More lunar missions means more space junk around the Moon – two astronomers are building a catalog to track the trash

With more than 100 lunar missions planned in coming years, space junk near the Moon could become an issue for humanity. No agency tracks lunar space junk, so two astronomers decided to do it themselves.

Vishnu Reddy, Professor of Planetary Science, University of Arizona • conversation
Feb. 6, 2023 • ~9 min

'Blue marble': how half a century of climate change has altered the face of the Earth

A new image has been taken of the whole Earth 50 years after the first - revealing noticeable changes to its surface.

Oliver Gruner, Senior Lecturer in Visual Culture, University of Portsmouth • conversation
Jan. 31, 2023 • ~7 min

Five space exploration missions to look out for in 2023

From space agency missions to private space launches, 2023 will be an exciting year in space.

Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Dec. 27, 2022 • ~8 min

China's new space station opens for business in an increasingly competitive era of space activity

China has completed construction of the Tiangong space station, and science projects are now underway. The station is an important piece of China’s ambitious plans for space activity in coming years.

Scott Shackelford, Professor of Business Law and Ethics, Indiana University • conversation
Dec. 9, 2022 • ~9 min

Artemis launch delay is the latest of many NASA scrubs and comes from hard lessons on crew safety

After its fourth delay, the Artemis 1 launch is now scheduled for Nov. 16, 2022. NASA has a history of missing launch deadlines, but the private sector is slowly making launches more reliable.

Michael Dodge, Associate Professor of Space Studies, University of North Dakota • conversation
Nov. 14, 2022 • ~8 min

NASA's Artemis 1 mission to the Moon sets the stage for routine space exploration beyond Earth's orbit – here's what to expect and why it's important

When the Orion Crew Capsule orbits the Moon there will be no one on board. But the mission will mark a key step in bringing humans back to Earth’s dusty sidekick.

Jack Burns, Professor of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder • conversation
Aug. 26, 2022 • ~8 min

Artemis 1: maiden flight of spacecraft set to take humans back to the Moon – here's what needs to go right

Will humans be back on the Moon by 2025? It depends on how well the imminent launch of Artemis-1 goes.

Gareth Dorrian, Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Space Science, University of Birmingham • conversation
Aug. 25, 2022 • ~8 min

NASA's head warned that China may try to claim the Moon – two space scholars explain why that's unlikely to happen

A comment by Bill Nelson, the NASA administrator, sparked a strong public response from the Chinese government. But due to legal and practical reasons, no country could take over the Moon anytime soon.

R. Lincoln Hines, Assistant Professor, West Space Seminar, Air University, Air University • conversation
July 8, 2022 • ~7 min

Why does the Moon look close some nights and far away on other nights?

The Moon illusion is what makes the Moon look giant when you see it rising over a distant horizon. An astronomer explains what causes this awe-inspiring trick of the mind.

Silas Laycock, Professor of Astronomy, UMass Lowell • conversation
June 6, 2022 • ~6 min

Over 100 years of Antarctic agriculture is helping scientists grow food in space

Scientists just grew plants in soil from the Moon, but Antarctica has long provided researchers with the perfect place to test their agricultural techniques for a future in space.

Daniella McCahey, Assistant Professor of History, Texas Tech University • conversation
May 20, 2022 • ~10 min

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