Meteorite

Scientists have found a meteor that fell in Sudan in 2005 likely broke off a giant asteroid deep in the Solar System.

The asteroid could be roughly the size of the dwarf planet Ceres.

Moon

 As various nations and private groups plan to be on the Moon shortly, property and usage rights will come into play.

A legal regime governing the use of lunar resources could also guide the development of a lunar economy.

Venus

 One of the more unlikely space stories of the year held that life might exist high in the atmosphere of Venus.

Scientists are now working on ways to check that out.

Artemis

 The 2024 lunar landing will likely be delayed under President Biden, experts say.

The Artemis program, however, will likely continue.

Salyur 4

 On this date in 1974, the Salyut 4 space station was launched.

It hosted two crews for a total of 92 days before de-irbiting,

Craters

 A new study counts over 100,000 craters on the lunar surface, far more than the previous total.

The study used artificial intelligence.

Neptune

 Astronomers have watched a huge storm on Neptine reverse course.

The change of direction is a mystery.

Great Conjunction

 Jupiter and Saturn appear close to each other in our night sky right now.

Some suggest the configuration was The Christmas Star.

GN-z11

Astronomers think they have found the farthest, and therefore the oldest, galaxy yet.

GN-z11 is about 13.4 billion light years away.

USSF Guardians

 The U. S. Space Force is celebrating its first birthday.

USSF personnel will apparently be known as "guardians."

Russia

 U. S. Space Command says Russia sees space as a warfighting domain.

Moscow, according to reports, has both ground- and space-based anti-satellite weapons.

Chang'e 5

 China's Chang'e 5 has delivered about four pounds of lunar samples to Earth.

The module containing the samples parachuted into Inner Mongolia.

UFO

According to Tucker Carlson, the U. S. Navy has been interacting with triangular craft that are extremely fast underwater, fly through the air better and faster than our planes, and can even reach low Earth orbit.

A pilot took a clear photo of one of the craft in 2019.

Abort

 Virgin Galactic aborted a test flight yesterday.

VG still plans to commence commercial suborbital flights next year.

HD 106906 b

 Astronomers have found a huge exoplanet they've designated HD 106906 b that's in an extremely elliptical orbit far away from its double star host.

Planet Nine around our sun could be a similar body.

Return to the Moon

 National Geographic has announced a series of programs that will document the progress of the Artemis program from the first uncrewed flight to the planned lunar landing in 2024.

The series will be called "Return To The Moon."

Lunar Landings

 Apollo 17 landed on the Moon this date in 1972.

We are still waiting for the next such landing.

Explosion

 SpaceX' Starship test flight ended in explosion during landing.

The company, however, said it got all the data it needed from the flight.

Starship

 SpaceX aborted a test flight of its Starship project yesterday.

It was to have reached an altitude of eight miles before landing upright on its  launchpad.

Yeager

 Chuck Yeager, the first human to break the sound barrier, died yesterday.

He was 97.

December 7

 Infamously, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on this date in1941.

Only thirty-one years later on this date, the last Apollo mission to the Moon was launched.

Remarkable.

UFOs

 Leaked Pentagon documents show military leaders discussing UFOs that use "non-human technology."

They also cite vehicles that operate under water as well as through the air.

Chang'e 5

 China reports its Chang'e 5 probe has successfully lifted off from the Moon carrying lunar samples.

The next step is to dock with the orbiter in lunar orbit and transfer the samples.

MUFON

 In November, 422 UFO incidents were reported to MUFON worldwide.

Of those, 328 were in the U. S.

Australia

 Australia is jointly developing hypersonic cruise missiles with the  U. S.

Australia is trying to defend its national interests against Russia and China.

China

China has apparently successfully landed another probe on the Moon.

The goal of the Chiang'5 mission is to bring lunar samples to Earth.

Obama

 Barack Obama told Stephen Colbert in an interview that he did ask about UFOs when he was president.

Obama also said he couldn't discuss the matter.

Dinosaurs

A new study suggests dinosaurs were thriving when their doomsday asteroid struck 65 million years ago.

Other studies hold dinosaurs were already in decline when the kill shot came.

Plumes

A new study finds Jupiter's moon Europa spews out plumes of water.

Saturn's moon Enceladus also has plumes.

Reusability

 SpaceX has just launched the same rocket for a record seventh time.

It was also the 100th launch of a Falcon 9.

China

 China launched a lunar sample return mission yesterday.

So far, only the US and the USSR have brought lunar samples to Earth.

Brown Dwarf

Scientists have found a nearby brown dwarf by using a radio telescope.

It's the first such discovery.

Mars Warer

 A new study says one prominent factor in Mars losing most of its water is the planet's legendary dust storms.

Huge storms lifted water into the upper atmosphere, water molecules broke apart, and the light hydrogen atoms escaped Mars' weak gravity.

Arecibo

 The National Science Foundation has shut down the Arecibo Observatory.

NSF says the facility is currently too dangerous to operate.

Rogues

 Astronomers are searching for rogue planets-- worlds that wander the galaxy unbound to any star.

So far, the smallest one found is about the size of Earth.

Arecibo

 The Arecibo Observatory might be on the verge of collapse.

It has been damaged by a series of natural disasters.

Resilient

 SpaceX has docked its capsule, Resilient, at ISS.

The crew is scheduled to come home in March.

SpaceX

 SpaceX successfully launched four humans into space last night-- an historic first for a private company.

It also successfully soft landed the launcher so it can be used again.

Apollo 12

 Fifty-one years ago today, Apollo 12 launched to the Moon.

It was to be the second manned lunar landing.

Musk

 Elon Musk might have COVID.

He tested positive twice, but also negative twice.

Kilonova

 Scientists have recently observed an extraordinary flash they think marks the collision of two neutron stars.

They are calling the blast a "kilonova."

Biden

 President-elect Biden has named a NASA transition team.

The team will bring him up to date on NASA matters.

Europa

 A new study suggests Europa probably glows in the dark due to being bathed in radiation blasting out from Jupiter.

The color of the glow might allow astronomers to say something about the composition of Europa's surface.

 

Bridenstine

 There are reports that Jim Bridenstine will leave NASA, enabling the new Biden team to pick a new administrator.

Such a move would emphasize how closely tied space policy has always been to s president.

Biden

 Joe Biden will likely be the next president of the United States.

Biden hasn't commented much on space policy, but to the extent the Artemis lunar program us associated with Donald Trump, the 2024 projected landing, at least, may be in jeopardy.  ESA's Moon Village concept may also gain traction.

Virgin

 Virgin Galactic plans another test flight later this month.

It will be the first manned spaceflight from New Mexico.

K2-141b

 Scientists have found a planet some larger than Earth that sports lava oceans, vaporized rock in the atmosphere, and hypersonic winds.

They call it K2-141b.

MUFON

 MUFON reports it received 414 UFO reports in October.

Of those, 340 were in the U. S.

Plans

 Humanity is planning a busy next two decades beyond Earth.

Private and public space stations, lunar bases, and trips to Mars are all planned.

Meteorite

 A meteorite that fell into Michigan's Strawberry Lake in 2018 has more than 2,000 organic compounds, researchers have found.

It's further indication that life could have come to Earth from elsewhere.

Moon

 There is a rare Halloween full moon this year.

It's also a Blue Moon-- the second full moon in the same calendar month.

Sample Return

 OSIRIS-Rex has successfully packed its asteroid samples for return to Earth.

That is scheduled to begin next spring.

COVID

 Researchers have developed an equation for predicting the ljkely spread of COVID that is modeled on the famed Drake equation for estimating the number of alien civilizations.

Both equations feature factors that have currently unknown values.

Janeway

 A statue of Starfleet Captain Katheyn Janeway has been erected in Bloomington, Indiana.

According to STAR TREK. Janeway will be born in Bloomington in 2335.

Io

 Scientists, in a new study, say volcanoes are likely responsible for the sulphur dioxide in the wispy atmosphere of Jupiter's moon, Io.

Given Io's volcanic nature, that might not be shocking.

Moon Water

 NASA has announced there seems to be substantially more water on the Moon than previously thought.

That's very good news for future lunar settlement.

Opinion

 The Pentagon spends as much money in two weeks as NASA spends in a year.

Extending the human economy beyond Earth orbit, expanding our science and technology bases, and creating life opportunities for billions of humans now struggling in poverty, therefore, cannot be done by government slone.

Detecting Life

 Scientists have found 1,004 stars that could harbor intelligent life which could, in turn, detect life on Earth.

It could lead to new SETI strategies.

Moon

 NASA plans to make an "exciting" announcement regarding some new science results involving the Moon next Monday.

Stand by.

OSIRIS-Rex

 NASA's OSIRIS-Rex probe successfully sampled the asteroid Bennu yesterday.

The sample will be brought to Earth for study.

ISS

ISS is twenty years old this month.

It is one of the greatest examples of peacetime international cooperation in history.                        

China

 China is planning an aggressive exploration of the lunar south polar region over the next decade.

NASA and ESA are also planning major projects in that area.

Musk

 Elon Musk says SpaceX might launch an uncrewed Starship to Mars as soon as 2024.

The company is also planning to send a private, manned Starship around the Moon in 2023.

ISS

 NASA is moving ahead with commercializing ISS.

The agency is trying to foster the development od a space industry.

Stern

 Alan Stern, leader of the New Horizons mission, will fly on a Virgin Galactic suborbital flight.

He will test a low light camera for NASA,

Perspective

 Unitedhealth reported quarterly revenue today of over $65 billion.

That's more than three times NASA's annual budget.

Super-habitable Worlds

 Scientists have found 24 worlds that may be even more hospitable to life than Earth is.

None of the 24 are closer than 100 light years distant.

UFO/UAP

 Scientists are beginning to call for serious study of the UFO/UAP issue.

They seek hard data to examine.

Project Aquarius

 MUFON has undertaken a project to bring all UFO information worldwide into one computer database.

It's called Project Aquarius.

UAE

 The UAE plans to launch a rover to the Moon in 2024.

The nation currently has a probe on the way to Mars.

Starliner

 Chris Ferguson has stepped down from command of the first Starliner mission next year, citing personal reasons.

Butch Wilmore will take over.

Fusion

 Seven new studies say a viable fusion reactor could be operating as soon as 2025.

Nuclear fusion would not only produce enormous amounts of energy, but it would be pollution free.

 

Mars

 Mars is at its closest approach to Earth until September 2035 today.

By then, humans might be there.

WASP 189b

 WASP 189b is a sizzling hot hot Jupiter orbiting a sizzling hot blue star.

It's the first exoplanet studied in detail by ESA's CHEOPS spacrcraft.

ICON

 ICON, an Austin, Texas, company that uses 3D printing technology to build homes on Earth, is looking to expand into space.

The company is planning to build bases on the Moon and Mars.

MUFON

 MUFON received 404 UFO reports worldwide in September.

Of those. 313 came from the USA.

China

 China is developing a huge new rocket that could send astronauts to the Moon.

China has not yet set a manned lunar landing as a goal.

Leak

 There's been a small leak in the ISS for a few weeks that has been traced to the Russian habitat module.

The crew is not in any added danger.

Mars

 Scientists have found a series of small saltwater lakes under the ice of a polar cap on Mars.

They think the lakes could be millions or even billions of years old.

Aussie Crater

 Gold miners in the Australian Outback have discovered a 3-mile wide impact crater.

The meteorite hit about 100 million years ago.

Moon

New research on lunar rocks brought to Earth by Apollo astronauts finds new evidence that the Moon was formed after a Mars-sized object slammed into Earth.

The research was done using tools and techniques not available during Apollo.

Wormholes

 A new study suggests some black holes may in fact be wormholes.

Wormholes have yet to be confirmed in nature.

Starship

 SpaceX intentionally destroyed a Starship tank in a pressure test this week.

Starship is designed to carry 100 people to Mars.

China

 China has two functioning probes on the Moon right now.

One is on the near side, and the other is on the far side.

Artemis 3

 NASA Administrator Bridenstine says Artemis 3 will land near the lunar south pole in 2024.

There had been reports NASA was considering less demanding landing sites.

Galileo

 Seventeen years ago today, the Galileo mission to Jupiter ended when then probe was deliberately plunged into the giant planet's atmosphere.

It was an extraordinary success.

Artemis

 The first lunar landing of the Artemis program may not be in the south polar region.

NASA is considering equatorial sites-- including the Apollo sites-- which are easier to reach.

Dynetics

 Dynetics unveiled a model of its proposed lunar lander this week.

It is competing to be the lander for the Artemis program.

White Dwarf Planet

 Astronomers have found indications of a giant planet orbiting a white dwarf-- the result of a supernova explosion.

How that could be ia still a mystery.

Rocket Lab

 Rocket Lab, a private company, plans to send a probe to Venus in 2023 to search for life.

The project was set before the recent discovery of phosphine, a possible biosignature, in the Venusian atmosphere.

Virgin Galactic

 According to CNBC, Virgin Galactic plans to fly its final two test flights starting next month.

The flights will launch from VG's new home in New Mexico.

Venus Life?

 Astronomers have detected phosphine, a possible biosignature, in the atmosphere of Venus.

More work needs to be done, and there are non-biological explanations, but life on Venus would be remarkable.

Newton's Law

 The Breakthrough Prize Foundation has awarded $3 million to three physicists probing the law of gravity.

So far, Newton's formulation has held down to millimeter distances.

Buying Dirt

 NASA will pay private companies for lunar soil samples.

The point is to establish the principle of using lunar resources.

NFL

 The NFL season opens tonight.

Hopefully, they'll be able to play the full season.

Oumaamaa

 New research suggests Oumaamaa is a fragment of a comet.

The rocky core has accumulated dust from the comet, as well.

Shatner

William Shatner wants commanders of U. S. Space Force ships to be captains, not colonels, as they would be now.

Congress is considering the change.

Quantum Mechanics

 Theoretical physicists have come up with a neat new experiment to question the reality of reality.

Quantum mechanics. possibly, might require an intelligent observer in the mix.

Rusty Moon

 Scientists have found rust in the southern polar region of the Moon.

Similar rust is what gives Mars its blood red hue in the night sky.

Voyagers

 On this date in 1977, Voyager 1 launched to the giant planets and beyond.

The Voyagers, 1 and 2, will go down as one of NASA's most successful programs.

GW Orionis

 After 11 years of studying the triple star system GW Orionis, scientists have the first direct evidence that multiple star systems can warp and rip planetary disks.

That could result in planets in highly inclined orbits.

2011 ESA

 Asteroid 2011 ESA, the size of a jumbo jet, flew past Earth yesterday well within the orbit of the Moon.

It's another argument for planetary defense.

MUFON

 In August, 645 UFO sightings worldwide were reported to MUFON.

Of those, 518 were in the U. S.

History

 On this date in 1979, Pioneer 1 became the first spacecraft to fly by Saturn.

On this date in 1939, World War II began when Germany invaded Poland.

Earth's Core

 New research finds the Earth's core is about a billion years old.

It's also 1,500 miles across.

Trump

 President Trump, in his speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination, once again pledged Americans would land on Mars.

That is currently scheduled for sometime in the 2030s.

Galilean Gravity

 A new study argues the Galilean moons of Jupiter might have a bigger gravitational effect combined on each other than Jupiter does.

It's due to orbital resonance among them.

Carr

 Astronaut Jerry Carr, commander of the final Skylab crew, has died.

He was 88.

Meteorite

 A meteorite that landed in Costa Rica last year seems to be older than our solar system and contain the building blocks of life.

It's more evidence that life could be widespread in the galaxy.

Supernova

 A new study suggests the mass extinction on Earth 360 million years ago was caused by a nearby supernova.

About 75% of the species were lost.

Oumuamua

 Scientists are still arguing about what the interstellar object Oumuamua actually was.

It still could have been alien technology.

UFOs

 Tucker Carlson says his contacts in the Pentagon tell him the UFOs the Pentagon is studying are not Russian or Chinese.

That leaves few options.

Lunar Pole

 Some scientists are warning that human activity at the lunar south pole could compromise the scientific value of the area.

NASA is planning to land humans there in 2024.

Local Neighborhood

Interested amateurs have found 95 nearby brown dwarfs under a NASA program.

The discoveries will help fill out our concept of the local neighborhood.

South Atlantic Anomaly

 NASA is studying the South Atlantic Anomaly, which is a weakness in Earth's magnetic field.

It poses no threat to life on Earth.

Lava Tubes

 A new paper suggests citing settlements on the Moon and Mars in huge lava tubes to shield people from radiation and extreme temperatures.

Space advocates and science fiction authors have been making that case for years.

Phobos

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

That's now the Vice President's official residence.

Pentagon

 The Pentagon is creating a task force to study UAPs, aka UFOs/

The task force will focus on national security issues, and is led by the Navy.

MUFON

 Last month, 769 UFO reports worldwide went to MUFON.

Of those, 612 were from the U. S.  

TESS

 After two years in operation, NASA's planet hunting probe TESS has found 66 confirmed worlds and nearly 2,100 possibles.

TESS continues to search on an extended mission.

Wormholes

 New research suggests we could detect a black hole falling into a wormhole by studying gravitational waves.

That assumes wormholes exist.

Ceres

 Research based on the Dawn mission to Ceres is coming out.

It paints the dwarf planet as a world that may be geologically active to this day.

FRB

 In April, astronomers found the first fast radio burst within our galaxy.

The FRB was connected to a magnetar 30,000 light years away.

Ganymede

 Scientists think they have found a huge impact scar on Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede, a world larger than Mercury.

They think Ganymede was struck by an asteroid 30 to 90 miles across.

Pluto Glaciers

New research finds the methane and nitrogen glaciers on Pluto grow in warmer periods.

 Yes, there are slightly warmer periods on Pluto.

Blanets

New research suggests supermassive black holes could have worlds orbiting them.

Maybe we'll call them blanets.

VG

Virgin Galactic has announced commercial flights won't commence until at least 2021.

It cited the pandemic as slowing progress.

Mars

New research suggests many valleys on Mars were cut by glaciers, not rivers.

That would imply Mars was colder in the past than many thought.

Splashdown

Demo-2 safely splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico yesterday.

It was the first splashdown of an American spaceship since 1975.

Demo-2

The Demo-2 Dragon is scheduled to undock from ISS later today.

Splashdown is set for tomorrow.

Shatner

William Shatner has said recently he might be interested in going to space.

Shatner had previously said he would not go.

Mars

Perseverance is on its way to Mars.

The nuclear-powered rover will search for evidence of life.

VG

Virgin Galactic may be one test flight away from getting its FAA operator's license.

Following that, VG plans a few more test flights with passengers before beginning commercial operations.

Perseverance

NASA's  Perseverance rover is set for launch to Mars early Thursday.

Accompanying the rover will be Ingenuity, the first interplanetary helicopter.

Exoplanets

Two new studies suggest that at least some mini-Neptunes could be rocky,water super Earths in disguise.

Intense solar radiation, it seems, can play hob with atmospheres.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is reportedly in talks with Universal Studios to shoot a feature film in space.

Initial budget estimate is $200 million.

China

China has launched Tianwen-1, its first major mission to Mars.

A lander carrying a rover is scheduled to touch down in February.

Russia

Russia has tested a space-based anti-satellite system, according to the U. S. Space Command.

Moscow is also urging adoption of a treaty banning space weapons.

Bombardment

A new study suggests a huge asteroid shower pounded Earth and the Moon 800 million years ago.

The bombardment may have caused Earth's deepest ice age.

Venus

New research suggests Venus may still be geologically active.

The study identified 37 features that show evidence of recent changes.

UAE

Japan successfully launched United Arab Emirates' first interplanetary probe over the weekend.

It will reach Mars in February.

UFO

Senator Marco Rubio is pushing for the government to release its information on UFOs.

That's the most recent step in what could be a campaign for disclosure.

JWST

NASA has once again delayed launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

The new launch date is October 31, 2021.

Apollo 11

Fifty-one years ago today, Apollo 11 launched to the Moon.

The U. S. had gone from being a small nation hugging the Atlantic coast of North America to leading humanity into space in well less than two centuries.

Electric Life

New research suggests a link between the electrical frequencies used by biological cells and that of lightning in the skies of early Earth.

Exactly what the connection is remains unclear.

Pluto

Five years ago today, New Horizons flew past Pluto.

It provided our first real look at Pluto, which turns out to be a complex little world.

Musk

Elon Musk is reportedly worth $70 billion.

SpaceX accounts for about $15 billion of that.

Perturber

Some astronomers think a huge planet exists far out in the Solar System, merrily perturbing the orbits of other objects with its powerful gravity.  Others say the perturber might be a grapefruit-sized black hole.  Still others say there is no perturber.

The next generation of Earth-based telescopes should settle the matter.

Pulsars

Astronomers have found that neutron stars in binary systems can have radically different masses.

If two such neutron stars merge, creating a pulsar, that pulsar can behave oddly.

Life

A new study suggests planets that formed early in the galaxy's history are more likely to host life.

Those planets are more likely to have magnetic fields that protect life from radiation.

NASA Money

A House bill would cut NASA's requested 2021 budget by about $3 billion.

The Senate can restore the funds.

Israel

Israel successfully launched a spy satellite yesterday.

Its main target is likely Iran.

Perspective

As of May, Berkshire Hathaway had $137 billion dollars in cash.

That's nearly seven times NASA's annual budget.

Aphelion

Earth is at  its farthest from the Sun today.

The fancy word for that is aphelion/

MUFON

In June alone, 601 UFO reports worldwide were submitted to MUFON.

Of those, 446 were from the United States.

Quantum

Physicists have more evidence that quantum principles operate in the macroworld.

That has intriguing philosophical and theoretical implications.

Space Perspectives

A new company, Space Perspectives, plans to offer trips to the edge of space under a balloon.

Cost of the roughly six hour trip, based in Alaska, will be $125,000.

SPARROW

JPL is looking at sending flocks of tiny probes to explore icy moons and powering them using steam.

The project, still only in the concept stage, is called SPARROW.

Flashimg Black Holes

Astronomers observing the collision of two black holes last year also saw a flash of light.

They're not sure of the explanation.

Space Adventures

Space Adventurres has purchased two seat aboard a Soyuz to fly tourists to ISS in 2023.

The package includes one spacewalk. a first.

VG

Virgin Galactic has completed its second gliding test flight over New Mexico.

VG plans to start commercial flights soon.

UFO

TUCKER CARLSON reports a U. S. Senate committee is pushing the Pentagon to release all its data on UFOs.

We'll see what happens.

Artemis 3

On Artemis 3, the mission to land astronauts on the Moon in 2024, the crew will have to walk wherever it goes on the surface.

Sophisticated rovers will be used later in the program.

Astronaut Training

Virgin Galactic is teaming with NASA to train private astronauts for orbital spaceflight.

VG, of course, is not offering orbital spaceflight.

Pluto

New research suggests Pluto may have had an underground water ocean from the start.

With water and an energy source, life way out there is a possibility.

HOP 383

Astronomers have observed X-ray bursts from HOP 383, a young star similar to our Sun.

Studying HOP 383 could tell us something about the earliest period of our Solar System.

Airburst

New research suggests an airburst explosion of a comet fragment destroyed a human settlement 13,000 years ago.

The fragment was likely one of several to hit Earth that day.

Trident

NASA is considering sending a probe to Neptune's moon, Triton.

Trident would launch in 2025 and arrive in 2038.

Starshiip

Elon Musk tweeted recently his Mars colonization flights might launch from offshore platforms.

The huge Starship booster that will launch the Mars ships could be operational next year.

Titan

Scientists think they have found dry lake beds on Titan.

That would show Titan's climate changes over time.

Standard Model

New research calls into question the standard model of the universe.

The research got a different value for the Hubble Constant, which would require a rethinking of cosmology.

Switching Services

More than 8,500 U. S. Air Force personnel have applied to switch to the new U. S. Space Force.

Army and Navy personnel will be eligible to apply in 2022-23.

Dust

A new study suggests dusty planets might be more likely homes of life.

Dust in an atmosphere tends to moderate temperatures.

Quantum Stuff

Scientists have created Bose-Einstein condensates on ISS.

That will allow study of the quantum realm under microgravity conditions.

Titan

New research indicates Titan is moving away from Saturn at a rate of 4.3 inches a year.

That's 100 times faster than thought.

Particle Collider

Putting a particle collider on the Moon is being proposed.

Such a collider would take advantage of lunar assets like the cold and the vacuum.

Life

A new paper using Bayesian analysis suggests life may emerge quickly if we replayed Earth history, but intelligence might not emerge at all.

The paper focuses strictly on Earth.  It says nothing about other planets.

Gateway

NASA has awarded the contract to design the habitat module of Gateway, its Moon-orbiting space station, to Northrup Grumman.

NASA sees Gateway as key to human exploration of both the Moon and Mars.

Blast

Astronomers using Hubble have found evidence of a titanic blast in the middle of our galaxy 3.5 million years ago.

The explosion was so powerful it would have lit up gas clouds in neighboring galaxies.

Falcon 9

The Falcon 9 rocket first flew to orbit ten years ago today.

It has become the workhorse of the SpaceX fleet.

Mars

New research suggests Mars' moons go through cycles-- breaking up to form rings around Mars, reforming into moons,and breaking up again.

It's quite a theory.

Dinosaurs

New research using computer models suggests the rock that ended the dinosaurs' reign hit at the worst possible angle for life.

Seventy-five percent of all life on Earth was destroyed.

Demo-2

The Demo-2 Crew Dragon has successfully docked at ISS.

So far, it's a remarkable achievement.

Oumuamua

New research suggests Oumuamua, our first known interstellar visitor, may have been rich in hydrogen ice before irs approach to the Sun boiled the ice away.

That, in turn, suggests Oumuamua-like objects could teach us about the early stages of planetary formation.

Tunguska

New research suggests the Tunguska event of 1908 occurred when a giant meteor barely grazed Earth's  atmosphere, creating a massive shock wave.

Tunguska remains the best argument for planetary defense.

Delay

The first private manned space launch was delayed yesterday by weather.

The next attempt will be Saturday.

SpaceX

According to reports, SpaceX is worth $36 billion.

That could increase later today.

Virgin

Virgin Orbit's first test flight of LauncherOne, the air-launched rocket meant to carry satellites into orbit, failed yesterday.

Virgin Galactic, meanwhile, is looking for its first commercial manned flight soon.

Discovery

The Discovery Channel will have extensive coverage of the scheduled first private launch of humans into space Wednesday afternoon.

The launch, whenever it happens, will mark the beginning of a new era of the Space Agr.

Trump

President Trump says he might attend the first SpaceX launch of two astronauts to ISS.

The launch is scheduled for May 27.

Mars

Researchers studying seismic activity on Mars are trying to determine how the planet was formed.

They think the key is the composition of Mars' core.

SETI

China is considering using its FAST radio telescope-- the largest single dish in the world-- for SETI searches.

That could re-sculpt the field.

Annie Glenn

Annie Glenn, widow of John Glenn, died yesterday of COVID complications at the age of 100.

Annie and John were married for 73 years.

Genetic Engineering

Scientists are seriously considering genetic engineering as a way to protect humans in deep space.

Adapting plants and animals to conditions on Mars, for example, may help colonize that world.

X-37b

The U. S. Space Force launched an X-37b spaceplane yesterday morning.

Details of the mission are classified.

STAR TREK

CBS All Access is buying two new series in the legendary STAR TREK franchise.

One of them will feature Captain Pike, who commanded the Enterprise before Captain Kirk.

Gordon Cooper

On this date in 1963, Gordon Cooper launched on the last flight of the Mercury program.

It'd also be the last time a NASA astronaut flew into space alone.

Pluto

New research suggests Pluto's atmosphere may be a permanent feature.

Up to now, scientists had thought Pluto's atmosphere froze out when Pluto was farthest from the Sun.

Good News, Bad News

Air pollution. including nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, has dropped worldwide as a result of shutdowns to control COVID.

However, as travel and industrial activity resume, scientists say pollution will return.  It already has in China.

Saturn's Hexagon

The bizarre hexagonal atmospheric tower above Saturn's north pole has layers of hazy mists, a new study finds.

Scientists think the layers are associated with different temperature regimes.

Kepler 88

Astronomers in Hawaii have found a world in the Kepler 88 system that is three times as massive as Jupiter.

Kepler 88 is 1200 light years away.

China Space

China's next generation space capsule successfully completed a major test flight this past week.

The capsule will be able to carry humans to the Moon.

WASP-79b

WASP-79b is a strange world.  A hot Jupiter, the average temperature is roughly 3,000 degrees F.  Its skies are yellowish, and there, rain is not water, but iron.

It's about 780 light years away.

Moscow Moon

Russia, in partnership with ESA, is planning three lunar robotic missions by 2025.

They would be the first Russian lunar missions since 1976.

Yevgeny Mikrin

Yevgeny Mikrin, the chief of the Russian human spaceflight program, died yesterday.

The cause of death has yet to be announced, but he had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Space Movie

A news report says Tom Cruise, NASA, and SpaceX are working on a feature film set and shot in space.

The project is still early days.

New Ridges, Active Moon

A new study of lunar ridges suggests the Moon might still be internally active.

The ridges seem young, and they are aligned atop tectonic cracks.

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic is wrapping up test flights in New Mexico prior to beginning commercial operations.

More than 600 people have already bought tickets.

Mars Money

NASA's suite of exploratory missions currently functioning at Mars is in danger due to proposed budget cuts.

Congress can still restore the funding.

ALH84001

A new study finds the famous Mars meteorite ALH84001 contains both organics and nitrogen.

The debate about whether it harbors evidence of Martian life continues.

ATLAS

Comet ATLAS has broken into several pieces about 91 million miles from Earth.

Astronomers were able to observe the process using the Hubble.

UFO

The Pentagon has declassified video clips of U, S. Navy pilots' interactions with UFOs in 2004 and 2015.

The clips had already been made public by UFO researchers.

Cyclic Universe?

A fundamental concern of both philosophy and science is understanding what happened before the Big Bang.

A new study brings the theory of the cyclic universe-- big bang followed inevitably by contraction into a big crunch that bounces into another big bang, etc.  The study argues the mathematics of the theory, so far a sticking point, can be made to work.

Hubble

The Hubble Space Telescope has been in space for thirty years now.

After a rocky start that necessitated a dramatic repair mission, HST has literally changed the way we view the universe.

Life

New modeling suggests it is extremely unlikely that life arose spontaneously in the observable universe.  The odds are simply too long.

It's still possible, however, that life could have arisen in that part of the universe that we cannot observe.

Earthrise

This week saw the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day.

Apollo 8's famous "Earthrise? photograph played a major role in bringing the environmental movement to the wider public.

Iran

Iran has put another satellite into orbit.

The West is concerned that rockets capable of reaching space can also be used as ICBMs.

UAE

The United Arab Emirates is sending astronauts to Moscow later this year to participate in an eight month long, NASA supported Mars analog mission.

The UAE intends to send people to Mars.

Titanic Dust Devils

A new study suggests there maybe dust devils on Saturn's huge moon, Titan.

There, however, the "dust" might be organic material.

T Minus 38 Days

NASA has set the date for the first manned launch for SpaceX to be May 27.

It will be the first manned launch from the U. S. in nine years.

Space Wars

Russia tested an anti-satellite missile this week that could destroy satellites in low Earth orbits.

Increasingly, space is being seen as a possible, perhaps inevitable, theater of war.

Kepler-1649c

Astronomers mining Kepler data have found a world that is nearly Earth's twin in mass and that lies within its star habitable zone.

Kepler 1649c orbits a red dwarf 300 light years away.

Perspective

Unisedhealth reported quarterly revenues this morning of over $64 billion.

That's triple NASA's annual budget.

Lunar Landing

Intuitive Machines has chosen an area in the Ocean of Storms as the site of its first lunar landing.

Launch of the probe is scheduled for October, 2021.

April 12

Yesterday marked the anniversary of both the first manned spaceflight and, twenty years after that, the first space shuttle flight.

Remarkable progress in sheer technological terms.

Ozma

On this date in 1960, Frank Drake began the first SETI search.

Known as Project Ozma, that search found no aliens, nor has SETI since, but the search continues.

Hope

The first interplanetary mission of the United Arab Emirates is set to launch to Mars in July.

The probe is called Hope.

Expanding Universe

A new study suggests different parts of the universe might be expanding at different rates.

That would turn cosmology on its head.

Samples

The current coronavirus pandemic could question the wisdom of bringing rock samples that could contain alien biology from Mars to Earth.

NASA and Europe are planning to do that in the 2030s.

Nuclear Power

Private companies are pushing for NASA to adopt nuclear power for future deep space manned missions.

Nuclear propulsion could cut transit times to Mars in half, for instance.

Enceladus

Scientists are urging NASA to mount a mission to Enceladus in search of life.

Enceladus has a huge water ocean within its icy shell.

Artemis Base Camp

Yesterday, NASA released a report describing the Artemis Base Camp it plans for the Moon later this decade.

The ABC will serve as the foundation for continuing lunar operations, extensive exploration of the lunar surface, and as a testbed for technologies and strategies to be used in the early exploration of Mars.

SpaceX Failure

A Starship prototype collapsed during pressure tests last night.

This is the third prototype to collapse during a pressure test.

Lunar Landers

NASA's next two lunar landers are still in schedule for 2021 launches.

The landers are being built by Astrobotics and Intuitive Machines.

Galaxies

A new study of 200 globular clusters around the Milky Way argues our galaxy has absorbed five smaller galaxies over its history.

In the far future, the Milky Way will also collide with the Andromeda Galaxy.

North Korea

Over the weekend, North Korea launched two ballistic missiles that fell into the sea short of Japan.

The worry is that regime could mate nuclear warheads to offensive missiles.

Blue Origins

Blue Origin has been granted an exemption from coronavirus restrictions, reports say.

BO has a major role in NASA's Artemis Moon program.

Supplying Gateway

SpaceX has won a contract with NASA to supply the agency's Gateway space station in lunar orbit,

The company is guaranteed two supply missions, but could get more.

USSF

An advanced communications satellite was launched yesterday for the U. S. Space Force.

It was the first launch for the USSF.

SpaceX

The launch of an Argentine radar satellite by SpaceX has been delayed because Argentine officials couldn't get to Florida due to travel restrictions imposed during the coronavirus emergency.

More optimistically, SpaceX is currently hiring welders to build its stainless steel Starship rocket.

Mercury

A new study suggests Mercury may have once had the stuff of life under its surface.

Further, some of it might still be there.

Musk

Elon Musk says his companies will produce 1,200 ventilators this week.

He says getting them delivered will be the harder part.

Moon Pic

On this date in 1840, the first photograph of the Moon was taken.

It was a sign of things to come.

May Launch

NASA and SpaceX are still planning for a May launch for the first Crew Dragon flight to ISS.

It will be the first time a private company will attempt to fly humans into orbit.

1998 OR2

Asteroid 1998 OR2, which may be 2.5 miles across, will fly by Earth next month.

Thankfully, there's no chance of a collision.

Al Worden

Apollo astronaut Al Worden has died at the age if 88.

Worden performed the first deep space spacewalk.

Boeing

Boeing is seeking $60 billion in federal aid.

There are murmurs of possible bankruptcy.

Planetary Defense

NASA is planning to place more emphasis on planetary defense over the next decade.

An asteroid strike is the only natural disaster humans could potentially stop at this time.

Early Giants

Astronomers have found that supermassive black holes existed fewer than a billion years after the Big Bang.

Those objects were the precursors of the huge black holes found in the centers of galaxies today.

Trans-Neptunian Objects

Astronomers have discovered 139 more objects out beyond Neptune's orbit that are not planets and not comets.

That brings the current total of such bodies to over 3,000.

ExoMars

Russia and ESA have pushed the launch of their ExoMars probe into 2022 due to fears of COVID-19 affecting staff.

The lander will search for evidence of life by digging under the Martian surface.

HD74423

Astronomers have found a teardrop shaped star, HD74423, that pulses on only one side.

The pulses, and the shape, are due to the gravity of a small companion star.

Go For May

SpaceX is looking at May for its first crewed launch.

It would be the first launch of humans by a private company.

Dark Matter

A new paper suggests German physicists may have discovered dark matter in 2014.

That still must be confirmed.

K2-18b

Astronomers have found that a sub-Neptune 110 light years away, K2-18b, not only has water vapor clouds, but that layer of its huge atmosphere has pressure similar to Earth's.

The late Carl Sagan once postulated life could exist in Earth-like layers of the atmosphere of Jupiter.

Perserverance

NASA is naming its next Mars rover Perservance.

The name was proposed by seventh grader Alex Mather.

Black Hole Life

A new research paper argues life could exist on a planet orbiting just outside the event horizon of a spinning, suppermassive black hole.

To maintain that orbit, however. the planet would have to move at nearly the speed of light.

Protein

Scientists may have found a protein in a meteorite that does not occur on Earth.

The meteorite fell to Earth in 1990.

Rings

On this date in 1979, Voyager 1 discovered the rings of Jupiter.

Since then, ring systems have also been found around Uranus and Neptune.

Waterworld Earth

A new study suggests that 3.2 billion years ago Earth sported no continents.  It was a warerworld.

That would strengthen the argument that life began around volcanic vents on the seafloor rather than in a pond.

Forming Planets

Astronomers have found more than 300 young stars in a cluster that all have protoplanetary disks.

It's more evidence that planets are common in the universe.

Dyson

Freeman Dyson, physicist, thinker, and developer of the Dyson sphere, has died.

He was 96.

Blast

Astronomers have found evidence for the biggest explosion yet discovered.

It seems to have blasted an area as big as 15 Milky Way galaxies.

New Era

On Tuesday, a servicing satellite docked with a satellite in need of fuel.

It was a first for private industry, and opens a new era of lower cost space operations, longer lasting satellites, and dealing with space junk.

SPCE

Virgin Galactic reported a $73 million loss in its first quarter as an publicly traded company.

VG, ticker symbol SPCE, plans to start commercial flights this year.

Life

While NASA, ESA, and Russia focus on Mars in a search for life, some scientists are looking beyond the Sun's habitable zone.

Both Europa and Enceladus are good bets to support life in their subsurface oceans of water.

Marsquakes

NASA's Mars InSight lander has recorded marsquakes.

Mars is seismically active.

Sovereignty

Empires and nations have always been concerned with land-- claiming it and defending it.  With the advent of cannon on naval ships, the legal concept of territorial waters was developed.  The development of military air power brought the countering legal concept of airspace.  In the Space Age, Earth orbit has been declared open to everyone.  In essence, national sovereignty ends with the atmosphere.

So, if nations attempt to lead humanity into space, by what magic will national sovereignty reassert itself on another world?

Pence

Vice President Pence, in a speech this week, urged NASA to pursue returning astronauts to the Moon by 2024 "by any means necessary," including relying heavily on the private sector.

Congress has yet to fully fund the effort.

Financials

According to financial markets, Virgin Galactic is worth about $7 billion.

SpaceX is worth roughly $30 billion.

Perspective

Walmart recently announced quarterly revenues of almost $142 billion.

That's roughly 7 times NASA's annual budget and likely enough too put humans on Mars.

Pluto

Ninety years ago today, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto.

Since then, Pluto has been demoted to dwarf planet status, but it remains a fascinating little world.

SpaceX

SpaceX successfully launched 60 more Starlink satellites this morning.

The rocket's first stage, however, failed to land on the target ship.

Borisov

According to a SETI scan, Comet Borisov, an interstellar visitor to our neck of the woods, is radio quiet.

That doesn't clinch the case for it being a natural body, but it helps.

Shadow Life

A new study finds microenvironments capable of supporting life for short periods may exist seasonally in the shadows of certain boulders on Mars.

On Earth, some microbes hibernate for years waiting for an environment in which they can flourish.

2020 BX12

Astronomers watched a newly discovered asteroid, 2020 BX12. zip by Earth recently and found it has a moon.

About a third of near-Earth asteroids seem to have moons.

Solar Superstorms

A new study suggests solar superstorms may be more common than we thought.

Such an event could down electric grids and render satellites inoperative.

Russia

According to the new US Space Force, two Russian satellites are closely tracking a US spy satellite.

It comes in the context of Russian planes and ships closely approaching their American counterparts.

Iran

Iran's space program lost another satellite Sunday.

The U.S. argues Iran's space program is a cover for the development of ICBMs.

Software

Boeing is having software problems.  A review of its recent failed Starliner mission to ISS shows one software glitch failed to put the craft in the proper orbit, and another could have resulted in a collision in space.

Software issues, of course, have also led to the grounding of the 737 Max after two fatal crashes.

Flammable Ice

Flammable ice, or methane hydrate, has tiny bubbles that can contain life, scientists have found.

It may be another possible home of alien life.

Golf

This date in 1971, Alan Shepard hit a golf ball on the Moon.

It went six times farther than it would have on Earth.

State of the Union

President Trump urged Congress to fully fund the Artemis lunar program during his State of the Union address last night.

He also said the first humans on Mars will be Americans.

STAR TREK

Yet another STAR TREK series is being developed.

The franchise is fast approaching sixty years old.

Star Formation

Astronomers have observed a burst of energy they think heralds the formation of a new star.

It might help astrophysicists understand one complete chain of star formation.

Mars In Utah

The Mars Society runs simulated Mars missions at a site in southern Utah.

Currently, it is testing two separate possible habitats.

Life

Two physicists theorize in a new paper that Earth life may have spread to the stars via comets that grazed Earth's atmosphere.

It's the flip side of a theory of how life could have come to Earth.

Spitzer

The Spitzer Space Telescope, which looked at the universe in the infrared, has been shut down after 16.5 years.

It has helped revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos.

Perspective

Apple is reporting a quarterly profit of $22.2 billion.

That's more than NASA's annual budget.

Ultrahot Jupiter

Astronomers have found the hottest exoplanet yet some 670 light years away.

The surface temperature is about 7.500 degrees on the sunside.

Tough Week

This is a tough week for NASA.

The Apollo 1 fire, Challenger explosion, and Columbia tragedy all happened this week, in different years, killing 17 astronauts.

USSF

The insignia of the new U. S. Space Force was unveiled last week.

Central to the design is a symbol reminiscent of the STAR TREK comnunicator.

Picard

The latest series in the STAR TREK franchise, STAR TREK: PICARD, debuted yesterday.

It will include some of Captain Picard''s old crew.

China

China's new, as-yet-unnamed spacecraft is being readied for a test flight.

It will carry up to six people.

Gamma Rays

A new study suggests faint gamma-ray radiation throughout the universe may be related to dark matter.

If so, it could provide insight into the nature of dark matter.

Hypersonic

According to reports, the U. S. is developing hypersonic vehicles.

Russia recently announced it already has them.

Abort Success

SpaceX successfully tested its abort rescue system on its Crew Dragon yesterday.

The success opens the way for crewed flights later this year.

Musk

Elon Musk has tweeted he is aiming to build a 1,000 strong Starship fleet with each huge launcher flying three times a day for 20 to 30 years.

His goal is the colonization of Mars.

Solar Storms

A new study suggests so-called solar storms can develop very near Earth.

Powerful solar storms can knock out satellites and disrupt electrical power grids.

TMT

Construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawaii is still bring held up because a group of native Hawaiians object.

When, or if, the project might resume is unknown.

Possible Abodes

Astronomers have found two more super Earths that could potentially support life.

Both orbit nearby red dwarf stars.

Beam Rider

A new study suggests keeping a light sail tightly focused on an energy beam over immense distances is possible.

That would open up interstellar travel.

UFO

According to reports. the U. S. Navy is admitting it has more information about the so-called Tic Tac UFO than has so far been released.

Could this be the year the UFO phenomenon at least begins to crack open?

New Astronauts

NASA graduated a class of  13 astronauts yesterday.

They could fly to the Moon, and even Mars.

Dark Matter

New observations of dark matter show that cold dark matter forms clumps much smaller than previously thought.

That argues against the need for warm dark matter.

Black Hole Jets

New observations show jets from the black hole in the galaxy M87 are traveling at 99$ the speed of light.

That's moving.

Sandals

My aide came this morning wearing socks and sandals.

In January.

Galileo

On this date in 1610, Galileo discovered three moons of Jupiter through a small telescope.

It was another discovery establishing that the universe was not the static place of Church teaching.  It helped open the world we know.

Starship

Elon Musk says a prototype Starship could fly within three months.

Starship is to be the workhorse launcher for colonizing Mars.

The Year of Mars

The year 2020 could be The Year of Mars.

Four missions are scheduled to launch to the Red Planet.

Betelgeuse

The red supergiant star Betelgeuse has recently begun to dim.

The dimming could signal an imminent supernova explosion.  Or not.

ET Water

A new study finds less water vapor in the atmospheres of several exoplanets than expected.

Less water might say something about planetary formation.