Intuitive Machines’ Athena Lander Reaches the Moon Lopsided—Just like Its Predecessor
Despite some connection delays postlanding, the lunar lander Athena is officially set to study what lies beneath the moon’s surface over the next 10 days
Blue Ghost, a Private U.S. Spacecraft, Lands on the Moon
After its successful lunar touchdown, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost mission could soon be joined on the moon by two more commercial spacecraft
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Private Space Stations of the Future Promise Luxury. But Can They Deliver?
Several companies have contracts with NASA to design private space habitats to replace the International Space Station once it’s gone
‘City Killer’ Asteroid’s Earth Impact Risk Rises and Falls Again
Asteroid 2024 YR4’s risk of hitting Earth is shifting with new data, astronomers say
Trump’s ‘Iron Dome’ Space Weapons Plan Ignores Physics and Fiscal Reality
Proposed U.S. space defenses against hypersonic nuclear missiles are unnecessary, impractical and would trigger a dangerous new arms race
Athena, Next U.S. Commercial Moon Lander, Is Set for Spectacular Lunar Science
In partnership with NASA, the Intuitive Machines lander Athena will send a water-seeking drill, a pogo-sticking crater probe and other novel technologies to the moon
Why Elon Musk’s ‘Fork in the Road’ Is Really a Dead End
Elon Musk’s Fork in the Road isn’t just a sculpture—it’s a monument to the tech world’s obsession with civilizational survival, which has its roots in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence
Newfound Asteroid May Hit Earth in 2032, Scientists Say
The possibility of the asteroid 2024 YR4 impacting our planet might not be ruled out until 2028, raising the prospect we’ll need to prepare for the worst
Asteroid Bennu Is Packed with Life’s Building Blocks, New Studies Confirm
Material retrieved from the asteroid Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft shows that all the basic building blocks of life were astonishingly widespread in the early solar system
Why 2025 Is an Exciting Year in Heliophysics
From space weather to science missions, there’s a lot to be excited about in heliophysics this year.
Earth Sings with Mysterious Chorus Waves—And Deep Space Does, Too
Peculiar bursts of energy called chorus waves have been detected in deep space far from our planet, suggesting they could pose problems for long-distance space travel
A Mixed Bag for Private Spaceflight, a New Spider Species and the Health Risks of Alcohol
We discuss a big week for commercial spaceflight, a red dye ban and a scary spider species in this news roundup.