Space.com
• Elizabeth Howell, Tariq Malik
The European satellite spent four years in orbit measuring Earth’s gravity field before falling back to Earth on Nov. 10, 2013. Its mission made gravity mapping the central purpose of a dedicated spacecraft, earning GOCE the nickname “Ferrari of space.”
Space Exploration & Science Missions
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The European satellite spent four years in orbit measuring Earth’s gravity field before falling back to Earth on Nov. 10, 2013. Its mission made gravity mapping the central purpose of a dedicated spacecraft, earning GOCE the nickname “Ferrari of space.”
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Astronomers say they have solved the mystery of TOI-2535 b, a hot Jupiter exoplanet that abruptly vanished from view after seven years of observation. The finding is described as the first known case of a disappearing planet, though the reports provided do not specify the explanation.
Chandra data from AT 2016blu’s March 2026 outburst support a neutron star or black hole companion; astronomers have recorded 27 optical outbursts since 2012. Separately, ALMA observations reveal cool gas being ejected in a jet from a microquasar in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
The planets’ lopsided magnetic fields, which have puzzled scientists for decades, may result from extreme conditions inside Uranus and Neptune. Those conditions could increase electrical conductivity and strengthen the dynamo effect that generates planetary magnetic fields.
Rep. Mike Haridopolos, who survived the “Blue Wave,” says bipartisan support for NASA’s Artemis program gives him confidence it can withstand political upheaval on Capitol Hill. The article offers no details on the scope of that support or any program funding and schedule implications.
Two amateur radio operators said they intercepted signals from Soviet cosmonauts who died during missions the USSR kept secret. The accounts form part of a Cold War-era claim about hidden Soviet spaceflight losses; the article raises the question of whether the alleged missions happened but provides no confirmation in the supplied summary.
NASA’s Curiosity rover is examining the surface composition of a site called Nazca to characterize it as thoroughly as possible before drilling. The work marks the next step in the rover’s investigation of the Martian surface, though the article provides no details on the planned sample or drilling schedule.
Research is examining whether small-scale whirlpools on the Sun can help explain the stark temperature difference between its surface and its much hotter corona. The findings add to ongoing efforts to understand how the Sun’s outer atmosphere reaches such extreme temperatures.
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