CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—For the first time, scientists have caught a star in the act of swallowing a planet—not just a nibble or bite, but one big gulp. Astronomers on Wednesday reported their observations of what appeared to be a gas giant around the size of Jupiter or bigger being eaten by its star. The sun-like…
First Lunar Eclipse of 2023 Dims Full Moon Ever so Slightly
Stargazers in Asia and Australia had the best seats for the year’s first lunar eclipse. The four-hour eclipse got underway late Friday or early Saturday, depending on the location, as the moon slipped into the fringes of Earth’s shadow. In what’s known as a penumbral lunar eclipse, the full moon passed within the outer part…
‘Quit Building Big’: Space Force Officials Talk Need for Speed and Agility
May 3, 2023
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Defense officials told senators what they think the United States must do to compete with China and other rivals in space. Time, they agreed, is of the essence. “The trick is to quit building big,” said Frank Calvelli, assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration, in answer to a question from…
Key Radar Antenna Stuck on Europe’s Jupiter-Bound Spacecraft
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—A critical antenna is jammed on a Jupiter-bound spacecraft launched two weeks ago, the European Space Agency reported Friday. The 52-foot (16-meter) radar antenna on Juice unfolded only one-third of the way following liftoff, according to the space agency. Engineers suspect a tiny pin may be protruding. Flight controllers in Germany plan to…
New Image Reveals Violent Events Near a Supermassive Black Hole
WASHINGTON—Expanding upon the historic first images of black holes, scientists on Wednesday unveiled the first picture showing the violent events unfolding around one of these ravenous cosmic behemoths, including the launching point of a colossal jet of high-energy particles shooting outward into space. The new image was obtained using 16 telescopes at various locations on…
Scientist Says China’s Mars Rover Could Remain Dormant
China’s first interplanetary rover, Zhurong, will likely stay dormant on Mars, a Chinese scientist said on state media CCTV on April 25. Zhang Rongqiao, the chief scientist of China’s Mars mission, said that Zhurong has not moved due to a lack of solar power caused by a pile-up of sand and dust since it went…
NASA Chief Sees Russians and Americans Together on Space Station Through 2030
OTTAWA—NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on Tuesday said in Ottawa that he expected Russians and Americans to work together on the International Space Station (ISS) until it is decommissioned. American-Russian space cooperation was put in doubt after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Yuri Borisov, the director-general of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, surprised NASA by…
Japan’s ispace Moon Landing Bid Fails, Lander Likely Crashed
Japanese lunar exploration company ispace said Wednesday that it had lost communication with its unmanned spacecraft, Hakuto-R, which it sent to the moon, and the mission was presumed to have failed. “Now we lost the communication. So we have to assume that … we could not complete the landing on the lunar surface,” ispace CEO…
Tokyo Company Loses Contact With Moon Lander in Likely Crash
A Japanese company lost contact with its spacecraft moments before touchdown on the moon Wednesday, saying the mission had apparently failed. Communications ceased as the lander descended the final 33 feet (10 meters), traveling around 16 mph (25 kph). Flight controllers peered at their screens in Tokyo, expressionless, as minutes went by with no word…
SpaceX Wins Approval to Add 5th US Rocket Launch Site
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Space Force said on Monday that Elon Musk’s SpaceX was granted approval to lease a second rocket launch complex at a military base in California, setting the space company up for its fifth launch site in the United States. Under the lease, SpaceX will launch its workhorse Falcon rockets from Space Launch Complex-6…
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