Space probes as a research area encompasses the design, deployment, and scientific utilization of uncrewed spacecraft sent beyond Earth orbit to investigate planetary bodies, small Solar System objects, and the heliosphere, and increasingly to perform astrophysical observations from deep space. Research focuses on mission architecture, autonomous navigation and operations, radiation-hardened avionics, long-duration power systems (e.g., RTGs, advanced solar arrays), high-gain communications, and in situ and remote-sensing payloads optimized for extreme environments. The field integrates planetary science, space plasma physics, and instrumentation, emphasizing data acquisition strategies, sample return capabilities, and technology maturation for future interplanetary and interstellar exploration.
When the James Webb Space Telescope detected potential biosignatures in the atmosphere of K2-18 b last year, the discovery sparked intense debate. Here was a sub-Neptune exoplanet 124 light years away, possibly harboring ...
Astrobiology
Nov 12, 2025
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The interstellar object known as 3I/ATLAS just flew past Mars, and China's Tianwen-1 mission managed to snap some pics with its high-resolution camera. According to the China National Space Agency (CNSA), the orbiter's high-resolution ...
Astronomy
Nov 10, 2025
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257
New Glenn, the towering rocket built by Jeff Bezos's space company Blue Origin, is set to take off on its second mission Sunday as competition intensifies with Elon Musk's SpaceX.
Space Exploration
Nov 9, 2025
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After arriving at the California launch site at the end of September, the two HydroGNSS satellites have been carefully prepared for liftoff, scheduled this month.
Space Exploration
Nov 6, 2025
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The first dual-satellite mission to another planet, NASA's ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers), is scheduled for launch no earlier than Sunday, Nov. 9, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The two identical ...
Space Exploration
Nov 6, 2025
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In 1949, famed mathematician and physicist John von Neumann delivered a series of addresses at the University of Illinois, where he introduced the concept of the "universal constructor." The theory was further detailed in ...
Space Exploration
Nov 5, 2025
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After acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy this month called out SpaceX for Starship delays, Elon Musk's company has come back with an update defending its progress and offering a speedier plan to get astronauts back on the ...
Space Exploration
Nov 3, 2025
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231
Interest in the moon has been high—just in the past two years there have been 12 attempts to send missions to the moon, nearly half of which private companies undertook. With so much activity, it's important to start thinking ...
Space Exploration
Oct 30, 2025
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China said Thursday it's on track to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 as it introduced the next crew of astronauts who will head to its space station as part of the country's ambitious plans to be a leader in space exploration.
Space Exploration
Oct 30, 2025
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94
All sorts of crazy things have been suggested regarding 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar object that we've discovered. Some are simply conspiracy theories about it being an alien spacecraft, while others have been well-thought-out ...
Planetary Sciences
Oct 21, 2025
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