Astronomy
NASA capsule flies over Apollo landing sites, heads home
NASA’s Orion capsule is on its way home from the moon to wrap up a three-week test flight. The capsule and its test dummies came within 80 miles of the far side of the moon Monday.
China rocket taking 3 to space station to blast off Tuesday
The government says a rocket carrying three astronauts to finish construction of China’s space station will blast off Tuesday.
NASA’s Orion capsule enters far-flung orbit around moon
NASA’s Orion capsule is now circling the moon in an orbit stretching tens of thousands of miles. The capsule and its three test dummies entered lunar orbit Friday, more than a week after launching on the test flight.
NASA capsule buzzes moon, last big step before lunar orbit
NASA’s Orion capsule has reached the moon, whipping around the far side and passing within about 80 miles.
Company: Leak at Pennsylvania gas storage well plugged
The operator of a natural gas storage well in Western Pennsylvania says workers have successfully plugged a leak that had been spewing massive amounts of planet-warming methane into the atmosphere for two weeks.
Leak at Pennsylvania gas storage well spewing methane
A vent at an underground natural gas storage well in Western Pennsylvania has been spewing massive amounts of planet-warming methane into the atmosphere for more than 11 days and attempts to plug the leak have thus far failed.
Webb Space Telescope spots early galaxies hidden from Hubble
NASA’s new Webb Space Telescope is finding bright, early galaxies that until now have been hidden from view.
NASA capsule on way to moon after launch by giant new rocket
A space capsule is hurtling toward the moon for the first time in 50 years. The spacecraft with three test dummies aboard launched on top of NASA’s new moon rocket early Wednesday.
NASA fixes new leak, resumes fueling moon rocket for launch
NASA has managed to plug a leak while fueling its new moon rocket for a middle-of-the-night launch. It’s the space agency’s third try to put an empty capsule around the moon for the first time in 50 years.
EXPLAINER: NASA’s new mega moon rocket, Orion crew capsule
NASA is making another attempt to launch its new moon rocket on its first test flight. The 322-foot rocket will attempt to send an empty crew capsule into a far-flung lunar orbit.
NASA’s moon rocket on track for Wednesday launch attempt
NASA is counting down to this week’s planned liftoff of its new moon rocket after an evaluation of hurricane damage.
NASA: Moon rocket endured hurricane, set for 1st test flight
NASA says its moon rocket needs only minor repairs after enduring a hurricane and is on track for liftoff next week.
US weather satellite, test payload launched into space
A satellite intended to improve weather forecasting and an experimental inflatable heat shield to protect spacecraft entering atmospheres have been launched into space from California.
NASA launch of moon rocket delayed again by tropical weather
NASA is again postponing the launch of its new moon rocket because of a storm threatening the Florida coast. Fuel leaks have kept the rocket grounded since August.
AP PHOTOS: Total lunar eclipse in North America, East Asia
The second and final total lunar eclipse of the year graced the skies in some parts of the world Tuesday. The next one isn’t until 2025.
Last total lunar eclipse for three years arrives Tuesday
This week’s total lunar eclipse is the last one for three years. Tuesday’s total lunar eclipse will be visible throughout North America in the predawn hours.
Climate Questions: What’s going on with climate change?
Addressing climate change — a now ubiquitous term for the warming of the planet caused by humans emitting carbon dioxide and methane from coal, oil and natural gas into the atmosphere — is becoming exponentially more pressing, with the language of scientists, officials and activists becoming more se
NASA’s moon rocket returns to pad for next launch attempt
NASA’s moon rocket is back on the pad for another launch attempt, following more repairs. The 322-foot rocket departed its Florida hangar in the middle of the night and completed the 4-mile trip shortly after sunrise Friday.
Closest known black hole to Earth spotted by astronomers
Astronomers have discovered the closest known black hole to Earth, just 1,600 light-years away. Scientists reported Friday that this black hole is 10 times more massive than our sun and it’s three times closer than the previous record-holder.
China launches 3rd and final space station component
China’s third and final module docked with its its permanent space station and further a more than decade-long effort to maintain a constantly crewed presence in orbit.
Two NASA spacecraft detect biggest meteor strikes at Mars
Two NASA spacecraft at Mars have recorded the biggest meteor strikes and impact craters yet. Scientists reported Thursday that last year’s barrages sent seismic surface waves rippling thousands of miles across Mars, the first ever detected near the surface of another planet.
Partial solar eclipse takes a bite out of the sun
Much of Europe and parts of Africa and Asia saw the moon take a bite out of the sun during the second and last solar eclipse of the year.
Astronaut James McDivitt, Apollo 9 commander, dies at 93
The NASA astronaut who commanded the Apollo 9 mission has died. NASA said Monday that James McDivitt died last week in Tucson, Arizona, at age 93.
US opts to not rebuild renowned Puerto Rico telescope
The National Science Foundation has announced it will not rebuild a renowned radio telescope in Puerto Rico, which was one of the world’s largest until it collapsed nearly two years ago.
Smashing success: NASA asteroid strike results in big nudge
NASA says a spacecraft that plowed into a small, harmless asteroid millions of miles away last month succeeded in shifting its orbit.
Underground microbes may have swarmed ancient Mars
Ancient Mars may have had an environment capable of harboring an underground world teeming with microscopic organisms.
Smacked asteroid’s debris trail more than 6,000 miles long
The asteroid that got smacked by a NASA spacecraft is now being trailed by thousands of miles of debris.
Space telescopes capture asteroid slam with striking clarity
Two space telescopes have captured this week’s asteroid strike, the first planetary defense test of its kind.
NASA spacecraft buzzes Jupiter moon Europa, closest in years
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has made the closest approach to Jupiter’s tantalizing, icy moon Europa in more than 20 years.
NASA moon rocket back in hangar, launch unlikely until Nov.
NASA’s moon rocket is safely back inside its hangar as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida, its launch now unlikely before mid-November.
Bam! NASA spacecraft crashes into asteroid in defense test
A NASA spacecraft has rammed an asteroid in an unprecedented test to see if a potentially menacing space rock could be knocked off course.