Category: Science

SpaceX launched 28 Starlink V2 Mini satellites Sept. 21, 2025, from Florida. The Falcon 9’s first stage, on its 11th mission, landed on a drone ship. This was SpaceX’s 119th launch of the year, further expanding its Starlink mega-constellation to over 8,000 active satellites in orbit.

SpaceX successfully launched NROL-48 on Sept. 22, 2025, for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The mission deployed small satellites into orbit, supporting the “proliferated architecture,” a strategy to boost resilience by using many small spacecraft for surveillance and intelligence.

A Harvard-led study has revealed that humans form unique touch patterns when exploring unfamiliar objects without goals. By categorizing movements into observational, perceptual, constructive, and hedonic actions, researchers found responses shaped by prior knowledge and object changes. The findings, published in PLOS One, may guide intuitive designs for robotics, gam…

NASA plans its first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years with Artemis 2, possibly launching Feb. 5, 2026. The 10-day flight will carry four astronauts around the Moon to validate deep-space systems and prepare for a lunar landing on Artemis 3.

A black hole in quasar RACS J0320-35, 12.8 billion light-years away, is growing 2.4 times faster than theory permits. Chandra’s discovery challenges ideas of how supermassive black holes formed so soon after the Big Bang.

Despite lacking air and water, the Moon hosts hematite—an oxidized iron mineral. Scientists discovered Earth’s escaping oxygen drives this rusting process during the Moon’s passage through the magnetotail. Observations from Chandrayaan-1 and NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter confirm hematite patches where Earth wind suppresses hydrogen and allows oxidation.

On Sept. 21, 2025, GOES-19’s CCOR-1 coronagraph recorded a natural lunar eclipse. The Moon’s trajectory appeared curved due to a satellite yaw-flip. Unlike L1-based coronagraphs, GOES-19’s orbit enabled this rare capture, helping scientists refine imaging systems and improve understanding of the Sun’s corona.

NASA has partnered with Arkisys to extend the Astrobee robotic mission aboard the ISS. The free-flying robots are set to support future exploration by performing spacecraft maintenance and assisting astronauts. The collaboration sustains a platform vital for testing new technologies in microgravity as NASA prepares missions to the Moon and Mars.

Researchers in China have unveiled RoboFalcon 2.0, a bird-inspired robot with flapping, sweeping, and folding wing motions. Unlike earlier versions, it can achieve self-takeoff and maintain flight at low speeds. Tested in wind tunnels and real-world trials, the design showed improved control and reduced strain on lift. While limitations remain, such as hovering abilit…

NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, launching in 2025, will capture ultraviolet light from hydrogen atoms to map Earth’s faint geocorona. Operating a million miles sunward, it will study how solar activity drives atmospheric loss, improves satellite protection, and reveals clues to planetary habitability, providing critical insight for future crewed and robot…

JWST detected “The Cliff,” a candidate black hole star with a black hole core wrapped in a luminous gas shell. This discovery offers insights into black hole formation, stellar evolution, and cosmic dynamics, prompting astronomers to search for similar objects across the universe.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope revealed mysterious “little red dots” that seem too bright and mature for their age. A new study suggests they may be black hole stars—giant hydrogen spheres powered by black holes—helping explain the rapid growth of early supermassive black holes.

NASA chose Blue Origin to deliver the VIPER rover to the Moon’s South Pole by late 2027 under a $190 million CLPS contract. VIPER will explore permanently shadowed craters for water ice, a key resource for Artemis goals and sustainable human exploration on the lunar surface.

NASA has resolved troubling airflow vibrations detected during Artemis I. By combining wind-tunnel tests, advanced pressure-sensing paint, and supercomputer simulations, engineers added aerodynamic strakes to the SLS rocket. The fix cuts turbulence, ensuring Artemis II remains safe and on schedule for its upcoming crewed mission to the Moon.

Asteroid 2024 YR4 is drawing global attention as a possible lunar impactor in 2032. Though the chances of Earth impact have dropped, a collision with the Moon could still create dangerous orbital debris. Scientists stress preparedness, exploring deflection missions and nuclear defense strategies.

Using Hubble’s ultraviolet spectrograph, scientists detected carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, and abundant oxygen falling onto a white dwarf 260 light-years away, evidence of an icy planetesimal being torn apart. The find shows volatile worlds can persist into a star’s final stages, offering a preview of the Sun’s distant fate.

Barren Island in the Andaman Sea experienced two small eruptions on Sept. 13 and 20, 2025. Officials confirmed no casualties or hazards. Scientists link the second event to a recent earthquake and continue to monitor the volcano, which has erupted intermittently since its first recorded activity in 1787.

NASA has unveiled its 2025 astronaut class, selecting 10 candidates from over 8,000 applicants. For the first time, women make up the majority. Their training will prepare them for missions to the ISS, Artemis lunar exploration, and ultimately crewed missions to Mars, supporting NASA’s bold long-term spaceflight goals.

New research confirms the Silverpit Crater in the North Sea was formed by an asteroid impact around 43 million years ago. Using seismic imaging and rare mineral evidence, scientists proved the impact origin beyond doubt, resolving a debate that lasted two decades and placing the crater among Earth’s rare, well-preserved impact structures.

Astronomers report that Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN), discovered in September, may brighten to near naked-eye visibility in October.

SpaceX successfully launched NROL-48 on Sept. 22, 2025, for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The mission deployed small satellites into orbit, supporting the “proliferated architecture,” a strategy to boost resilience by using many small spacecraft for surveillance and intelligence.

A Swedish team has precisely dated microbial life in Finland’s Lappajärvi crater. Isotopic traces show bacteria colonized the hydrothermal system just a few million years after the meteorite impact, thriving for millions of years. The finding suggests impact craters on Earth and Mars may provide lasting habitats for life.

SpaceX has moved its next Starship spacecraft to the launch pad at Starbase, Texas, signaling preparations for Flight 11. This test flight will be the last mission of Starship Version 2, following Flight 10’s success with splashdowns and satellite deployment.

NASA has confirmed 6,000 exoplanets beyond our solar system, highlighting three decades of accelerating discovery. From scorching hot Jupiters to worlds with jewel-like clouds, the catalog reflects cosmic diversity. Future missions aim to identify true Earth analogs and investigate signs of life across distant planetary systems.

NASA satellites recorded Arctic sea ice at 1.78 million sq miles on Sept. 10, 2025—its tenth-lowest extent. Antarctic ice also stayed below seasonal averages. Scientists stress these lows reflect long-term climate-driven changes reshaping Earth’s polar regions.

SpaceX successfully launched 28 new Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral on Sept. 18, 2025, using its trusted Falcon 9 rocket. The booster made a safe return on the droneship “Just Read the Instructions.” This mission marked the 117th Falcon 9 flight of the year.

A groundbreaking MIT study suggests that a primordial black hole explosion may have produced the most energetic neutrino ever detected. Researchers argue that as these ancient black holes shrink through Hawking radiation, they eventually explode, sending out powerful particles.

Blue Origin’s NS-35 mission carried over 40 scientific and student experiments beyond the Kármán Line, showcasing reusable rocket technology. The uncrewed flight ended the operational career of the RSS H.G. Wells capsule, highlighting Blue Origin’s dedication to research and education in space.

Russia’s Progress-93 mission successfully reached the ISS with 2.8 tons of supplies and fuel. The automated docking on September 13 ensures astronauts have resources for daily life and research. Such resupply flights are vital for sustaining human presence in space and maintaining station operations.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed nanoengineered exciton-based switches that reduce heat loss by 66%, rivalling the performance of top electronic switches. The design uses a tungsten diselenide monolayer on a nanoridge to control excitons, marking a leap toward efficient devices that bridge the gap between electronics and photonics.