Reusable Rockets

Chinese startup space companies are working to develop reusable launchers, with some early success.

SpaceX can reuse launchers.  Blue Origin is working on it.  NASA cannot.

No Life

A new study suggests Earth-like planets in close orbits around young M dwarf stars would lose their atmospheres to the star's intense radiation.

Therefore, there would be no life.

Moon Race

China says it plans to build a manned research station near the lunar south pole in about ten years.

The U. S. plans to return astronauts to the Moon by 2024.

New Physics?

A new study suggests the universe is expanding much faster than previously thought.

So fast, in fact, that a new physics might be required to explain it.

Life

A new theory holds that life may have evolved in this solar system before Earth was fully formed.

Some planetismials had everything necessary for life argues Lindy Elkins-Tanton of Arizona State.

Perspective

AT&T has announced quarterly revenues of nearly $45 billion.

That's more than twice NASA's annual budget.

Budweiser

Budweiser is marketing a beer celebrating Apollo.

This might be the summer of Apollo.

Crew Dragon

SpaceX' Crew Dragon had an issue during testing Saturday.

The capsule is scheduled for its first manned flight later this year.

Mars Stidy

A study from the Science and Technology Policy Institute, commissioned by NASA, concludes NASA cannot meet the goal of launching a manned Mars mission in 2033.

The study was done before the Trump administration established the goal of returning astronauts to the Moon by 2024.

Mercury's Core

New research using MESSENGER data suggests Mercury has a metallic core nearly as large as Earth's.

That's even though Earth's diameter is well over twice that of Mercury.

Space Investments

Investments in space was over $3 billion in 2018, a record.

The number of investors is also increasing.

Apollo 13

This date in 1970, Apollo 13 returned safely home.

Remarkably, to this day, no human has died in space.

Interstellar Meteors

A new study out of Harvard, no less, suggests interstellar meteors hit Earth with some regularity.

That would increase the chances of life spreading from star to star.

Solar Blobs

About every 90 minutes the Sun blasts out huge blobs of matter, according to a new study.

When these blobs collide with Earth's magnetosphere, they can affect terrestrial communications.

Proxima Centauri c?

Astronomers say there's probably a second planet orbiting Proxima Centauri.

If it's confirmed, the world would be at least 6 times as massive as Earth and far too cold to support life.

SpaceIL

SpaceIL. a private company based in Israel, crashed a probe into the Moon yesterday when the descent rocket failed to fire.

The company said it will try again in two or three years.

Methane

An ESA spacecraft orbiting Mars has found only traces of methane in the upper atmosphere.

Coupled with Curiosity's discovery of methane near the ground, the new results suggests something in the lower atmosphere is destroying methane.

Black Hole Pic

Using a worldwide network of telescopes, astronomers have photographed a black hole for the first time.

More specifically, they photographed the event horizon, as light does not escape a black hole..

Apollo

Historian Douglas Brinkley says the Apollo program cost $185 billion in current dollars spread over more than a decade.

That wouldn't be a huge federal program today.

Japan Moon

Japan is well into a project to develop the capability to build a lunar base using robots.

It plans to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030.

Alien Moon

Some UFOlogists have argued for decades that aliens warned NASA away from the Moon, and that huge alien installations exist on the far side.

Now, several nations are sending probes to the Moon, not to mention some private companies.  China has landed on the far side.  Where is everyone?

Gateway

NASA is beginning testing on five designs for its Lunar Gateway space station.

The Gateway will support lunar surface operations and manned missions to Mars.

Starliner

Boeing is delaying the test flight of its uncrewed Starliner capsule until at least August due to schedule pressure/

The first manned test flight is still expected this year.

Lunar South Pole

Both NASA and China are targeting the lunar South Pole-- NASA for the return to the Moon, and China for the site of a permanent base.

It's a new version of the Great Power game.

Bridenstine

NASA head Jim Bridenstine said yesterday he will consider all options to put astronauts on the Moon by 2024.

He said NASA will have a plan in two weeks.

ASAT

Last week, India successfully launched a test of a anti-satellite weapon.

India thus joins the US, China, and Russia in the ASAT club.