Tag: Space Missions
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Space.com’s Headlines Crossword Quiz: Week of Nov. 3, 2025
Introducing Space.com’s Headlines Crossword Quiz Every week, Space.com delivers the latest discoveries, launches, and cosmic curiosities from across the universe. For readers who love a gentle mental challenge as they skim the day’s headlines, the Headlines Crossword Quiz pairs the thrill of astronomy news with the brain-stimulating fun of a crossword. As the week of…
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Five Venus Missions That Could Launch in the Next Decade to Study Earth’s Evil Twin
Background: Venus as Earth’s Evil Twin Venus, often called Earth’s twin due to its similar size and composition, is anything but similar in climate and surface conditions. With a scorching surface, a dense carbon dioxide atmosphere, and sulfurous clouds, Venus remains one of the solar system’s most intriguing and least understood worlds. After the recent…
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Five Venus Missions Poised to Study Earth’s Evil Twin in the Next Decade
Why Venus deserves another look Earth’s scorching sister world has long teased scientists with clues about why a planet can diverge so radically from its neighbor. Venus, often called Earth’s “evil twin,” hides its conditions behind thick clouds of sulfuric acid and extreme heat. After Akatsuki’s long struggle to regain contact, space agencies are renewing…
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6,000 and Counting: The Next 30 Years in the Exoplanet Hunt
From a Census to a Quest for Earth-Like Worlds The tally of confirmed exoplanets recently surpassed 6,000, marking a milestone in humanity’s ongoing quest to understand worlds beyond our solar system. Yet for all the numbers, the field’s real excitement lies in what comes next: a shift from sheer discovery to the deep characterization of…
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Are astronauts working for free in space since US govt shutdown? Here’s what we know
Clearing up a common question about the shutdown and space work The recent U.S. government funding lapse has sparked questions about whether astronauts, scientists, and support staff are working for free while federal agencies operate with reduced budgets. The short answer is no. In space, as on the ground, critical missions are structured to continue…
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Revisiting Pioneer Venus: New Insights Suggest Venus’s Clouds Are Mostly Water
Intro: A Fresh Look at Old Data In the genre of scientific sleuthing, old datasets often become the most unexpected plot twists. A new study reexamines decades-old data from NASA’s Pioneer Venus mission and argues that the clouds of Venus are largely composed of water, bound up in hydrated minerals rather than existing as free…
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Enceladus Organics Hint at Possible Life on Saturn’s Moon
A Hidden Ocean and Organic Clues The icy moon Enceladus keeps revealing surprises about its watery interior. Although the Cassini mission ended in 2017, scientists are still mining its archived data for hidden clues. In 2005, Cassini detected plumes of water vapor shooting from fractures near Enceladus’ south polar region. The prevailing interpretation is that…
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Comet 3I/ATLAS: Probes Near Mars and Jupiter Track Solar Flyby
Overview: A Solar Flyby on the Horizon Astronomers are closely watching Comet 3I/ATLAS as it journeys toward the inner solar system. In a rare alignment, multiple spacecraft positioned near Mars and Jupiter are expected to observe the comet’s approach to the Sun, offering a unique opportunity to study how comets react to intense solar radiation…
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ESA inaugurates fourth deep-space antenna capable of detecting Mars signals
Overview of the new deep-space antenna On October 4, 2025, the European Space Agency will officially inaugurate its fourth deep-space antenna, a milestone in Europe’s plan to scale up its communications with missions beyond Earth’s orbit. The new dish will join existing ground stations that already link with probes and orbiters across the solar system,…
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3I/ATLAS Near Mars Flyby: First Close Look at an Interstellar Visitor
An Interstellar Arrival: What is 3I/ATLAS? On July 1, 2025, astronomers detected 3I/ATLAS, an object believed to have formed around another star and only recently entering our Solar System. It is widely regarded as the third confirmed interstellar visitor, following the likes of ‘Oumuamua and Comet Borisov. What set 3I/ATLAS apart was its exceptionally high…