Spacecraft

WATCH: Artemis makes lunar flyby as moon mission breaks record for human distance from earth

The Artemis II crew, flying in their Orion capsule since launching from Florida last week, awoke around 10:50 a.m. for their sixth flight day to a recorded message from late astronaut Jim Lovell.

NASA ASTRONAUT and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon April 2, 2026.
SPACEX STARLINK 5 satellites are pictured in the sky seen from Svendborg on South Funen, Denmark April 21, 2020.

Starlink to reconfigure satellites into lower, safer orbit in 2026

This image of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera, July 21, 2025.

NASA releases images of comet 3I/ATLAS, rejects alien spacecraft 'rumors'

Astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie attend a see-off ceremony for the Shenzhou-20 spaceflight mission at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center near Jiuquan, Gansu province, China April 24, 2025.

Chinese astronauts' return delayed to Earth after debris hits spacecraft


How the world won’t be destroyed: NASA found a solution to a worrying problem

NASA proved for the first time that a small spacecraft can deflect an asteroid. The DART mission collided with Dimorphos, showing humanity can protect itself from cosmic disasters.

The spacecraft is on its way to crash into the asteroid’s moon

Beijing tests lunar lander tasked with putting first Chinese on the moon

The lunar lander will be used to transport astronauts between the lunar orbit and the moon's surface, as well as serving as a living space, power source, and data center.

 A large screen shows news footage of a Chinese national flag carried by Chang'e-6 probe's lander on the far side of the moon, in Beijing, China June 4, 2024

Solar Orbiter spacecraft obtains first images of the sun's poles

"The data that Solar Orbiter obtains during the coming years will help modelers in predicting the solar cycle," said solar physicist Hamish Reid.

Eight views of the sun's south pole obtained by the Solar Orbiter spacecraft are seen in this image released by the European Space Agency on June 11, 2025

Uncontrolled reentry of Soviet-era spacecraft Kosmos 482 expected in May

Experts say the Venus-bound probe's durable design could allow it to survive reentry, posing a small risk to populated areas.

 Uncontrolled reentry of Soviet-era spacecraft Kosmos 482 expected in May.

Going where no spacecraft has gone before: NASA shuts down cosmic ray instrument on Voyager 2

The decision comes as the Voyager spacecraft face diminishing power supplies due to the gradual decay of their radioactive plutonium.

 Going where no spacecraft has gone before: NASA shuts down cosmic ray instrument on Voyager 2. Illustration.

Elon Musk launches mobile communication satellites

Billionaire Elon Musk will launch the Falcon 9 rocket, deploying 21 satellites for direct mobile communication in unconnected areas, aiming to fund a Mars mission.

 Falcon 9 in a launch, deploying communication satellites

NASA's Lucy spacecraft captures first images of asteroid Donaldjohanson

Flyby of Donaldjohanson will test Lucy's navigation before mission to Jupiter Trojans.

 NASA's Lucy spacecraft captures first images of asteroid Donaldjohanson.

Mapping 2 billion stars: How Gaia transformed our view of the Milky Way

The European Space Agency's (ESA) Gaia spacecraft concluded its sky-scanning mission after mapping the Milky Way for more than 10 years.

 The Gaia Space Telescope.

One step closer to a lunar base: China sends lunar bricks to space station for testing

The bricks are designed to withstand the extreme conditions on the Moon, including drastic temperature fluctuations ranging from -190 °C to +180 °C.

 Mockups of the New Generation Launch Vehicles of Long March Family are on display at the 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition.

Russia says it is considering putting a nuclear power plant on the moon with China

In the backdrop of comments denying the plan to put nuclear weapons in space, Russian officials are now considering placing a nuclear power plant on the moon in cooperation with China.

 A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage, carrying Russian the Meteor-M spacecraft and 18 Russian and foreign additional small satellites, blasts off from a launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, February 29, 2024.