Space exploration

An example page showing details of the BepiColombo Mercury mission communicating with the New Norcia ground station in Australia

Space

ESA tool tracks spacecraft talking to ground stations

ESA has released a tool that lets space enthusiasts track probes in real time as they communicate with ground stations on Earth.

Space

NASA announces 19 public-private partnerships to accelerate Moon and Mars programs

With an annual budget of US$21.5 billion, over 17,000 employees and who knows how many geniuses, you'd think NASA could pretty much solve any problem. But NASA not only needs outside help, it encourages it, announcing 19 partnerships with US businesses to benefit the entire US space sector.

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 cover of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Timeline Book – to be auctioned almost 50 years to the day after the historic landing on the Moon

Collectibles

Timeline Book from Apollo 11's Lunar Module rockets to auction

On Sunday, July 20, 1969, the first thing ever written by a human while on a celestial body that wasn't our own planet Earth was jotted onto a page. That page was within a book known as "The Timeline Book" which is set to be auctioned at Christie's New York later this year.

Members of Purdue University’s new Resilient ExtraTerrestrial Habitats Institute are studying the hurdles in building habitats like this on the Moon or Mars

Space

Purdue pursues smart, resilient space habitats

To help put the first generation of space colonists on the right footing, Purdue University's Resilient ExtraTerrestrial Habitats (RETH) Institute is building a one-quarter-scale space habitat similar to ones that may one day be built on the Moon and Mars.

Space

Gateway Foundation proposes Von Braun Rotating Space Station

The idea of using centrifugal force to create a sensation of gravity in space originated as early as 1903 - but a group of space enthusiasts believes its time has come. Check out Gateway's vision for the Von Braun Rotating Space Station.

Space

Voyager 40th anniversary: Tracing an epic journey of discovery

Forty years ago, two explorers set out to shed light on the mysteries of the Solar System, getting up close and personal with our distant neighbors. Today both pioneers are still operating and heading out of our solar system to explore further than any spacecraft ever launched.

A crash-proof drone has been put to the test in caves in Sicily, as part of an ESA training program that could see it eventually used to explore Mars

Drones

Drones in space? ESA tests crash-proof drone in Sicilian caves

To prepare for space exploration, the ESA has been testing techniques and training astronauts in cave systems on Earth. The group's latest tool is a crash-proof drone that could one day help Martian settlers explore lava tubes on the Red Planet by mapping out tight spots humans can't reach.

Space

One Big Question: What will space exploration look like in 2040?

Amidst the rocket models, jet engines and satellites at the 33rd Annual Space Symposium, we found a quiet corner to sit down with Scott Fouse, the vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center. We asked him: What will space exploration look like in 2040?