Volcanic Exomoon

Scientists think they have found an exomoon covered by volcanoes and flowing lava.

The exomoon is 550 light years away.

Arecibo

NASA is awarding a $19 million grant that will keep the Arecibo Observatory studying near-Earth asteroids.

The grant will also support STEM education in Puerto Rico.

Cislunar Competition

The Pentagon is gearing up to operate in cislunar space.

The move is largely in response to plans by China.

Interference

The Sun will be between Earth and Mars for the next ten days, interfering with communication with the various probes on Mars.

NASA will ease off during the period.

Identity Politics

NASA says at least one of the crew landing on the Moon in 2024 will be a woman.

OPINION: Selection of the crew should be merit-based.  If that resulted in an all female crew, fine.  If it resulted in a mixed gender crew, fine.  If it resulted in an all male crew, fine.

UFOs

According to UFOlogists, the number of UFO reports have increased over the past few years.

That wouldn't be obvious from mainstream media reports.

Bopdiversity

A new study suggests other worlds may be better suited to support life than Earth is, and may, therefore, have greater biodiversity.

The study used computer modeling and focused on the role oceans can play.

Mega Worlds

Astronomers may have found a second planet in the Beta Pictoris system that u nine times more massive than Jupiter.

Beta Pictoris is about 63.4 light years away.

Gingerich

Newt Gingerich is proposing the U. S. Government establish a prize for the first American company to put a privately-funded crewed outpost on the Moon.

The prize would be $2 billion.

Nuclear Thernal Propulsion

NASA is pursuing nuclear thermal propulsion, which could cut flight times to Mars in half.

The technology could also deflect asteroids threatening Earth.

Lunar Gateway

NASA is asking for proposals from private industry to build spacecraft ti deliver cargo to the Lunar Gateway.

Maximum value for a winning contract will be $7 billion.

Titsn

Scientists think there might be a few worlds in our Solar System capable of supporting life.

Titan may be the most intriguing.  Life there would be on an entirely different chemical basis.

Phobos

On this date in 1877, American astronomer Asaph Hall, from the U. S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D. C., discovered the Martian moon, Phobos.

Today, the Naval Observatory is the official residence of the vice president of the United States.

Mauna Kea

Observations will resume shortly on Hawaii's Mauna Kea.

Astronomer have halted work on the mountain for four weeks in deference to Native Hawaiian groups protesting the construction of another huge telescope on their sacred mountain.

WOW!

On this date in 1977, Ohio State's Big Ear radio telescope came across the now famous WOW! signal.

To this day, the signal has not been explained naturally.

Martian Methane

Scientists have largely ruled out wind erosion as the cause of the spikes of methane in Mars atmosphere.

They still can't explain the spikes, which could possibly be a sign of life.

Vela

Neutron stars sometimes glitch-- speed up their rotation.

Astronomers have now established that Vela, a famous neutron star, also slows down before it speeds up.

Nuclear Power

A nuclear reactor meant to power human bases on the Moon and Mars could be ready for a test flight in three years.

It has already passed a ground test.

Dark Matter

A new study suggests dark matter may have existed before the Big Bang.

That would be something.

Swapping Comets

In a new study, Robert Zubrin says that both life and mass extinctions could have been brought to Earth by comets from other stars..

Zubrin postulates that as the Sun moves through the galaxy it swaps comets with other stars, and some of those alien comets smack into Earth.

Of Mice And Humans

A new study suggests space radiation will pose a significant risk to the brains of Mars bound humans.

The study was carried out using mice.

Ice

Scientists think there are large amounts of water ice in shallow craters on both the Moon and Mercury.

The water near the lunar south  pole may be enough to sustain extensive long-term lunar exploration.

Curiosity

Curiosity landed on Mars this date in 2012.

Since then, it has made major contributions to our understanding of the Red Planet.

ET

Scientists say that to really search for life beyond Earth, we must look for life that has different chemistries than our own.

They suggest we should find life within a few decades.

Alien Lasers

Breakthrough Listen is doing more to find alien civilizations than listening for radio signals.

It's also looking for laser beams among the stars.

Life

Scientists using computer modeling say life could even exist on ice worlds.

The vaunted habitable zone has become merely a starting place.

GJ 357 d

Astronomers have found a super Earth that could support life.

GJ 357 d is 31 light years away.