China's Plans

China is introducing two new rockets into its Long March family of launchers, replacing two older models.

It also plans to launch a small space lab next year, the next step towards building a large space station in the 2020s.  China also announced its next lunar probe will be funded by a mix of public and private sources.

Rolling Water Worlds

A new study suggests that worlds completely covered by a water ocean rolling along their orbits, poles pointed at their parent star, could still harbor life.

At Earth's distance from the Sun, the depth of the ocean would need to average 165 feet to provide a stable environment for life.

Active Moon

Data from China's Yulu lunar rover suggests the Moon was much more active in the past than previously thought--- including at least instances of explosive vulcanism.

Yulu stopped functioning in January 2014.

Ganymede's Ocean

Observations using the Hubble telescope have provided the best evidence yet that Jupiter's Ganymede, the largest moon in the Solar System, has a huge, salty, water ocean under its icy crust.  There may be more water on Ganymede than there is on the surface of Earth.

Hubble is likely best known for its deep sky work, but it has also made numerous discoveries within the Solar System.

SLS Test

NASA successfully test fired the engine of its huge new SLS launcher yesterday in the Utah desert.

SLS is slated to launch the first manned Orion mission-- possibly to the Moon-- in late 2017.  After that, though, the uses for such a powerful rocket are unclear.

Martian Marathon

The Curiosity rover has now traveled just over 26 miles-- the length of a marathon race-- on Mars.

It still trails the Opportunity rover, which continues to roll along, but Curiosity is nearing its ultimate goal, Mount Sharp.

World View Success

World View, a company providing rides in high altitude balloons to the edge of space, has completed its first commercial flight, carrying student experiments aloft under a NASA program.

The company maintains much work can be done in near space, and it is also looking at providing commercial passenger flights.