Russian Cargo Ship Destroyed En Route to the ISS
Earlier today, an unmanned Russian Progress MS-04 cargo spacecraft broke up in the atmosphere and crashed over Siberia while making its way to the International Space Station.
Europe and Russia Push Back Next Mars Rover Mission to 2020
Space agencies in Europe and Russia have sadly announced that their next mission to the surface of Mars with a rover will be delayed by two years, from 2018 t0 2020.
This Is the First Image From the ExoMars Mission
Last month, the European Space Agency and Roscosmos lofted their ExoMars mission into space. Now, it’s sent back the first image from its journey to the Red Planet.
Relive the Magic of the Latest Rocket Launch to Mars in Three Glorious Minutes
Two weeks ago, the European Space Agency launched ExoMars, a major new mission that’ll hunt for signs of alien life on the Red Planet. Now, the ESA has kindly cut us a sick highlight reel set to some orchestral dubstep so that we can all spend our Friday reliving the magic of six metric tons of metal escaping Earth’s…
Watch a Crew of New Astronaunts Launch to the International Space Station Live
The Soyuz spacecraft will be blasting off into space this evening—and pulling a crew of new astronauts up to the International Space Station along with it. Watch it happen live right here.
The ExoMars Launch Was a Resounding Success
After more than twelve hours of nail-biting anticipation, the European Space Agency’s ExoMars probe has finally phoned home, confirming that this morning’s launch was a complete success. The mission is now safely on its way to Mars.
Watch a Groundbreaking New Science Mission Blast Off For Mars
Sleep? Who needs that when you can watch one of the coolest Martian science missions of the decade blast off for the Red Planet? That’s happening very early tomorrow morning—and if you’re up at odd hours, you won’t want to miss it.
Why Europe's New Mission to Mars Is Such a Big Deal
NASA gets all the glory when it comes to Martian exploration, but two other space agencies are now hoping to change that. Early next week, the European Space Agency and Roscosmos are launching the first phase of their joint ExoMars mission, a major new scientific effort with an badass goal: discovering signs of life…
The First Space Flower Bloomed Decades Ago, Not This Week
This week was full of lessons. Lesson One: Never trust an astronaut. Lesson Two: Everyone loves flowers. Lesson Three: We’ve grown a lot of plants in space.
All Hail Sputnik, the First Robotic Overlord to Orbit our Planet
October 4, 1957: Sputnik beeps out a cheerful declaration of survival in the harshest of environments as the first artificial satellite to successfully orbit the Earth.
Watch a Soyuz "Soft Landing" from Gentle Detachment to Brutal Controlled Crash
We’ve teased that the term “soft” landing is utterly inappropriate, but our latest video makes that painfully clear. The preparation, waving goodbye, and gentle undocking are a deceptive moment of calm before the parachutes fling open and the chaos begins.
Majestic Video Re-imagines Earth's Sky If Celestial Bodies Were Closer
Our view of space is quite bland compared to what it could be like, as illustrated by this stunning “alternative celestial history” video produced by Russian space agency Roscosmos.
Check Out NASA's New Spacewalk Documentary
Few human feats are as impressive—visually, technologically, existentially—as the spacewalk. Officially known as “extravehicular activity,” or EVA, the act of venturing beyond the confines of a spacecraft in low Earth orbit turned 50 this year. To celebrate, NASA just released this documentary about the history of the…
Russian Rocket Explodes, Destroying a Mexican Satellite
Mexico’s newest communications satellite crashed into Siberia just minutes after launch early this morning. This marks the sixth catastrophic mishap of this particular configuration of a Roscomos Proton-M rocket since 2010.
Singer And Aspiring Space Tourist Sarah Brightman Postpones Her Launch
Her website is still awesomely space-themed, but soprano Sarah Brightman, who owned Broadway in the 1980s thanks to Cats and Phantom of the Opera, is scratching from her planned space-tourist trip to the ISS. She’d hoped to be “the first professional musician in history to perform live from orbit.”
Russia's ISS-Bound Cargo Craft Is Spinning Out Of Control In Space
The unpiloted Russian Progress 59 cargo spacecraft, just launched yesterday, is spinning out of control. Mission controllers are unable to communicate with the craft, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely that it will be able to deliver more than 6,000 pounds of food, fuel, and supplies to the International Space…
Check Out Russia's Sound-Proof, Indoor Rocket Engine Testing Chamber
American aerospace engineers test rocket engines in large outdoor test stands far away from densely populated areas, and let the engines roar. In Russia, they built a soundproof and gas-tight indoor test chamber right in the middle of town.
No, NASA Is Not Planning To Build A Space Station With Russia
This past weekend, the head of Roscosmos announced plans to build a new orbital space station in partnership with NASA to replace the aging International Space Station. Too bad it isn't true.
Check Out Three Amazing Rocket Launches That All Happened in One Day
What a busy weekend for space exploration. There were three successful lift offs around the world, including two Soyuz launches from opposite sides of the Earth:
Year in Space For Russian-American Crew Begins With Spectacular Launch
The first ever 'One-Year Mission' to the International Space Station (ISS) started with a bang March 27, with the spectacular nighttime launch of the Russian/American crew from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and culminated with a flawless docking.
