Astrodynamics is the research area concerned with the modeling, analysis, and control of the motion of natural and artificial bodies in space under the influence of gravitational and non-gravitational forces. It encompasses orbital mechanics, trajectory design and optimization, mission analysis, attitude–orbit coupling, and perturbation theory for multi-body environments. The field integrates celestial mechanics, numerical methods, optimal control, and spacecraft propulsion modeling to enable precise prediction and adjustment of trajectories for applications such as orbit insertion, station-keeping, interplanetary transfers, formation flying, and proximity operations, often requiring high-fidelity dynamical models and robust estimation techniques for navigation and guidance.
MIT engineers are testing a new propulsion system that combines the power and speed of conventional chemical thrusters with the precision and fuel-efficiency of electrical thrusters. The system could enable the design of ...
Space Exploration
Jun 2, 2026
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180
SpaceX Starship launches are on hold pending an investigation into last week's test flight.
Space Exploration
May 28, 2026
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43
It's getting crowded up there. Over the past few years, the advent of SpaceX's Starlink and other players in the mega-satellite constellation game are adding an exponential load of satellites and orbital debris to the low ...
Space Exploration
May 24, 2026
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22
Elon Musk's SpaceX is set for the debut launch of its latest Starship iteration on Thursday, testing the most powerful version yet of the megarocket as the company targets a blockbuster initial public offering.
Space Exploration
May 21, 2026
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21
SpaceX seems to have mistaken shooting for the moon with shooting at the moon. Forecast to occur on Aug. 5, a five-story-long piece of a rocket from one of the private space exploration company's recent lunar missions is ...
Space Exploration
May 20, 2026
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62
Earth has a group of cosmic stalkers. Known as "co-orbitals," these small bits of rock have a 1:1 mean motion resonance with Earth. Basically, they take the exact same amount of time to orbit the sun as we do. Astronomers ...
Planetary Sciences
May 18, 2026
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43
Researchers have developed a mathematical method that enables more precise calculations of the most economical travel routes between the orbits of celestial bodies. To demonstrate this method, they calculated a more efficient ...
Space Exploration
May 15, 2026
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125
A NASA spacecraft chasing a rare metal asteroid swings past Mars this week for a gravity boost, snapping thousands of pictures as practice for the main encounter in 2029.
Planetary Sciences
May 14, 2026
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28
A daring mission to lift NASA's sinking Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is now one step closer to launch this June. On May 4, Katalyst Space Technologies completed environmental tests of its LINK robotic servicing spacecraft ...
Space Exploration
May 11, 2026
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14
NASA's Psyche spacecraft will get a boost from Mars on Friday, May 15, passing just 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) from the planet's surface at some 12,333 mph (19,848 kph). The spacecraft will harness the planet's gravitational ...
Planetary Sciences
May 9, 2026
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220
