A 12-year mission to study the Asteroids surrounding Jupiter could reveal archaeological insights about the outer planets. — On Saturday, a ULA Atlas V rocket will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida carrying NASA’s Lucy spacecraft, a mission with the potential to transform our current knowledge of the solar system and planetary origins. During its 12-year journey, Lucy will gather valuable insights by studying seven Trojans and one main…

When Hurricane Sally hit the Gulf Coast region of the United States, a pair of tiny AeroCubes shot the eye of the storm. — A pair of small satellites, known as Rogue Alpha/Beta CubeSats, sent compelling imagery of Hurricane Sally to Earth via laser communications, demonstrating how small satellites can deliver large amounts of data for weather and other research. More than 1 gigabyte of data was downloaded from the two CubeSats, a bandwidth…

To put astronauts on the moon and Mars, NASA needs a new EVA suit — the first in 40 years. Here’s what the suit needs to do and how it’s being designed. — After years of robotic exploration, NASA is now ramping up plans to send humans to space again. This ambitious strategy includes more spacewalks, construction of a station in lunar orbit, and eventually planetary exploration including the moon and Mars.

NASA used a daring spacecraft maneuver to collect a sample from an ancient asteroid that may offer insights into the making of the solar system and life on Earth. — The clues to understanding the origin of the solar system and life on Earth are flying 63,000 mph through space, embedded in asteroids. Asteroid sampling stands to divulge a wealth of scientific information regarding the natural world, and its increasing feasibility may portend a new era of industry and commercial…

The NIRAC camera uses the Earth’s natural airglow to capture stunning nighttime imagery. — A new infrared camera is now obtaining unique high-contrast, nighttime images from its home on the International Space Station (ISS). The 45-kilogram instrument, known as the Near Infrared Airglow Camera (NIRAC), will provide detailed observations of clouds at night for weather prediction, among other applications.

Scientists explore the mysteries of the Aurora with a stunning light show. — It’s hard to tell, but behind the beautiful, glimmering greens and blues of the Northern Lights hides a world of violence. The colorful glow of the Auroras (also known as the aurora borealis or polar lights) is the result of particles from the sun releasing energy as they bombard Earth’s…

The 2.9-ton pallet of old batteries is traveling toward Earth at 4.8 miles per second. — The International Space Station just discarded 2.9 tons of old batteries — the largest piece of space debris to be dropped from the space station to date. Engineers in Houston used the Canadarm2 robotic arm to drop the pallet of nickel-hydrogen batteries from the space station’s orbit, 260 miles above…

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory has been installed on the International Space Station to study carbon dioxide in oceans and terrestrial ecosystems on Earth. — Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the burning of fossil fuels for energy has caused carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere to rise at an alarming rate. While other greenhouse gases have also increased due to human activity, carbon dioxide is far more abundant and remains in the atmosphere…

As plans for the end of ISS are being made, Aerospace Chief Technology Officer, Dr. David Miller, looks at the progress and the future of space-based microgravity lab facilities. — Technology research is no longer solely a terrestrial endeavor. Crucial interactions between the zero gravity environment and the physics of spacecraft can’t be replicated in a 1-G environment on Earth. …

A scientist explains why finding ice on the Red Planet is only part of the challenge. — Any hope humans have for an off-world future relies on several factors for survival. One of the most important? Water. Continuously shipping water across the galaxy to resupply astronauts requires extraordinary expense in transportation costs. The next planet humans inhabit will need to have access to a local supply. Scientists…

Plans for crewed launches, both government and civilian, are on the rise. Without rescue plans in place, today’s astronauts journey at their own peril. — Spaceflight is entering a new era of civilian space tourism, commercial spacecraft, and missions to return to the Moon. However, most of today’s launches do not include capabilities for in-space rescue. Much like the early days of U.S. Navy submarines, where there were no options for rescuing survivors trapped in…

New concepts could expand human exploration of the solar system more quickly than ever. — Space exploration remains a herculean effort. Due to the immense challenges imposed by time and distance, missions to near-Earth objects have been successfully accomplished using traditional means of propulsion. However, the outermost planets in our solar system are 2 to 3.7 billion miles from the Sun. …

Aerospace’s Ashley Kowalski is now one of four Americans vying for a spot in an eight-month spaceflight simulation study based in Moscow. She answers our questions (and yours!) about her pursuit to join the SIRIUS-21 mission. — Ashley Kowalski, Project Leader in the Global Partnerships department at Aerospace, has been selected by NASA’s Human Research Program for a spaceflight simulation study in Moscow, Russia. …

The next era of space innovation will require systems and operators be faster, smarter and more connected to meet coming challenges. This will require a massive paradigm shift toward digital engineering principles and technologies. — Modern space is transforming at unprecedented speed. Aerospace is advancing the concepts, capabilities, and strategies needed to leverage an integrated digital approach to solve challenges across the space and other complex enterprises. …