By Cat Hofacker and Ben Iannotta
April 1, 2024
By Jon Kelvey
March 1, 2024
Nation-states are blowing up satellites. Companies are launching megaconstellations of thousands of satellites. Dead rocket stages whiz around the planet for years. And yet, the International Space Station hasn’t been destroyed, payloads reach deep space unharmed, and we’re not trapped on Earth — at least not by debris. Either calamity is not upon us or we just don’t recognize it. Jon Kelvey takes the measure of Kessler Syndrome.
By Cat Hofacker
February 1, 2024
By Jonathan O'Callaghan
February 1, 2024
As it stands, unregulated medical experiments could be conducted aboard the coming class of privately run space stations and capsules. A cadre of scientists and ethicists is sounding the alarm and suggesting solutions. Jonathan O’Callaghan looks at the issue.
By Keith Button
January 1, 2024
Astroscale is poised to embark on the next step in proving its business plan of grappling and removing orbital debris: sending a spacecraft to inspect an uncontrolled rocket stage in preparation for a future capture mission. Navigating up to and around such an object requires an intricate choreography of sensors, cameras and navigation algorithms. Keith Button tells the story.
By Moriba Jah
November 1, 2023
By Jonathan O'Callaghan
October 1, 2023
Starship’s slow-motion destruction in April was a rare example of a rocket’s flight termination system failing to do its job adequately. Such a failure could put people on the ground at risk, and so, SpaceX must prove to FAA that it has a fix in hand before the agency permits the company to launch its next Starship. Jonathan O’Callaghan takes us inside the technology.
By Cat Hofacker
October 1, 2023
Per Wimmer, a founding astronaut at Virgin Galactic
By Jon Kelvey
July 1, 2023
NASA will soon pick a pool of vendors to help it achieve an ambitious plan: Delivering high-definition video of astronauts on the moon to the public and a torrent of scientific information to scientists. Jon Kelvey tells the story.
By Jonathan O'Callaghan
July 1, 2023
Looking at history, the safe bet is that SpaceX will ultimately resolve the troubles that marred its first attempt to get a Starship spacecraft into space. At the moment, SpaceX faces technical and legal challenges that could slow its hopes for a quick return to flight for its Starship-Super Heavy combination and also complicate efforts to start launching the vehicles from Florida. Jonathan O’Callaghan investigates.
June 1, 2023
Touching down on the moon safely, accurately and autonomously will require highly capable cameras and software. Dominic Maggio and Brett Streetman of Draper take us inside the flight testing of their team’s landing system.
By Jonathan O'Callaghan
June 1, 2023
By Ben Iannotta
May 1, 2023
By Paul Brinkmann
May 1, 2023
By Jonathan Coopersmith
October 1, 2022
Norman Augustine, former Lockheed Martin chief executive
September 1, 2022
Some of the most creative entrepreneurs and researchers can’t afford to buy an entire rocket to deliver their wares precisely into their preferred orbits. Often, they must compromise or expend fuel maneuvering their spacecraft after launch. Matteo Bartolini of D-Orbit describes the challenges his company faced to develop a line of satellite transporters that could be the answer.
May 1, 2022
SpaceX’s breakthroughs in reusability sprang from the lessons of history. The coming Starship space launch attempt portends an even more profound lowering of launch costs in the years ahead. Phil Moynihan and Eugene Ustinov share their analysis.
By Ben Iannotta
July 1, 2021
By Moriba Jah
June 1, 2021
By Moriba Jah
May 1, 2021
By Debra Werner
October 1, 2020
No one without the right clearance knows exactly what the U.S. Air Force’s X-37B spaceplanes do in orbit, but it must be a lot given the cumulative years they’ve spent up there. The vehicles are sparking a resurgence of interest in spaceplanes as a necessary ingredient for expanding society to space. Debra Werner tells the story.
By Moriba Jah
September 1, 2020
July 1, 2020
Effective guidelines could protect the satellites that are so important in our daily lives and prevent dangerous on-orbit activities. Dean Bellamy says a U.S. Department of Commerce office should receive the funding and authority to get the rules adopted.
By Ben Iannotta
July 1, 2019
July 1, 2019
Sending an advance team of robots to the moon before U.S. astronauts arrive in 2024 would provide unprecedented opportunities for joint human-robotic exploration and testing. Gordon Roesler, formerly of DARPA, makes the case.
By Debra Werner
April 1, 2019
After years of testing and one tragedy, Virgin Galactic plans to start flying tourists to space later this year. Debra Werner captures what the experience will be like.
By Ben Iannotta
January 31, 2019
Tony Gingiss
By Amanda Miller
July 1, 2018
If all goes as Sierra Nevada Corp. hopes, you’ll soon be hearing a lot more about Dream Chaser, the spacecraft with a history of ups and downs. Amanda Miller toured the new Colorado facility where the first spaceflight version of Dream Chaser will be built.
By Debra Werner
March 30, 2018
Daniel Gillies, 33, Rocket Lab USA, mission management and integration director
By Tom Risen
March 30, 2018
NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON
By Debra Werner
March 30, 2018
Experts affiliated with U.N. are pushing to establish best practices
By Tom Risen
February 28, 2018
Johann “Jan” Wörner
By Amanda Miller
February 1, 2018
Young aerospace professionals' career goals nurtured by love of science
By Tom Risen
February 1, 2018
DENNIS MUILENBURG
October 31, 2017
A look at the country's developing aerospace industry
By Debra Werner
October 31, 2017
Mike Lewis, 38, chief technology officer and chief engineer at NanoRacks
By Tom Risen
October 31, 2017
The possibility for a larger commercial role in U.S. military and government satcom
By Adam Hadhazy
October 30, 2017
Science and manufacturing prospects on-orbit
By Keith Button
September 28, 2017
A deep look at one company's plan to go up against satellites with stratospheric balloons
By Debra Werner
August 31, 2017
By Tom Risen
August 31, 2017
“The Martian” author Andy Weir weaves science with more complex characters living in a city on the moon.
By Irene Klotz
August 31, 2017
What it will take for reusable rockets to revolutionize access to space
By Tom Jones
June 27, 2017
A look at new egress options for NASA astronauts on launch pad
By Keith Button
June 27, 2017
By Tom Risen
May 31, 2017
Some advocates say species survival is best reason for mission
By Debra Werner
May 31, 2017
Tim Hinerman, deputy BE-4 engine lead
By Tom Risen
May 31, 2017
Andy Weir
May 31, 2017
The Legal Aspects Technical Committee fosters an understanding of legal areas unique to aerospace.
By Tom Jones
May 1, 2017
Important research planned at the ISS
May 1, 2017
Michael Holguin of ULA shares an insider’s account
By Tom Risen
May 1, 2017
Scientists and policymakers talk about the best path ahead for human space exploration
By Keith Button
March 6, 2017
Experiment could move industry away from longtime propellant
By Adam Hadhazy
February 9, 2017
NASA researchers are eager to run more tests of their EmDrive
By Ben Iannotta
January 27, 2017
William H. Gerstenmaier
By Tom Jones
January 27, 2017
While we should expect a hard look at NASA from his administration, President Donald Trump should give NASA the tools and resources it needs to open space to explorers and commerce.
By Anatoly Zak
November 22, 2016
Russia pledges rocket modernization
