Astronomers scope out alien solar system in detail

Researchers say they've conducted the first reconnaissance of a distant planetary system, collecting the spectra of four red exoplanets which orbit a star 128 light years away from Earth.

Grasshopper spacecraft makes record hop

SpaceX’s reusable Grasshopper spacecraft has managed to hop more than 24 stories into the air, hover and then land safely.

Hubble space telescope dates an ancient star

A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has taken an important step closer to finding the "birth certificate" of an ancient star.

3D image reveals ancient Martian flood

NASA has created a 3D reconstruction of ancient water channels below the surface of Mars, revealing evidence of a catastrophic flood in the last 500 million years.

International Space Station prepares for new crew members

Activities aboard the International Space Station (ISS) continue to ramp up for next week’s departure of three crew members and the arrival of three new residents at the end of the month.

How to spot comet Pan-STARRS this weekend

The brightest comet for several years should become visible in the Northern Hemisphere night sky over the next few days.

Phew: Einstein right about black holes after all

Scientists at the University of York say they've dispelled the so-called firewall paradox which suggests that anything falling into a black hole would be burned up as it crossed the event horizon.

Astronomers gain new tape measure for the universe

Using binary stars as a standard for reference, astronomers have measured the distance to our neighbouring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), more accurately than ever before.

SpaceX Dragon delivers Wet Lab Kit to International Space Station

The recently launched SpaceX Dragon spacecraft has successfully delivered a Wet Lab Kit to the crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Outside chance of comet hitting Mars next year

A recently-discovered comet has a chance - albeit a small one - of hitting Mars in October next year.

Comets form 'breeding ground' for complex organics

The evidence is piling up that the building blocks of life could have been brought to Earth by comets, after emerging in the dust of interplanetary space.

Europa's deep ocean may seep to the surface

Astronomers have found the strongest evidence yet that the ocean on Jupiter's moon Europa may consist of salty water, like our own. And, they say, that salty water appears to be making its way to the surface.

Cassini spots a bright Venus from Saturn orbit

NASA's Cassini spacecraft spots the bright, cloudy terrestrial planet, Venus, as it peers over the shoulder of giant Saturn, through its rings, and across interplanetary space.

Curiosity rover suffers major malfunction

The Curiosity ground team has been forced to switch the Mars rover to a redundant onboard computer, thanks to a memory problem.

NASA administrator warns of tough times ahead

As NASA's SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docks with the ISS, its head, Charles Bolden, has warned that recent political events could impact the agency's mission.

NASA's Orion test flight is on track for launch

The first NASA spacecraft designed to fly astronauts beyond Earth orbit since the Apollo era of yore is apparently well on its way to making a flight test next year.

The Eye of Sauron is nebula ESO 456-67

It may look like something from "The Lord of the Rings," trilogy (think the Eye of Sauron), but this fiery swirl is actually a real-life planetary nebula known as ESO 456-67 imaged by NASA's Hubble space telescope.

Space X Dragon reaches orbit despite thruster malfunction

SpaceX managed to successfully launch its third flight to the International Space Station (ISS) this morning despite an issue with the Dragon spacecraft's thruster pods.

Key component of DNA found in interstellar space

Two prebiotic molecules - one related to DNA and the other to an amino acid - have been identified in a gas cloud near the center of the Milky Way.

NASA finds third Van Allen belt around Earth

The Earth temporarily gained a third radiation belt last year, NASA's Van Allen Probes mission has revealed.