issues with the vehicle, the return process has been postponed… Read More »
The call from the moon is clear – try to find my water ice. There’s a possibility that large amounts of water ice could be lurking at the bottom of craters at the Moon’s south pole. Pardon my cosmic jargon but these extremely cold features – “where Sun “don’t shine” – labeled permanently shadowed regions,… Read More »
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have discovered that one of the closest “hot Jupiter” planets to Earth smells like rotten eggs. The planet already has a bad reputation for deadly glass rain, extreme temperatures, and sideways winds of 5,000 mph (8,046 kph), but this discovery makes this world seem even less friendly.… Read More »
Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, Sign up for free here. The grasslands, glaciers, and snow-capped peaks of the Tibetan Plateau are breathtaking, but this vast area in Central Asia is also one of the harshest environments on Earth. Thirty years… Read More »
NASA’s Goldstone planetary radar system recently recorded two near-Earth asteroids, 2024 MK and 2011 UL21, passing by our planet. Perhaps a little worryingly, it was detected just 13 days before either one passed safely past. Soilbut scientists at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) assures us that it never posed a threat in Southern California, but… Read More »
Right now, engineers are busy producing the first components of what will eventually emerge. Gateway space station. One day, if all goes according to plan, Gateway will serve as the first space station in lunar orbit and the moon’s first true transportation hub. Although not planned to be permanently inhabited, the station is being built… Read More »