Apollo 11

Starship is larger and twice as powerful as the Apollo-era Saturn V

Space Systems

Is Kennedy Space Center ready to withstand the power of Starship?

SpaceX's flagship new rocket is an absolute monster of a space vehicle. It blasted its launchpad to pieces on its maiden test flight – and Kennedy is now scrambling to prepare for a launch schedule that's unprecedented in mass and sheer frequency.

The Apollo Guidance Computer is extremely rare, was very expensive to produce, and an example of state-of-the-art design and fabrication of the period - perhaps even more significantly, it is the common ancestor of every computer.

Collectibles

Space and sci-fi memorabilia breaking records at auction

Last week was a big week in space exploration, with the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, and some significant sales of space memorabilia, including US$746,000 for an Apollo Guidance Computer (the brain behind the Lunar landing).

The Saturn V (left) and I.S.S. (right) models at night, demonstrating the luminous hands and star map dial, and the perpetually glowing, tritium gas-filled glass tubes (automatic version only) at the ends of the hour and minute hands

Wearables

Apollo 11 50th anniversary watch puts a glowing star system on your wrist

There's a galaxy of products commemorating Apollo 11's 50th anniversary, from coins to cushions, tumblers to tote-bags. But for those who really want to wear their astro-hearts on their sleeve (or wrist), the Trappist-1 NASA edition might just send them over the moon.

Collectibles

30 landmark scientific artifacts heading for auction this month

The month of July, 2019 will be a bumper one for the number of landmark scientific artifacts heading for auction. Three Christie's auctions and a Sotheby's auction have a stellar array of landmark scientific items, some of them estimated to sell for quite affordable amounts.

Lego's NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander set (#10266) and the separate ascent and descent stages

Children

Apollo 11 Lunar Lander Lego set marks 50th anniversary of the first men on the Moon

Almost 50 years to the day since Neil Armstrong uttered the words "the Eagle has landed" Lego will launch its Eagle Lunar Module set to celebrate the anniversary. Developed in cooperation with NASA, the set will be available from June 1 at a price of just under US$100.

The Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition commemorates the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969

Wearables

Omega marks first Moon landing with Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary watch

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Omega is issuing a new version of the gold Speedmaster watches that were presented by the company to Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins in 1969.

Ed White during the first-ever American spacewalk (Photo: NASA James McDivitt)

Space Systems

The Gemini program: 50 years on

March 23 marked the 50th anniversary of the launch of Gemini III - the first manned mission of the now legendary Gemini program. Gemini was tasked with testing the technologies and techniques that would lead America to victory in the space race.

Space Systems

Jeff Bezos recovers Apollo F-1 engines from the ocean floor

Amazon.com founder and the man behind Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos, has recovered parts of the F-1 rocket engines used to send the Apollo missions into space.

The VASIMR engine could make a manned flight to Mars in about a sixth of the time of conventional rockets

Aircraft

New ion engine could reach Mars in 39 days

A new ion rocket engine could cut months off a manned trip to Mars and save hundreds of billion dollars.