Ham

On this day in 1961, NASA launched Ham the chimpanzee into space.

He was recovered unharmed.

KBO

Astronomers think they have found a Kuiper Belt object less than a mile wide.

If the discovery is confirmed, it will be the first in a class of medium-sized KBOs.

Tragic Week

This is annually a tough week at NASA.

Challenger was lost January 28, and Columbia February 1.

Titan's Atmosphere

A new study suggests Titan's thick atmosphere may be the result of heating organic materials deep inside the huge moon.

Scientists see Titan as a reasonable possible home for life.

Old Rock

A new study suggests that a rock collected on the Moon by Apollo 14 astronauts was likely blasted away from Earth about 4 billion years ago.

That was about the time life arose on Earth.

TRAPPIST-1

Studies suggest at least six of the planets of the TRAPPIST-1 system are rocky worlds.

That leaves life a possibility.

Opportunity

Opportunity landed on Mars 15 years ago today, and its 90-day mission became an extraordinary trek.

That trek might now be over.  NASA hasn't heard from the rover in months.

New Big Bang Theory

What came before the Big Bang?

A new theory says there was a mirror-image of our universe.

Saturn's Day

After roughly 400 years,, with the aid of the Cassini probe, astronomers have finally determined the length of a day on Saturn.

It is 10 hours, 33 minutes, and 38 seconds.

No Planet Nine?

A new study suggests a massive Planet Nine isn't necessary to explain the odd,  clumped orbits of  some bodies in the Kuiper Belt.

Many small objects could coll4ectively do the job, the study says, as long as their combined mass is enough.

Oumuamua

There is still some debate among scientists about whether Oumuamua, a visitor from beyond this solar system, is a natural object or an alien probe.

Most say it's natural, but a few are still arguing it could be a probe.

Saturn's Ring

A new study suggests Saturn's rings may be only 10 million years old.

The outside estimate is 100 million years, within the reign of the dinosaurs on  Earth.

Cotton

Cotton plants on Chang'e 4 that had sprouted on the lunar surface have died in the cold lunar night.

It was a first step towards exploring the biological potential of the lunar environment.

China Moon

At a press briefing, China has laid out a comprehensive program of lunar exploration.

It includes a manned base open to other nations.

Saturn-Neptune Gap

In our solar system, there is a gap in size between Saturn and Neptune, but there are worlds that fill that gap in other systems.

Astronomers think understanding why that is could lead to a new theory of planetary formation.

Moons And Life

A new study suggests moons containing substantial water may be geologically dead, reducing the odds for life.

An exception may be moons similar to Saturn's Enceladus.

Barnard's Star b

According to new research, if the planet orbiting Barnard's Star is a super-Earth, it may be able to support life.

Barnard's Star is only 6 light years away.

FRBs

Astronomers have found 13 mire fast radio bursts, or FRBs, including the second repeater.

Though they are likely natural phenomena, the possibility remains that they are intelligent signals.

Hubble

The main camera of the Hubble Space Telescope is out of operation, but three secondary cameras are still functioning.

NASA says the problem is a hardware glitch, and backup systems might bring the camera back online.

PROJECT BLUE BOOK

A series dramatizing Project Blue Book premiered on The History Channel last night.

That network has carried UFO-related programming for many years.

Predictions

Science journalist and UFO researcher Linda Moulton Howe had predicted 2018 would be the year the government would announce that we are not alone in the universe.  That didn't happen.

Undeterred, she is now predicting it will happen in early 2019.

Acquisitions

Deep Space Industries, an asteroid mining and smallsat firm, has been acquired by Bradford Space.

Recently, another asteroid mining concern, Planetary Resources, was acquired by ConsenSys.

Yutu 2

China's Chang'e 4 mission to the far side of the Moon seems to be going well.

Its Yutu 2 rover is now on the surface and functioning.

OSIRIS-REx

Perhaps overshadowed by the successes of New Horizons and Chang'e 4, OSIRIS-REx has gone into orbit around its target asteroid.

That mission seeks to return samples to Earth.

Chang'e 4 Success

China's Chang'e 4 spacecraft has successfully landed on the far side of the Moon, a first for humanity.

If all goes well, the probe will spend the next few months sending back data.

Flyby

New Horizons successfully flew by Ultima Thule yesterday.

Getting all the data from the encounter back here will take about 20 months.