Space

SpaceX launched another of its mammoth Starship rockets on a test flight Monday, successfully making it halfway around the world while releasing mock satellites like last time.

NASA officials say the first crew under its Artemis program will fly around the moon no later than April of 2026, and possibly as early as February. That would be followed by a landing near the lunar south pole by astronauts later.

For the first time, there were more women than men in a NASA astronaut class. They included a geologist who worked on NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover, a SpaceX engineer who flew on a billionaire-sponsored spaceflight that featured the world’s first private spacewalk and a former SpaceX launch director.

A total lunar eclipse — called a blood moon because of its red shadowy hue — unfolded over middle eastern sky on Sunday night and early Monday, local time.

Portugal’s cork industry welcomed the US tariff exemption on the product, as exporters called it a “wise decision”. The European country is the world’s largest cork producer, accounting for about half of global production. AP video shot by Helena Alves

Deep in the Swedish forest, where reindeer roam and scientists ski in winter, lies one of Europe’s hopes for a spaceport that can ultimately compete with the United States, China and Russia. For decades, Europe has relied upon the U.S. for its security among the stars. But the Trump administration’s “America First” policies, plus a commercial market that’s growing exponentially, has prompted Europeans to rethink their approach.

Footage released by aerospace company SpaceX showed a rocket launching into the atmosphere Sunday from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. According to SpaceX, the Falcon 9 rocket is carrying 28 Starlink satellites to launch in low-Earth orbit.

It was the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission. The first stage landed on a ‘droneship’, a barge used by SpaceX, that is stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

The SpaceX mega rocket Starship on Tuesday night completed the first-ever deployment of a test payload — eight dummy satellites — into space. The Starship later splashed down into the Indian Ocean. SpaceX employees watching live pictures of the event cheered, even as the rocket hit the water and produced a fireball.

SpaceX launched the latest test of its mega rocket Starship on Tuesday night and completed the first-ever deployment of a test payload — eight dummy satellites — into space. After just over an hour coasting through space, Starship splashed down as planned in the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX launched a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-33) mission to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Sunday.

A supernova explosion reveals a dying star’s insides

Four astronauts are back on Earth after a five-month stay at the International Space Station. Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Pacific off the Southern California coast on Saturday, a day after departing the orbiting lab.

Here’s the latest for Friday, August 2nd: Officials search for a suspect in a Montana bar shooting; U.S. special envoy meets with families of Israeli hostages; SpaceX delivers four astronauts to the ISS; Pope Leo XIV arrives in Rome for Youth Jubilee.

SpaceX delivered a fresh crew to the International Space Station on Saturday, making the trip in a quick 15 hours.

Here’s the latest for Friday, August 1st: Stocks fall sharply after weak jobs data; Experts cite night vision goggles in DC aviation disaster; Trump’s Mideast envoy visits Gaza Strip; Astronauts head to ISS aboard SpaceX capsule.

Four astronauts from US, Japan and Russia launch to the space station

Here’s the latest for Thursday, July 31st: Mexico gets tariff negotiation period; U.S. special envoys arrives in Israel; Conor McGregor loses sexual assault appeal and SpaceX launch rescheduled because of weather.

NASA and India have paired up to launch an Earth-mapping satellite capable of tracking the slightest changes in land and ice. Scientists say the $1.3 billion mission will help forecasters and first responders stay one step ahead of floods, landslides and other disasters.

The first Australian-made rocket to attempt to reach orbit from the country’s soil crashed Wednesday after 14 seconds of flight. No one was reported hurt.

Russia successfully launched the Soyuz-2.1b rocket carrying Iran’s Nahid-2 communications satellite and 18 other small payloads from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. According to Iranian media, the 110-kilogram satellite is expected to travel in a 500-kilometer orbit. Its lifetime is two years.

What is space weather and how does it affect us on Earth? A new NASA mission plans to study our sun’s activity and solar winds that cause phenomena like the Aurora Borealis.

After praying the Sunday Angelus at his summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, Leo headed to the astronomical observatory located in the Pontifical Villas, where he took a close look at the telescopes that have supported celestial exploration from a faith-based perspective for decades.

The largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth was sold for just over $4 million plus fees at an auction of rare geological and archaeological objects in New York on Wednesday.

Here’s the latest for Wednesday, July 16: Trump slams those falling for what he calls Epstein ‘hoax'; 20 Palestinians killed at distribution site; Syrian government, Druze leaders call a ceasefire; Astronomers capture birth of planets around a baby sun.

Astronomers have discovered the earliest seeds of rocky planets forming providing a precious peek into the dawn of our own solar system. (AP produced by Javier Arciga)

Here’s the latest for Tuesday July 15th: Inflation inches up in June; SpaceX capsule returns to Earth; New York and New Jersey hit with flooding; Running of the bulls comes to a close.

The International Space Station’s first visitors from India, Poland and Hungary are headed back to Earth. Their SpaceX capsule undocked from the orbiting lab on Monday, targeting a splashdown in the Pacific.

Sotheby’s is putting some rare items up for auction, including what it calls the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth. The auction house is also selling a juvenile ceratosaurus dinosaur skeleton that’s more than 6 feet tall and nearly 11 feet long. (AP video: Joseph B. Frederick)

The July full moon shone brightly over Greece’s 2,500-year-old Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion late Thursday. (AP video: Srdjan Nedeljkovic)