Rappler's latest stories on space exploration
6 decades of missions to Mars
A look back at some key Mars missions over the last 60 years
SpaceX, NASA delay milestone mission due to bad weather
Officials cite the threat of lightning, among other factors
SpaceX readies for blast-off with NASA astronauts aboard
NASA is finally ready to go – or as ready as they can be to strap two people on top of a 500-ton rocket filled with combustible fuel
China says launch of key new space rocket 'successful'
The Long March 5B rocket takes off from the Wenchang launch site in the southern island of Hainan
Earth captures new 'mini moon'
Earth's new neighbor is not in a stable orbit around the planet and is unlikely to be around for very long
Glitch delays launch of Europe's exoplanet hunter
CHEOPS, short for CHaracterising ExxOPlanet Satellite, will seek to better understand what exoplanets are made of – an important step in the long quest to unravel the conditions required for extraterrestrial life
U.S. makes history with first all-female spacewalk
(UPDATED) The mission was originally planned for earlier this year but had to be aborted due to a lack of properly fitting spacesuits, leading to allegations of sexism
Russia bids farewell to first man who walked in space
(UPDATED) Alexei Leonov is laid to rest at a military cemetery in Mytishchi in a ceremony that includes a gun salute and a service by a Russian Orthodox priest
First man to conduct spacewalk, Alexei Leonov, dies
Russian space agency Roscosmos says it is saddened to announce the death of 'cosmonaut No 11' who was twice decorated with the country's top honor, the Hero of the Soviet Union
First Arab on ISS returns to Earth
(UPDATED) Although Hazzaa al-Mansoori's mission was short – 8 days in total – it has been the source of great pride in the UAE, a newcomer to the world of space with ambitions to send an unmanned probe to orbit Mars by 2021
Rocket carrying Emirati, Russian, American blasts off for ISS
Hazzaa al-Mansoori of the United Arab Emirates will spend 8 days on the ISS and will be the first Emirati and the first Arab on the orbiting laboratory
Virgin Galactic seeks space tourism boost with market launch
(UPDATED) 'By embarking on this new chapter...we can open space to more investors and in doing so, open space to thousands of new astronauts,' says Richard Branson
NASA tests launch-abort system for moon-mission capsule
The exercise aims to test in almost real-life conditions the evacuation of astronauts from the Orion capsule in the event of an explosion or other problem shortly after launch of the rocket taking them into space
NASA's Curiosity rover finds new methane spike on Mars
'With our current measurements, we have no way of telling if the methane source is biology or geology, or even ancient or modern,' says Paul Mahaffy of NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center
India unveils spacecraft for moon-landing mission
The mission is India's second to the moon, and if successful, it would put the nation in the league of the US, the former Soviet Union, and China
NASA to open International Space Station to tourists from 2020
The missions will be for stays of up to 30 days. As many as a dozen private astronauts could visit the ISS per year, says NASA.
China conducts first sea-based space rocket launch
The Asian giant now spends more than Russia and Japan on its civil and military space programs – unveiling ambitious plans for missions to the moon and beyond in the coming decade
NASA unveils schedule for 'Artemis' 2024 Moon mission
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine confirms that Artemis 1 will be an uncrewed mission around the Moon planned for 2020
China to launch asteroid probe, calls for partners
The 10-year mission will involve a probe sent to a near-Earth asteroid to collect samples, says Liu Jizhong, head of China's Exploration and Space Engineering Center
Mission complete: NASA announces demise of Opportunity rover
'There was silence. There were tears. There were hugs. There were memories and laughs shared. #ThankYouOppy #GoodnightOppy.'
New Mars rover named after DNA pioneer Rosalind Franklin
Cambridge-educated Franklin 'helped us understand life on Earth and now her namesake will do the same on Mars,' says UK Science Minister Chris Skidmore
Saturn's rings are younger than the planet itself
The sixth planet from the Sun formed about 4.5 billion years ago, along with the rest of the planets in our solar system, and spent the bulk of its existence without the characteristic rings it is known for today
'Repeating' radio waves from deep space baffle scientists
What corner of the universe these powerful waves come from and the forces that produced them remain unknown
In space, the U.S. sees a rival in China
China launches more rockets into space than any other country, with 39 last year compared to 31 by the US, 20 by Russia, and 8 by Europe
Will China's moon landing launch a new space race?
Because of the secrecy that surrounds many aspects of the Chinese space program, its exact capabilities are unknown. However, the program is likely on par with its counterparts.
China lands probe on far side of moon – state TV
The probe lands at 10:26 am Beijing time and relays a photo of the 'dark side' of the moon to the Queqiao satellite, which will relay communications between controllers on Earth and the far side of the moon
NASA says faraway world Ultima Thule shaped like 'snowman'
The first detailed images allow scientists to confidently determine the body was formed when two spheres, or 'lobes,' slowly gravitated towards each other until they stuck together – a major scientific discovery
When you look up, how far back in time do you see?
Without really trying, you can see years into the past. And with the aid of a telescope you can see millions or even billions of years into the past with your very own eyes.
NASA spaceship closes in on distant world
The historic flyby to Ultima Thule, the most distant world ever studied, is set to 'take us back 4 and a half billion years to the birth of the solar system'
India to send three-person crew on landmark space mission
The 3-member crew is set to be India's first manned mission to space
Virgin Galactic's new flight test to soar closer to edge of space
The US company run by British tycoon Richard Branson is aiming to be the first to take tourists on brief trips into microgravity
Russian spacewalkers take sample of mystery hole at space station
Roscosmos space agency says the aim is to discover whether the 'small but dangerous' hole has been made on Earth or in space
China launches rover for first far side of the moon landing
(UPDATED) China becomes the first nation to explore the mountainous and rugged area, which makes landing difficult
Cheers as Mars InSight spacecraft lands on Red Planet
The dramatic arrival of the $993 million spacecraft marks the 8th successful landing on Mars in NASA's history
NASA wants people on Mars within 25 years
The US space agency believes it can put humans on the Red Planet within 25 years, but the technological and medical hurdles are immense
Neil Armstrong's huge souvenir collection to be auctioned
Some items have historical value, such as flags or medallions he wore during the Apollo 11 lunar mission. Others do not – like a boy scout cap or a pin from his high school football team.
NASA spacecraft breaks record for coming closest to Sun
The goal of NASA's Parker Solar Probe is make a series of 24 flybys past our scorching star
NASA's hobbled Hubble telescope is near normal again
An attempt to revive the gyroscope by turning it in the opposite direction appears to have cleared any blockage, NASA reports
Trouble for Hubble: gyro fails on space telescope
Hubble is currently down to two working gyros and needs at least 3 for optimal operations. But it can continue to provide observations with just one functioning gyroscope.
Touchdown! Japan space probe lands new robot on asteroid
The French-German Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout, or MASCOT, lands safely on asteroid Ryugu and is in contact with its team
First to red planet will become Martians – Canada astronaut
The vast distance between Earth and Mars delays communications with mission control by up to 22 minutes, which means astronauts have to be self-reliant on the voyage
NASA spacecraft approaches asteroid, snaps first pic
The first, blurry images of Bennu were taken on August 17 at a distance of 1.4 million miles (2.3 million kilometers) from the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft
India to send manned mission to space by 2022 – Modi
Stepping up its rivalry with China, India has invested heavily in its space program in the past decade
Blend of novices, veterans to fly on 1st private U.S. spaceships
Nine astronauts will be flying from US soil to space for the first time since 2011
Space experts worry U.S. won't make it to Mars by 2030s
Senator Bill Nelson says the White House decision to return to the Moon – a program former president Barack Obama halted in order to focus on reaching Mars – could drag down the whole process
Boeing, SpaceX unlikely to make manned flights to ISS in 2019
The independent Government Accountability Office says neither company is expected to be ready to carry out manned flights by November 2019 because of various delays in certifying their programs
The rockets that are pushing the boundaries of space travel
Today, NASA is so dependent on the private sector that the US space agency has signed contracts with SpaceX and Boeing to send astronauts to space beginning next year, as soon as their capsules are ready
SpaceX delays plans to send tourists around Moon – report
'A new timetable for the flight – now postponed until at least mid-2019 and likely longer – hasn't been released,' reports The Wall Street Journal
SpaceX postpones next-gen rocket launch
The rocket's main goal for its maiden mission is to propel the first high-orbit communications satellite for Bangladesh, called Bangabandhu Satellite-1
NASA program to track greenhouse gas is canceled
'Now, President Donald Trump's administration has quietly killed the CMS,' a report says, describing the move as the latest in a 'broad attack on climate science' mounted by the White House
