Mae Jemison Became First Black Woman in Space 31 Years Ago
On Sept. 12, 1992, NASA astronaut Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to go to space. Here’s why it mattered.
Astronomy & Space
Trump’s Space Academy Plan Could Merge NASA with Military Forces
As a space policy expert, I see several open questions and potential problems related to the vision of a U.S. Space Academy laid out by President Trump’s recent executive order.
This Week In Space podcast: Episode 227 — Trekmania
On Episode 227 of This Week In Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik are joined by Michael Okuda, who with wife and others have been central to the look, feel, and substance of the Star Trek universe.
Why are the stars around our galaxy’s black hole missing their companions?
A new study suggests that the young stars orbiting the Milky Way’s central black hole may have a surprisingly ordinary origin. But the black hole’s influence may be what makes their origin look more…
Rubin observatory peers deep into the famous COSMOS field
The COSMOS field, or Cosmic Evolution Survey Deep Field, is one of the most famous patches of the universe observed by astronomers. Located in the constellation Sextans, this region was photographed…
NASA and IBM Create AI to Map and Analyze Moon’s Surface
NASA and IBM have developed an AI model to help sift through the mountains of data the agency has gathered about the moon.
How big can the universe’s first starbursts get?
As our telescopes have improved and we’ve been able to peer farther back in time, we’ve begun finding more fascinating features of the universe. But one thing we haven’t found for sure is Population…
Rocket Lab Challenges NASA’s $700 Million Mars Contract to Blue Origin
Rocket Lab has filed a protest against NASA’s decision to award Blue Origin a $700 million Mars orbiter contract, saying it’s inconsistent with the eligibility rules laid out by Congress.
This week offers the best chance to see the elusive ‘false dawn’
September’s new moon opens a dark window for seeing zodiacal light, the ghostly cone of interplanetary dust that rises above the eastern horizon before dawn.
Supernova Exploding 45 Million Light-Years Away Visible to Skywatchers
The newly discovered Type Ia supernova SN 2026aaiv in NGC 7331 offers amateur astronomers and astrophotographers a rare opportunity to observe and image an exploding star before it fades.