As demand for critical metals grows, scientists have taken a rare, close look at life on the deep Pacific seabed where mining may soon begin. Over five years and 160 days at sea, researchers documented nearly 800 species, many previously unknown. Test mining reduced animal abundance and diversity significantly, thoughContinue Reading
NASA’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft are seen on the pad at Launch Complex 39B, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Joel Kowsky As part of the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal, NASA’s Artemis II closeout crew and pad rescueContinue Reading
Clouds and the Sun illuminate the sky on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, as NASA’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft stand vertical at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Cory S Huston NASA teams have transitioned all cryogenic tanks on the SLS (SpaceContinue Reading
NASA astronauts Chris Williams and Zena Cardman, both Expedition 74 flight engineers, work on spacesuit maintenance inside the International Space Station’s Quest airlock on Dec. 16, 2025. Credit: NASA NASA astronaut Chris Williams will connect with students in Pennsylvania to answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions whileContinue Reading
Clouds and the Sun illuminate the sky on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, as NASA’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft stand vertical at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Cory S Huston Following the vent and relief test on the interim cryogenicContinue Reading
NASA’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen on Launch Pad 39B, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Aubrey Gemignani Fueling of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket is proceeding on all fronts, following earlierContinue Reading
Researchers are examining residents’ long-term liver health and how chemicals affect dogs. Others are sharing lessons learned with disaster zones elsewhere. By Julie Grant, The Allegheny Front This story was originally published by The Allegheny Front, a public radio program covering environmental issues in Western Pennsylvania. Listen to the radio version ofContinue Reading
Astro2020 White papers General Solar System Exoplanets (excluding microlensing) Microlensing Debris Disks Stellar Populations Transient Phenomena & Time Domain Multi-Messenger Science Black Holes Galaxy Evolution Deep Fields, Re-ionization & Cosmology General Astrometry with WFIRST Robyn E. Sanderson et al (not decadal) Auxiliary science with the WFIRST microlensing survey Gaudi et alContinue Reading
Ground teams have resumed the fast fill of liquid hydrogen operations into the core stage of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. Operations were stopped twice after leak rates at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical exceeded allowable limits. Engineers will attempt to complete fast fill and beginContinue Reading
A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft fires its Draco engines, an independent propellant system located in the spacecraft’s trunk, for a regularly scheduled orbital reboost of the International Space Station above the Indian Ocean. NASA The Expedition 74 crew kicked off the week with SpaceX Dragon spacecraft preparations and science hardware maintenanceContinue Reading
After teams temporarily resumed fast fill of liquid hydrogen operations into the core stage, initial steps to correct the leak proved unsuccessful. The leak rate at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical continued to exceed the allowable limits. Liquid hydrogen filling operations on both the core stage andContinue Reading
Cosmic Origins … Cosmic Origins Community Next AI/ML STIG Lecture, 2 Feb… About Community Executive Committee Science Groups News & Events Cosmic Pathfinders Early Career Workshop Opportunities Missions Studies News & Events Resources Next AI/ML Science and Technology Interest Group (AI/ML STIG) Lecture 2 February 2026 February 2nd, 2026Continue Reading
The Moon is seen shining over the SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft, atop the mobile launcher on January 28, 2026, at Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Sam Lott Teams began chilling down the liquid hydrogen lines for the interim cryogenic propulsion stage of NASA’s SLS (Space LaunchContinue Reading