A new generation of spaceplanes is taking advantage of the latest in technology

Spaceplanes seemed out of favour when the shuttle was retired in 2011; they now seem to be making a comeback.

James Campbell, Reader, Brunel University London • conversation
Feb. 8, 2024 • ~9 min

Nasa’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has ended its mission – its success paves the way for more flying vehicles on other planets and moons

Among the missions being planned is a huge helicopter drone to explore Saturn’s moon Titan.

Kevin Olsen, UKSA Mars Science Fellow, Department of Physics, University of Oxford • conversation
Jan. 29, 2024 • ~7 min

Humans are going back to the Moon to stay, but when that will be is becoming less clear

The US might be facing international competition to be first to return to the Moon.

Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of the Space Economy Evolution Lab, Bocconi University • conversation
Jan. 26, 2024 • ~6 min

How we discovered that Uranus and Neptune are actually nearly identical in colour

It turns out Uranus actually changes colour throughout the year.

Patrick Gerard Joseph Irwin, Professor of Planetary Physics, University of Oxford • conversation
Jan. 5, 2024 • ~7 min

Privatised Moon landings: the two US missions set to open a new era of commercial lunar exploration

The Peregrine and Nova-C landers are due to carry out valuable science at two diverse lunar locations.

Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Jan. 2, 2024 • ~8 min

A carbon-lite atmosphere could be a sign of water and life on other terrestrial planets, MIT study finds

A low carbon abundance in planetary atmospheres, which the James Webb Space Telescope can detect, could be a signature of habitability.

Jennifer Chu | MIT News • mit
Dec. 28, 2023 • ~8 min

Scientists and space agencies are shooting for the Moon -- 5 essential reads on modern lunar missions

Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing on the Moon made 2023 a big year for lunar exploration, and future years will come with even more discoveries.

Mary Magnuson, Assistant Science Editor • conversation
Dec. 12, 2023 • ~8 min

The longstanding mystery of Mars' moons – and the mission that could solve it

A Japanese spacecraft is expected to reach Martian orbit in 2025 to collect material from the surface of the moon Phobos before returning to Earth by 2029.

Ben Rider-Stokes, Post Doctoral Researcher in Achondrite Meteorites, The Open University • conversation
Dec. 7, 2023 • ~6 min

Unwrapping Uranus and its icy secrets: What NASA would learn from a mission to a wild world

Five of the Uranus moons might be ocean worlds − and if there’s water, there might be life.

Mike Sori, Assistant Professor of Planetary Science, Purdue University • conversation
Nov. 28, 2023 • ~7 min

Earthrise: historian uncovers the true origins of the 'image of the century’

Borman’s professionalism helped the risky Apollo 8 mission become a success.

Robert Poole, Professor of History, University of Central Lancashire • conversation
Nov. 17, 2023 • ~8 min

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