Scientists have long puzzled over why Venus appears to be such an unstable, polluted version of Earth. Today, NASA announced it had approved two missions to study this turbulent world. DAVINCI+ will examine the planet’s toxic atmosphere while VERITAS will map its surface and search for any sign that it once hosted water. Venera 1…
Armstrong and Aldrin used the two-hour moon walk to deploy Early Apollo Scientific Experiment Package instruments as well as collect rock and soil samples. Armstrong realized as they approached landing, the automatic landing system was leading them towards a rocky crater and ordered mission controllers to authorize a risky manual maneuver to address it. Apollo…
Columbia was NASA’s original space shuttle and served numerous microgravity experiments throughout its lifespan. Additionally, Columbia featured an external airlock/docking adaptor designed specifically to support Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions. Just 82 seconds after liftoff, foam from ET’s left bipod ramp collided with its left wing and caused a breach that allowed atmospheric gases into…
SpaceX finally achieved orbit with its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft after years of failure, fulfilling their ambitious plans to transport people and cargo to Mars and other solar system destinations. At the core of these vehicles are powerful rocket engines which use methane and oxygen fuel for thrust, with any excess being recycled…
