Space

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission, shown in an artist's rendering, will measure tiny fluctuations in Earth's gravitational field to show how water moves around the planet.

NASA Launching New Satellites To Measure Earth's Lumpy Gravity

5:14pm May 21, 2018

by Christopher Joyce

The two satellites, which are collectively called GRACE and will replace two retired probes, are one of the most important tools for understanding the effects of climate change.

U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and Color Guard march past the space shuttle Enterprise at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on April 19, 2012, in Chantilly, Va.

Trump Hints At Plan To Create 'Space Force' As Sixth Military Branch

1:38pm May 21, 2018

by Samantha Raphelson

While the Pentagon opposes the measure, the military has conducted operations in space for 50 years.

The orbit of the Earth (blue line) and its near-intersection with Asteroid 2010 WC9 (in white) is seen in this diagram by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Science

Asteroid Will Pass Between The Earth And The Moon Tuesday (Don't Panic)

4:20pm May 15, 2018

by Bill Chappell

First spotted in 2010, a space rock is zooming toward Earth, making a close pass on Tuesday that will see it fly safely by — about halfway between our planet and the moon.

This is an artist's concept of a plume of water vapor thought to be ejected off of the frigid, icy surface of the Jovian moon Europa, located 500 million miles from the sun.

Science

Icy Moon Of Jupiter Spews Water Plumes Into Space

11:42am May 14, 2018

by Joe Palca

Researchers have evidence supporting the existence of plumes of water shooting up from the interior of Jupiter's icy moon Europa.

Science

Earth's 'Bigger, Older Cousin' Maybe Doesn't Even Exist

4:52pm May 11, 2018

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

In 2015, to great fanfare, NASA announced a planet discovery considered a milestone in the hunt for another Earth. But now some researchers say it's not clear that this planet actually exists.

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Science

NASA Launches New Mars Mission

8:28am May 06, 2018

NASA is launching a probe to explore the center of Mars. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Oliver Morton, author of Mapping Mars, about what scientists hope to learn.

The Atlas V rocket carrying the Mars InSight lander launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base, as seen from the San Gabriel Mountains more than 100 miles away, on Saturday morning. The InSight probe is the first NASA lander designed entirely to study the de

Science

NASA InSight Kicks Off 6-Month Journey To Mars

10:17am May 05, 2018

by Camila Domonoske

The InSight Mars lander was successfully launched on Saturday morning, by an Atlas V rocket taking off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It will gather data on Mars' interior.

An artist's rendition of NASA's InSight lander, which is expected to launch on Saturday morning. InSight will monitor the Red Planet's seismic activity and internal temperature.

NASA Is Heading Back To Mars To Peer Inside The Red Planet

8:20pm May 04, 2018

by Joe Palca

The NASA mission is set to launch Saturday morning. The InSight spacecraft will land in the Elysium Planitia to listen for "Marsquakes" and learn more about what Mars is made of.

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An artist's rendering shows the reactor's core is about the size of a paper towel roll and could provide a decade's worth of electricity to future missions.

NASA Tests New Nuclear Reactor For Future Space Travelers

4:06pm May 03, 2018

by Geoff Brumfiel

The reactor could keep the lights on during long-duration missions far from Earth.

Ellen Stofan saw her first rocket launch when she was 4 years old. Now, more than 50 years later, she's director of the National Air and Space Museum — the first woman to hold the position.

New Director Of Air And Space Museum Is The First Woman To Hold The Job

9:27pm April 30, 2018

by Alyssa Edes

Ellen Stofan says she hopes to inspire the next generation with more stories about the women and people of color who have been involved in the aviation and space business since the beginning.

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