Astronomy and Space News
News for skywatchers: space telescopes, missions to the Moon and Mars, launches, and what is happening in the night sky. Newest first, each with links to the original releases.
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BepiColombo is set to enter orbit around Mercury on November 21
After eight years and nine planetary flybys, the European-Japanese BepiColombo mission is due to slip into orbit around Mercury on November 21, with science starting in April 2027.
Read more about BepiColombo is set to enter orbit around Mercury on November 21 →
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Chandra finds a hidden companion behind a giant star's repeating outbursts
X-ray data show the erupting star AT 2016blu has a black hole or neutron star partner that feeds on it every 113 days. Amateur observers helped track the outbursts.
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Four volunteers finish NASA's second yearlong Mars simulation
The CHAPEA Mission 2 crew left their 3D-printed habitat in Houston on October 31 after 378 days of simulated life on Mars.
Read more about Four volunteers finish NASA's second yearlong Mars simulation →
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NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft swing past Earth and head for Mars
Both ESCAPADE probes completed powered Earth flybys on November 7 and 9, a first for a NASA Mars mission, and are due to reach Mars in September 2027.
Read more about NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft swing past Earth and head for Mars →
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NASA awards Moon Base contracts, including a nuclear-powered polar rover
NASA picked eight companies for a $10 billion lunar delivery contract and announced PROMISE, a JPL rover built from Mars rover spares for the lunar south pole.
Read more about NASA awards Moon Base contracts, including a nuclear-powered polar rover →
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ESA's Hera arrives at the asteroids hit by NASA's DART and sends first close-ups
After a two-year trip, Hera has braked to a near stop at the Didymos asteroid pair and imaged Didymos from 60 km. Detailed images of Dimorphos are due on November 25.
Read more about ESA's Hera arrives at the asteroids hit by NASA's DART and sends first close-ups →
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Spacewalkers install the last new solar array on the space station
On November 5, Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk installed the eighth and final roll-out solar array, finishing a power upgrade that began in 2021.
Read more about Spacewalkers install the last new solar array on the space station →
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NASA details Artemis III docking test in Earth orbit ahead of 2028 landing
Artemis III will spend 14 days in Earth orbit in 2027, docking Orion with Blue Origin and SpaceX lander test vehicles before the Artemis IV Moon landing.
Read more about NASA details Artemis III docking test in Earth orbit ahead of 2028 landing →
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NASA's Swift observatory ends its mission and burns up after 22 years
Swift made its last observation on October 20 and re-entered the atmosphere over Indonesia on November 4, ending a mission planned for two years that ran for nearly 22.
Read more about NASA's Swift observatory ends its mission and burns up after 22 years →
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Perseverance cores its first sample in over a year, possibly its oldest rock
Perseverance drilled a gabbro rock called "Singita" near Jezero Crater's rim, and its SuperCam team reported tiny corundum crystals, the mineral that forms ruby.
Read more about Perseverance cores its first sample in over a year, possibly its oldest rock →
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Roman Space Telescope passes checkout and enters its final commissioning phase
NASA says its new Roman Space Telescope is fully functional, with its main camera's optics about 30% better than required, as the team prepares for science operations.
Read more about Roman Space Telescope passes checkout and enters its final commissioning phase →
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Japan's MMX launches to bring back a sample from Mars' moon Phobos
JAXA's Martian Moons eXploration spacecraft lifted off on October 20 and aims to land on Phobos twice and return a sample to Earth in 2031.
Read more about Japan's MMX launches to bring back a sample from Mars' moon Phobos →
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Euclid space telescope discovers its first new comet
ESA's Euclid, built to map dark matter, spotted a previously unknown comet in September images. It is now officially named C/2026 S1 (Euclid).
Read more about Euclid space telescope discovers its first new comet →
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Perseverance breaks Opportunity's record for distance driven on another world
On October 11, NASA's Perseverance rover passed 28.10 miles on Mars, beating the off-world driving record Opportunity set over nearly 15 years.
Read more about Perseverance breaks Opportunity's record for distance driven on another world →
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Webb pins down the most distant fast radio burst yet, in a tiny young galaxy
Webb traced the radio flash FRB 20240304B to a small, rapidly star-forming galaxy seen about 3 billion years after the Big Bang, pointing to a young magnetar as the source.
Read more about Webb pins down the most distant fast radio burst yet, in a tiny young galaxy →
