Missions
The latest news from the spacecraft helping us explore the cosmos, and the historical missions that paved the way.
Artemis II launch tore a hole in Earth's atmosphere, say scientists
The launch of Artemis II caused three distinct disturbances in Earth's ionosphere
Martian dust could be fatal for humans. NASA's Mars rover is helping the first settlers prepare for life on the Red Planet
Dust on Mars could be a major stumbling block for humans
NASA space telescope crashes back to Earth after two decades exploring explosions across the Universe
Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday 4 November 2026
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NASA gets Voyager 1 back online after comms glitch – just in time for the probe to reach a mind-blowing milestone
Voyager 1 is about to reach a huge milestone, but is still keeping scientists on their toes
I'm NASA's ex-chief scientist. Here's how the Voyager missions revolutionised our exploration of the Solar System
How the Voyager mission revolutionised the way we explore the Solar System
NASA's Voyager 1 probe is about to reach a distance of 1 light-day from Earth. Here's why this cosmic milestone is so huge
Voyager 1 is about to reach a huge milestone
Scientists fired a laser into the sky to talk to a distant spacecraft. Here's what it said
Image shows the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory at NASA's Table Mountain Facility beaming a laser to NASA's Psyche spacecraft.
As an astrophysicist, I think Japan’s bold new Mars moon mission will be a planetary game-changer
An astrophysicist reveals why Japan's new mission could reveal the secrets of the Solar System
We CAN survive the journey to Mars, say scientists, if we do this one key thing. And it's probably something you do already
The human body can survive travelling to Mars and living on the Martian surface, as long as it gets plenty of cardiovascular exercise.
This spacecraft is about to feel the burn as it explores Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun. Here's why scientists are getting very excited
The BepiColombo mission is primed to orbit Mercury and uncover the secrets of the closest planet to our Sun.
Astronaut Don Pettit's best images
NASA astronaut Don Pettit has captured some of the most amazing images even taken on board the Space Station. Here are some of the best
Watch live as Japan launches a spacecraft to land on Mars's moon
Watch the livestream of today's launch
This Japanese spacecraft is about to launch on a mission to Mars's moons – and it's bringing a sample back to Earth
Japan’s Martian Moons eXploration is a daring mission to moon Phobos that will bring back the first-ever samples from the Mars system.
May the flush be with you! A history of space toilets, from floating poop to Artemis bathroom malfunctions
A history of toilets in space, from the early US missions through the Space Shuttle, the ISS and NASA's Artemis
'I found the biggest ever haul of organics on Mars.' Meet the scientist at the centre of the search for life on the Red Planet
Dr Amy Williams and her team discovered the largest collection of organic compounds on Mars in a sample collected by the Curiosity rover
This NASA Mars rover just smashed the record for distance travelled on a planet beyond Earth
NASA's Perseverance rover has broken the record for off-world travel during its mission exploring the Red Planet
Elon Musk wants to colonise Mars – but is it actually possible? Here's what an astrophysicist thinks
Elon Musk wants to colonise Mars and make it fit for humans. But could we – and should we – colonise Mars? We asked an astrophysicist.
Good morning Mars! New image shows crisp view of morning light over distant Martian mountains. This is what it would be like to walk on the Red Planet
An image of the morning light on Mars and distant cliffs, as seen by NASA's Curiosity rover
Planet Mars or ice cream? Five times the Red Planet looked absolutely delicious (and the science behind what's really going on)
Views of Mars captured by the Mars Express orbiter
Being in space changes how you think. Scientists find astronauts' decision-making is altered by zero gravity
A study has found that the decision making prowess of astronauts might be affected by being in zero gravity.
Space companies want to send humans to Mars. But how realistic is it? These are the fiercest dangers we face making a trip to the Red Planet
The journey to put human feet on Mars is going to be a long one, so what might be the effects on the human body and mind as astronauts travel to the Red Planet?
A spacecraft just skimmed past our planet on its way to Jupiter. Here's its spectacular view of Earth
A beautiful view of Earth from space captured by the Juice spacecraft during a flyby of our planet on 28 September 2026
Spectacular image from the surface of Mars – and scientists get a big surprise while searching for signs of ancient life
Perseverance rover makes a discovery at Margin Unit on Mars giving scientists clues about the planet's wet history and conditions for life
Footprint on Mars? A NASA rover has been studying mysterious pits on the Red Planet. Here's what's really going on
The formations are "unlike anything we have seen in the past"
