Cassini

Cassini arrived at Saturn 13 years ago today.  Since then it has revolutionized our understanding of the Saturn system, including giving us two worlds, Titan and Enceladus, that might support life.

The mission ends September 15, when the probe plunges into Saturn.

AEGIS

NASA updated Curiosity's software in 2015 to include an artificial intelligence program called AEGIS which allows the rover to operate independently.

AEGIS has worked well, increasing the rover's productivity.

No NASA ETs

NASA is not about to announce the discovery of alien life, online reports to the contrary notwithstanding.

The reports are another example of the loose media culture of today.

Space Rider

The European Space Agency plans to privatize its Space Rider unmanned spaceplane by 2025.

Space Rider's first flight is scheduled for 2020.

SpaceX Doubles Up

SpaceX successfully launched satellites into orbit for the second time in three days yesterday.

The booster, outfitted with new, virtually indestructible titanium guiding fins, made a successful soft landing.

SpaceX Reboost

SpaceX successfully launched a satellite using a previously used booster yesterday.

The booster was also successfully soft-landed, so it could be used yet again.

Planet 10?

Researchers are postulating yet another large object exists beyond Neptune.

The evidence for the body is the perturbed orbits of a population of Kuiper Belt Objects.

Hawking

Stephen Hawking has once again argued for space colonization, advocating nuclear fusion rockets to reach ten percent of the speed of light.

That could bring Alpha Centaurii within range of human colonists.

Feet To The Fire

UFO researcher Linda Moulton Howe boldly predicted last year that 2017 would see major news regarding aliens.

So far, nothing.

Kepler

According to NASA, Kepler discovered 4,034 exoplanets in its first four years of operation.

Fifty of those are roughly Earth-sized and in their star's habitable zone.

Bezos

Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, is looking for ideas to guide his philanthropic donations.

He can be reached via Twitter.

Bullseye

Elon Musk plans to land his huge Mars rockets right back on the launch pad, the better to quickly prepare them for their next flight.

He plans for each launcher to fly 1,000 times.

Space Tugs

A new paper argues space tugs with electric propulsion could help develop the Earth-Moon system.

Tugs could move cargo more efficiently than could chemical rockets.

Musk Mars Plan

Elon Musk has written an article putting more detail into his plan to build a city of a million people on Mars within the next 50-100 years.

The first launches of the project could come in as few as 10 years.

Sex In Space

During a recent panel discussion on colonizing space, sex was brought up.

It was pointed out that we still don't know if humans will develop properly away from Earth.  That's obviously key to permanently settling space.

WOW

An astronomer is saying a passing comet could have been responsible for the WOW radio signal in 1977, which is probably still the closest we've come to an alien signal.

Other astronomers reject the comet hypothesis.

Lunar Gateway

NASA envisions returning samples from around the Solar System to a gateway outpost in lunar orbit.

Samples would be collected there before being sent to Earth.

Fusion Rockets

Researchers are working to develop small fusion rockets that could revolutionize spaceflight.

For example, a manned Mars mission that would take two years using current technology could be flown in 310 days.

Talking To ET

A SETI theorist has developed a language based in math that will hopefully allow us to communicate with aliens.

Going from discussing math and physics to politics and culture would be a big challenge, however.

New Astronauts

NASA introduced its new astronaut class yesterday.  It has seven men and five women.

One of those people could become the first human to set foot on Mars.

Assteroid Dangerr

Astronomers seem to have found a new branch of an asteroid family that could threaten Earth.

Some of the objects in the branch are large enough to cause regional or continental damage if they hit.

KELT-9b

Astronomers have found a gas giant exoplanet that has a surface temperature of 7,800 degrees F.

KELT-9b is the hottest world found so far.

Axiom Space

Axiom Space plans to make most its money by manufacturing products in space beginning in 2027.

Some of the objects will not be brought to Earth.  Satellites will be built on orbit, drastically reducing costs.

Bigelow On Aliens

Robert Bigelow, founder of Bigelow Aerospace, not only believes aliens have visited Earth-- he believes they're still here.

Bigelow, just to note, was raised in Las Vegas, not far from Area 51.

Tiger Stripes

A new study suggests Saturn's moon Enceladus might have been struck by something big long ago.

The impact may have caused the moon's distinctive tiger stripe terrain.

Life On Mars

A new study using data from Curiosity suggests Mars might have been habitable for much longer than previously thought.

The study suggests Galen Crater could have supported life for hundreds of millions of years.