Powering spacecraft with solar energy may not seem like a challenge, given how intense the sun's light can feel on Earth. Spacecraft near the Earth use large solar panels to harness the sun for the electricity needed to run ...
Space Exploration
21 hours ago
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1
A pair of stranded astronauts will be one step closer to finally coming home when the next crew launches for the International Space Station on Friday.
Space Exploration
Mar 14, 2025
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On the way to investigate the scene of a historic asteroid collision, a European spacecraft swung by Mars and captured rare images of the red planet's mysterious small moon Deimos, the European Space Agency (ESA) said Thursday.
Planetary Sciences
Mar 13, 2025
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24
Humans will likely set foot on the moon again in the coming decade. While many stories in this new chapter of lunar exploration will be reminiscent of the Apollo missions 50 years ago, others may look quite different.
Space Exploration
Mar 11, 2025
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Led by Rocket Lab of Long Beach, California, and their partners at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Rocket Lab's Venus mission will be the first private mission to the planet.
Space Exploration
Feb 27, 2025
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29
NASA's Lucy spacecraft has its next flyby target, the small main belt asteroid Donaldjohanson, in its sights. By blinking between images captured by Lucy on Feb. 20 and 22, this animation shows the perceived motion of Donaldjohanson ...
Astronomy
Feb 25, 2025
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32
On March 1, NASA's Europa Clipper will streak just 550 miles (884 kilometers) above the surface of Mars for what's known as a gravity assist—a maneuver to bend the spacecraft's trajectory and position it for a critical ...
Space Exploration
Feb 25, 2025
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13
Elon Musk's latest space-related hammer throw is to call for it to be deorbited as soon as two years from now.
Space Exploration
Feb 22, 2025
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There is a very small chance that an asteroid capable of taking out an entire city could strike Earth in less than eight years. But even if this asteroid is hurtling our way, humanity is now able to defend itself against ...
Planetary Sciences
Feb 21, 2025
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2
Before Apollo astronauts set foot upon the moon, much remained unknown about the lunar surface. While most scientists believed the moon had a solid surface that would support astronauts and their landing craft, a few believed ...
Space Exploration
Feb 20, 2025
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A spacecraft is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. On a sub-orbital spaceflight, a spacecraft enters space then returns to the Earth. For an orbital spaceflight, a spacecraft enters a closed orbit around the planetary body. Spacecraft used for human spaceflight carry people on board as crew or passengers. Spacecraft used for robotic space missions operate either autonomously or telerobotically. Robotic spacecraft that leave the vicinity of the planetary body are space probes. Robotic spacecraft that remain in orbit around the planetary body are artificial satellites. Starships, which are built for interstellar travel, are so far a theoretical concept only (aside from a handful of interstellar probes such as Pioneer 10 and 11, Voyager, and New Horizons).
Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and space tourism. Spacecraft and space travel are common themes in works of science fiction.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA
