Technology

We need satellites to save the Earth, but launching them endangers space itself. A new model helps designers balance vital data against the risk of collision. Earth-observation satellites are critical for tracking climate change and disasters. But with 11,800 active satellites and predictions of 100,000 soon, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is becoming a junkyard.

NASA has awarded the 6th private astronaut mission to Vast, breaking Axiom Space's streak and signaling a booming economy in Low Earth Orbit. For years, Axiom Space has been the sole operator of private missions to the ISS. But the landscape changed on Feb 12, when NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced that California-based startup Vast will launch the sixth private mission in summer 2027.

The James Webb Space Telescope is the world's most powerful observatory. But in 2029, it gets a partner: ESA's Ariel mission. Together, they will revolutionize exoplanet science. Astronomers want data. Lots of it. While JWST is a general-purpose powerhouse capable of observing everything from black holes to comets, its time is precious and limited.

Why spend billions on a space telescope when a balloon can do the job? Meet EXCITE: The mission designed to stare at Hot Jupiters for days without blinking. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a marvel, but it's busy. Getting enough time to watch an exoplanet complete a full orbit—which can take days—is difficult.

Water is heavy, expensive to transport, and vital for life. Future space missions depend on our ability to recycle every drop and harvest new sources from alien worlds. Sending water to the ISS costs tens of thousands of dollars per gallon. For a Mars colony, resupply is impossible. We need systems that are closed-loop, durable, and energy-efficient.

The Mars dream is on the back burner. Elon Musk announces a pivot to building a "self-growing city" on the Moon first. For years, SpaceX's mantra has been "Occupy Mars." But in a major strategic shift, Elon Musk has announced that the company will prioritize establishing a settlement on the Moon.

SpaceX is moving its human spaceflight operations away from the historic Pad 39A. A massive crane signals the change as the company pivots to Starship. For years, Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center has been the crown jewel of American spaceflight—hosting Apollo 11, the Space Shuttle, and SpaceX's return of astronauts to orbit. But in 2025, the pad went silent for crewed missions.

For the first time in over 50 years, humans will venture beyond low-Earth orbit. The SLS rocket has begun its slow march to the pad. Almost as tall as a football field, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) traveled at a snail's pace—just under 1 mph—to the launchpad in Florida.

Researchers have simulated 1 million orbits in the unstable region between Earth and the Moon to solve one of the hardest problems in spaceflight.Cislunar space—the vast region between Earth and the Moon—is the next frontier for satellites and exploration. But it's a gravitational minefield.

When Artemis II carries four astronauts around the Moon, their connection to Earth will depend on a sophisticated web of antennas, satellites, and lasers. Astronaut voices, high-definition video, and critical telemetry must traverse nearly 240,000 miles. To achieve this, NASA utilizes two massive networks: the Near Space Network for launch and low-orbit, and the Deep Space Network for the long journey into the void.