Trump Tea Leafs

Indications are building that the Trump administration might embrace commercial space in a major way.

There is also the possibility the next administration will refocus the human spaceflight program to a return to the Moon.

Star Of Bethlehem

About every year about this tine some astronomers weigh in on what the Star of Bethlehem actually was.  The fact that they try each year implies there is no obvious natural answer.

Maybe, finally, the effort misses the point of the story.

Mars Ice Home

NASA is considering a concept called the Ice Home for the first human outpost on Mars.

A structure would be covered in pure water ice from beneath the surface.  Among other benefits, the ice would protect the astronauts from cosmic radiation.

Antilight

Physicists recently used a laser to excite antimatter atoms to see whether the light they emitted was different from light emitted by ordinary matter.

It didn't seem to be, but further analysis might reveal something different.

Mars Water

The dark streaks that appear on slopes during Mars' warmer seasons may not be evidence of liquid water on the planet after all.

A new study suggests any water involved in the streaking may come from the atmosphere.

Comets

We generally think of asteroids striking Earth, but comets are threats, too.

One more argument for a planetary defense system.

Cleaning Up Space Junk

Japan is testing a tether based system that will capture and de-orbit space junk.

The system could be operating by the mid-2020s.