News

Russia launches international X-ray astronomy mission

14 July 2019 Stephen Clark

A Proton rocket and Block DM upper stage climbed into space Saturday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with Spektr-RG, an astronomical observatory with dual X-ray telescopes developed by Russian and German scientists on the hunt for the signature of dark energy.

Japanese spacecraft snags second sample from asteroid

11 July 2019 Stephen Clark

Scientists celebrated another success with Japan’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft late Wednesday (U.S. time), when the robot explorer accomplished a second pinpoint touch-and-go landing on asteroid Ryugu, this time to collect a sample of pristine dust and rock excavated by an explosive impactor earlier this year.

Hayabusa 2 cleared for second touchdown on asteroid

5 July 2019 Stephen Clark

Ground teams have approved plans for Japan’s Hayabusa 2 sample return mission to briefly land on asteroid Ryugu for the second time on 11 July, aiming for a targeted touch-and-go to gather material exposed by an explosive impactor released by the robot explorer in April.

Planet-hunting TESS spacecraft finds exoplanet smaller than Earth

30 June 2019 Astronomy Now

NASA’s planet-hunting TEST spacecraft has discovered three planets orbiting a small star 35 light years from Earth that may provide insight into solar system evolution.

SuperCam and robot arm installed on 2020 Mars rover

30 June 2019 Astronomy Now

The Mars 2020 rover continues to take shape at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory with attachment of its robot arm and SuperCam instrument.

NASA gives go-ahead for flying drone to explore Saturn’s moon Titan

28 June 2019 Stephen Clark

NASA officials announced that the agency will move forward with the development of a plutonium-powered robotic quadcopter drone to explore Saturn’s moon Titan, a hazy world covered with dunes and methane lakes that scientists say is reminiscent of the ancient Earth.

Russia launches international X-ray astronomy mission

Japanese spacecraft snags second sample from asteroid

Hayabusa 2 cleared for second touchdown on asteroid

Planet-hunting TESS spacecraft finds exoplanet smaller than Earth

SuperCam and robot arm installed on 2020 Mars rover

NASA gives go-ahead for flying drone to explore Saturn’s moon Titan

Methane detected on Mars; origin not yet known

A heavenly host of robotic space missions announced

Japanese spacecraft to carry European rover to martian moon

ALMA spots merging galaxies in infant universe