Shanghai
Earth observation image of the week: a Sentinel-2 image of Shanghai, also featured in the 200th edition of the Earth from Space video programme To source
Schiaparelli readied for Mars landing
This week, the commands that will govern the Schiaparelli lander’s descent and touchdown on Mars were uploaded to ESA’s ExoMars spacecraft, enroute to the Red Planet. To source
Space Station Flyover of Hurricane Matthew
The International Space Station has tracked Hurricane Matthew all week, providing images and video from low Earth orbit as the storm hit the Caribbean Sea and made its way towards Florida. In this photograph taken by Expedition 49 Flight Engineer Kate Rubins on Oct. 4, 2016, at 21:05 GMT, the hurricane’s clouds extend across the […]
Saturn's Moon Dione Probably Has a Buried Ocean, Too
Dione with Saturn and its rings in the background. This image was taken by the Cassini spacecraft on 17 Augustus 2015. The icy Saturn moon Dione appears to have an underground ocean of liquid water, just like two of its more famous neighbors, a new study suggests. This huge ocean is probably buried about 60 […]
Week In Images
Our week through the lens: 3-7 October 2016 To source
Automating sample testing thanks to space
A miniaturised biotech unit developed for the International Space Station is improving medical diagnoses on Earth with affordable automation of small-scale diagnostics. To source
Last command
Operations image of the week: Last command being sent to Rosetta To source
Print on demand
Technology image of the week: 3D printing demonstrated in the NL Space Tent at ESA’s Open Day in the Netherlands To source
CubeSats: Tiny Payloads, Huge Benefits for Space Research
Two of the 28 Dove cubesats that make up Planet Lab’s “Flock 1” constellation are seen deploying into orbit from the International Space Station on Feb. 11, 2014. CubeSats are miniature satellites that are commonly used in low Earth orbit for applications such as remote sensing or communications. As engineers become more familiar with the […]
Great, Mysterious Balls of Fire Speed by Dying Star
Massive balls of plasma twice the size of Mercury have been found streaming out of a red giant star called V Hydrae. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has seen planet-size cannonballs of hot gas whipping through the space near a dying star, but the origin of these plasma balls remains a mystery. The high-speed blobs, each […]
Blue Origin Pitches Space Tourists Package Deal to Ride Orbital Rocket
Blue Origin’s New Shepard capsule separates from its rocket during a successful “in-flight escape test” on Oct. 5, 2016. Blue Origin hopes people use the company to get two different sets of astronaut wings. Blue Origin, which is run by billionaire Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, is developing a reusable rocket-and-capsule combo called New Shepard to […]
IMAX Spectacle 'Voyage of Time' Aims to Inspire More Than Inform
Terrence Malick’s new film “Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience” is a visual journey through the history of the universe — and it’s overflowing with inspiration, even if it’s a little short on information. The movie is most accurately described as a documentary: It features amazing footage of stunning nature scenes, like incredibly close shots […]
'Martian Gardens' Help Scientists Find the Best Veggies to Grow on Mars
Simulated “Martian gardens” allow NASA scientists to test which plants can be grown on Mars. This photo shows the results of a preliminary study on lettuce plants. From left to right: lettuce seeds grown in potting soil, Martian simulant with added nutrients, and simulant without nutrients. Simulated “Martian gardens” are helping NASA scientists learn which […]