Boeing's 1st Starliner astronaut flight aborted before launch | Space Quiz! How many astronauts will fly on Starliner's 1st flight | China lands Chang'e 6 probe on far side of the moon
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An Atlas V rocket with the Starliner spacecraft on the launch pad in Florida. (NASA/Getty Images)
The first crewed launch of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has been delayed until no earlier than June 5 after an automatic abort cut short an attempted flight Saturday afternoon just minutes before liftoff. The abort may have been caused by a faulty computer card in the ground launch sequencer system housed in a building at the base of Starliner's launch pad.
China's robotic Chang'e 6 sample return mission touched down inside Apollo Crater non the far side of the moon, within the giant South Pole-Aitken basin, at 6:23 a.m. Beijing Time on Sunday (June 2) , according to Chinese space officials. The probe "successfully landed in the pre-selected area," China's space agency said.
The Europa Clipper mission, which aims to reach Europa by 2030, is stacked with a number of instruments that can help scientists understand the moon's complex geology and composition — ultimately, researchers want to use these tools to get a better idea of Europa's habitability. In other words, they want to learn whether this moon has favorable conditions for life to exist (life as we know it, at least).
Astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy has been keeping a watchful eye on sunspot AR3697 as it appears over the sun's southeastern limb. The incredible footage, captured from his backyard in Arizona showcases the turbulent nature of the sunspot region in great detail. "Unlike most celestial objects, the sun looks quite different from day to day, and is filled with exciting events like flares or coronal mass ejections. There's always something interesting to look at!" McCarthy told Space.com in an email.
In this episode of This Week in Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik discuss the latest updates on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, the potential for aurora sightings due to increased solar activity, and China's ambitious lunar exploration program with returning guest Mike Wall, Spaceflight Editor at Space.com. Tune in and get spaced!
(NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Scott Noble; simulation data, d'Ascoli et al. 2018)
One of the most profound messages Stephen Hawking left humanity with is that nothing lasts forever — and, at last, scientists could be ready to prove it. In a new study, scientists say they may have found a way to cement Hawking's famed "Hawking radiation" leaking from black holes as science fact.
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa won't shoot for the moon on SpaceX's Starship after all. "I signed the contract in 2018 based on the assumption that dearMoon would launch by the end of 2023," Maezawa said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). "It's a developmental project so it is what it is, but it is still uncertain as to when Starship can launch."
