Space News - News of Philadelphia

MAVEN Mars orbiter spinning in space with tilted solar panels and faint glow against a blue‑purple Martian sky.

NASA Loses Contact with MAVEN Mars Probe on Dec 6

Emily Carter Reynolds January 3, 2026No Comments

At a Glance NASA lost contact with the MAVEN Mars orbiter on Dec 6 after a fragment suggested spinning. The probe appears to be spinning...

Astronomer studying data with curved screen showing binary lights and icy comet halo

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3I/ATLAS Found to Be a Comet, No Tech Signals Detected

Robert K. Lawson January 3, 2026No Comments

At a Glance 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object, was searched for alien radio signals. The Breakthrough Listen program found no credible...

Starlink satellite gleaming with solar panels and antennae against dark sky with faint blue Earth and twinkling swarm

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SpaceX to Drop 4,400 Starlink Satellites to Cut Collision Risk

Michael A. Turner January 2, 2026No Comments

At a Glance SpaceX will lower 4,400 Starlink satellites from 550 km to 480 km over 2026. The move aims to cut collision risk and speed deorbit by...

Glowing disk stretches across the frame with wispy filaments and swirling nebulae lighting the void.

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Hubble’s First Visible-Light Image of Chaotic Disk “Dracula’s Chivito”

Jordan M. Lewis January 1, 2026No Comments

At a Glance Disk spans 400 billion miles (640 billion km), ~40× the solar system. First visible-light image from Hubble shows chaotic, asymmetric...

Astronaut gazing at towering Starship V3 with blue engines illuminated by neon launchpad lights and distant Earth in the sky.

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2026: The Year of Starship, Artemis, and 11 Groundbreaking Space Missions

James O Connor Fields December 30, 2025No Comments

At a Glance Starship V3 slated to launch early 2026, the most powerful rocket ever built. Artemis II will send a four-astronaut crew on a lunar...

Spacecraft lands on far side of moon with supermoons and solar eclipse overhead and robotic landers

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2026 Sky-High: Lunar Landings, Supermoons, and Solar Eclipses Await

James O Connor Fields December 29, 2025No Comments

At a Glance 2026 will feature three supermoons, a lunar landing crew, and two solar eclipses. NASA's Artemis commander Reid Wiseman plans a 10-day...

Artemis II spacecraft orbits the moon with a glowing lunar landscape and subtle descent stage and astronaut suits nearby

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NASA’s Artemis II Will Launch in 2026, Sending Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Orbit

Emily Carter Reynolds December 28, 2025No Comments

At a Glance NASA plans a 2026 moon launch with Artemis II. The crew of four will orbit the moon for ~10 days. Launch window: February-April 2026, no...