Ben Evans
Recent articles by Ben Evans
Humans wouldn't survive on icy moon Europa, yet it's one of the best places to look for alien life
The icy moon is one of the most promising places to look for signs of habitability in the Solar System
NASA's Space Shuttle: the history of the reusable spacecraft and its lasting legacy
NASA's Space Shuttle launched in 1981 and flew its final mission in 2011. Over three decades its 135 missions changed spaceflight forever.
This NASA spacecraft spent 20 years orbiting Saturn. Here's what it discovered
A history of the Cassini-Huygens mission at Saturn and Titan.
This US astronomer found something weird in pictures of Pluto, and ended up discovering its biggest moon
Pluto's moon Charon was discovered on 22 June 1978 by US astronomer James Christy while examining images of Pluto. We explore how this momentous find came to be.
Aliens next door? If ET life does exist, these worlds close to Earth are our best chance of finding it
This spacecraft sped past Pluto on the edge of the Solar System. Here's what it found
The rocket that carried Americans into space. A history of the Saturn V rocket, and why it disappeared
The story and facts behind the Saturn V rocket that launched human beings to the Moon.
If life did ever exist on Mars, these five regions are our best bet of finding proof
Little red men? A history of our obsession with life on Mars, from canals to Curiosity
Mars has long ignited our imagination. Ben Evans traces the history of our quest for life on the fourth rock from the Sun
Five fantastical visions of Mars that exist only in our imagination
Why haven't we been back to the Moon since Apollo?
If Pluto has a liquid ocean, it's one of the best places to search for life beyond Earth
A history of spacewalks
NASA Europa Clipper will search for signs of life at Jupiter's icy moon.
Astronomy History | How JFK kickstarted the race to the Moon
Kennedy's Moon Shot speech to US Congress speech kickstarted the US lunar programme. But why did JFK want to send astronauts to the Moon, and how did the race begin?
'How we fixed Hubble': An interview with former astronaut Story Musgrave
Story Musgrave recalls his experiences as part of the team to repair the Hubble Space Telescope's mirror.
What was wrong with Hubble's mirror, and how was it fixed?
Almost straight after deployment, Hubble’s optics were found to be flawed. But the telescope eventually recovered its reputation.
How did the Hubble Space Telescope come about?
30 years on, it feels like Hubble has always been observing the night sky. But how did this audacious project come about?
Why did astronauts service the Hubble Space Telescope?
Hubble’s in-built maintainability proved its saving grace, meaning it could be regularly serviced by astronauts to keep it up to date with emerging technology.
'How we serviced Hubble': astronaut Mike Massimino on fixing the famous space telescope
Mike Massimino knows all too well what it took to keep Hubble going. He was one of many NASA astronauts who serviced the space telescope.
Apollo astronauts: the original social distancers?
Crammed into a small space and without physical contact with the rest of the world, were the Apollo astronauts the original social distancers?
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope: the legacy of a Universe in infrared
After 16 years of trailblazing infrared observations, in January 2020 the Spitzer Space Telescope reaches retirement. Ben Evans reports on its astonishing legacy.
What did the Galileo mission discover at Jupiter?
The history of NASA's Galileo probe and its discoveries in the Jovian system.
