Eric Schmidt’s foundation is making one of the largest private investments in astronomy history. The plan includes a 3.1-meter space telescope named Lazuli and three novel ground arrays to create a first-of-its-kind observatory system for time-domain science.
SpaceX says a Starlink satellite suffered an internal failure, causing a small explosion and releasing debris. The company is working with NASA and the Space Force to track the pieces, which are expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere within weeks.
The explosive growth of satellite mega-constellations is creating a new form of light pollution in space itself. A NASA-led study finds that the planned launch of 560,000 satellites by the end of the 2030s poses a “very severe threat” to astronomical observations from orbit.
The moon’s most hyped resources—helium-3, rare earth elements, and platinum metals—exist in concentrations too low for profitable Earth export. A premature lunar gold rush could create speculative bubbles, damage scientific sites, and increase geopolitical tensions unnecessarily.
China matched Europe’s feat of photographing interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS from its Mars orbiter. Meanwhile, the return of six astronauts from China’s space station was postponed after suspected space debris damage to the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft.
Jared Isaacman, a tech billionaire and commercial astronaut, is getting a second shot at leading NASA. The nomination comes after his initial consideration was withdrawn over political donation concerns. If confirmed, he’ll take over a significantly downsized space agency.
University of California researchers discovered solar storms cause Starlink satellites to lose altitude and create network-wide disruptions. The findings highlight growing risks for satellite constellations as solar activity increases.
After 15 years in space, Japan’s Akatsuki Venus orbiter has been declared dead. The spacecraft’s demise leaves Earth’s closest planetary neighbor without any active orbiters for the first time in years. Here’s what the scientific gap means for our understanding of Venus.
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed a surprisingly large debris disk surrounding a nearby M dwarf star. This discovery challenges our understanding of how planetary systems form around the most common stars in our galaxy.
