Space Exploration & Science Missions News

Space.com • Stefanie Waldek

James Webb Detects Gas Giant Exoplanet Orbiting Alpha Centauri A

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have detected strong evidence of a gas giant exoplanet orbiting Alpha Centauri A, the nearest Sun-like star at just 4.37 light-years away. The discovery within our closest stellar neighbor paves the way for future direct imaging and atmospheric analysis.

2025-08-07T08:32:34.086996-07:00

Space.com

Europa Clipper’s REASON Radar Aces Mars Flyby, Confirms Ice-Penetrating Performance

2025-08-04T11:08:33.554284-07:00

NASA Spaceflight

JWST Maps Planetary Nebula Structures and Enhances Hubble Ultra Deep Field Imaging

2025-08-03T14:17:22.901005-07:00

Payload

India’s GSLV Rocket Successfully Deploys $1.5B NASA-ISRO NISAR Earth Radar Satellite

2025-07-30T05:43:45.505224-07:00

Space Exploration & Science Missions News Timeline

Space.com

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AI-Powered Robot Dogs Navigate Mars-Analog Terrain, Unlocking Lunar Research Station Capabilities AI-powered quadruped robots Bert and Spot have successfully navigated Mars-analog terrain in near-realistic conditions and met all technical requirements for controlling complex off-world missions—paving the way for a future permanent lunar research station and demonstrating autonomy and remote-control capabilities crucial for sustained extraterrestrial operations.

2025-08-07T11:07:07.991296-07:00

AI-Powered Robot Dogs Navigate Mars-Analog Terrain, Unlocking Lunar Research Station Capabilities

Space.com

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James Webb Detects Gas Giant Exoplanet Orbiting Alpha Centauri A Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have detected strong evidence of a gas giant exoplanet orbiting Alpha Centauri A, the nearest Sun-like star at just 4.37 light-years away. The discovery within our closest stellar neighbor paves the way for future direct imaging and atmospheric analysis.

2025-08-07T08:32:34.086996-07:00

James Webb Detects Gas Giant Exoplanet Orbiting Alpha Centauri A

Universe Today

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Chinese Researchers Create Solar-Powered 3D Printer to Produce Lunar Construction Bricks Chinese scientists have demonstrated an in-situ resource utilization technology that uses concentrated sunlight and lunar regolith to 3D print structural bricks at over 1,300°C, potentially eliminating the need to haul heavy building materials from Earth and enabling affordable lunar base development.

2025-08-06T11:16:32.124706-07:00

Chinese Researchers Create Solar-Powered 3D Printer to Produce Lunar Construction Bricks

Space.com

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Artemis II Crew Conduct Joint Suit-Up and Orion Boarding for First Time NASA's Artemis II moon-bound astronauts teamed up in their launch and entry suits for the first time to board the Orion spacecraft, marking a key step in integrated crew and spacecraft validation ahead of the planned 2026 lunar flyby mission.

2025-08-06T09:11:34.813468-07:00

Artemis II Crew Conduct Joint Suit-Up and Orion Boarding for First Time

Space.com

Curiosity Marks 13 Years on Mars with New Autonomy and Reveals Its Tracks NASA's Curiosity rover celebrated 13 years on Mars with upgraded autonomy and multitasking capabilities to boost science output while conserving its nuclear power reserves. On July 26, the six-wheeled explorer captured a striking image of its own tracks on Lower Mount Sharp and relayed the data via a Mars orbiter.

2025-08-06T06:03:48.805503-07:00

Curiosity Marks 13 Years on Mars with New Autonomy and Reveals Its Tracks

Space.com

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NASA Awards Firefly Aerospace $177M Contract for First Multi-Rover Mission to Moon’s South Pole NASA has awarded Firefly Aerospace a $177 million contract to deliver multiple rovers and lander services to the Moon’s south pole, marking the first commercial mission deploying a suite of robotic explorers on the lunar surface.

2025-08-05T14:03:58.708546-07:00

NASA Awards Firefly Aerospace $177M Contract for First Multi-Rover Mission to Moon’s South Pole

Via Satellite

Redwire Launches SpaceMD to Accelerate Space-Based Medicine and Pharmaceutical R&D Redwire has established SpaceMD, a dedicated subsidiary focused on leveraging microgravity to drive pharmaceutical research and medical development in orbit, supporting preclinical drug screening and protein crystallization studies, and offering tailored experimentation platforms to academic and biopharma partners, underscoring the company’s strategic expansion into space-based biotech.

2025-08-04T13:30:52.995493-07:00

Redwire Launches SpaceMD to Accelerate Space-Based Medicine and Pharmaceutical R&D

Space.com

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Europa Clipper’s REASON Radar Aces Mars Flyby, Confirms Ice-Penetrating Performance NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft used a Mars gravity assist on its way to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa to successfully test its REason Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding Experiment (REASON). The flyby demonstrated the radar’s ability to probe beneath planetary surfaces—a capability untestable on Earth—paving the way for detailed mapping of Europa’s hidden ocean.

2025-08-04T11:08:33.554284-07:00

Europa Clipper’s REASON Radar Aces Mars Flyby, Confirms Ice-Penetrating Performance

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