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Space Technology

Real developments in rockets, satellites, telescopes, and exploration.

Sci-Fi Coverage

Books, films, games, and media that imagine our future.

Speculative

What might the future hold? Deep dives into possibilities.

Astropolitique

Geopolitics for the solar system. Relations between factions, colonies, and powers.

Weekend sky: Saturn, then Jupiter and Mars

Saturn rides high in the south by 9 p.m. on Nov 7–8. Jupiter and Mars rise close together before midnight, and new Moon on Nov 9 keeps the sky dark.

How to hold 10×50s steady

At 10× every tremor shows. Here's how to brace binoculars with your elbows, a chair, a wall or a tripod so the stars stop dancing.

Gift guide: a kid's first binoculars

If a young skywatcher keeps borrowing your binoculars, give them their own and a first sky book. Here's what to look for, and what to skip.

November sky planner

Last quarter Nov 1, new Moon Nov 9 for the darkest week, first quarter Nov 17 with the Leonids, and full Moon Nov 24.

A darker Halloween sky

The Moon reaches last quarter on Nov 1 and rises late, so early Halloween evening is dark: Pleiades in the east, Orion later.

Orionids, last call

The Orionids run through Nov 7. In the dark hour before dawn you may still catch an occasional fast meteor.

Taurid fireball season is here

Both Taurid showers are active: low rates, but slow, bright fireballs. Best nights are around Nov 5 and Nov 12.

Count the Sisters

Count the Pleiades with the naked eye, then in binoculars: the difference is your own light-pollution report.

Protect your night vision

Why white light and phone screens set back dark adaptation, and how dim red light keeps it.

How to choose your first astronomy binocular

Exit pupil explained with 7x50, 10x50 and 15x70, and why 10x50 is the balanced first choice.

Peak night: watching the Orionids on Oct 21-22

Tonight is the peak. Go after local moonset, before dawn, away from streetlights, and watch the whole sky.

Why the Orionids are Halley's Comet, twice removed

Each October Earth passes through dust shed by 1P/Halley; the same stream makes May's Eta Aquariids.

Orionids 2026: when and how to watch

The Orionids peak on the night of Oct 21 into the morning of Oct 22. Go out after moonset, in the hours before dawn. Updated with a checklist for tonight.

Saturn at opposition, in binoculars

Saturn is at opposition on October 4, 2026, in Cetus at magnitude 0.3. A 10×50 shows a small bright oval; 10× will not pull the rings off the disk.

World Space Week 2026

October 4 through 10 is World Space Week. The 2026 theme is "Rocket Revolution." This post is the calendar, not a second sky guide.

Europe's Heavy-Lift Ariane 64 Debuts with Amazon Satellite Deployment

The powerful Ariane 64 rocket successfully completed its first mission, launching Amazon's Project Kuiper satellites and marking a new era for European spacefli

The Viking Paradox: Did We Find Martian Life in 1976 and Miss It?

New analysis suggests Viking landers may have detected microbial life on Mars nearly 50 years ago, but we dismissed the evidence. Time for a second look?

Meet the Four Astronauts Flying SpaceX's Crew-12 Mission to the International Space Station

SpaceX's Crew-12 mission will send four astronauts to the ISS in 2025. Learn about the diverse crew representing NASA, JAXA, and Roscosmos.

SpaceX Pivots Lunar: Musk's Moon-First Strategy Marks Major Shift

Elon Musk announces SpaceX will prioritize lunar settlement over Mars missions, reversing his previous stance calling the Moon a "distraction."

Spaceium Takes First Step Toward Orbital Gas Stations with Robotic Arm Test

Startup successfully demonstrates refueling actuator in orbit, marking progress toward network of space-based service stations for satellites.

Amazon's Kuiper Constellation Hooks Its First Maritime Partners

Amazon secures first reseller deals for Project Kuiper's satellite internet service, targeting ships at sea as the constellation prepares for deployment.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 Faces Growing Pains as Upper Stage Issues Mount

Four upper-stage anomalies in 19 months have SpaceX engineers working overtime. What's behind the Falcon 9's recent hiccups and when will it fly again?

Artemis 2's Quiet Revolution: Why NASA's Next Moon Mission Deserves More Attention

NASA's Artemis 2 mission approaches launch with surprisingly little fanfare, despite marking humanity's return to lunar orbit after half a century.

Viasat Won't Build Space Data Centers, But They'll Happily Wire Them Up

Viasat sees opportunity in providing communications infrastructure for orbital data centers rather than building them directly.

NASA Administrator Takes Aerial Tour of Artemis 2 Moon Rocket as Launch Preparations Continue

NASA chief surveys the Artemis 2 SLS rocket from above as the agency pushes toward humanity's first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years.

NASA Preps for Artemis 2 Rocket Fueling Test Round Two

NASA gears up for another wet dress rehearsal of the Artemis 2 SLS rocket, fine-tuning procedures before sending humans back to the Moon.

Artemis 2 Moon Mission Delayed Again as NASA Battles Hydrogen Gremlins

NASA's crewed lunar mission slips to March after hydrogen leaks plague SLS testing, adding another chapter to the program's ongoing challenges.

Artemis 2's Leaky Moon Rocket: When "Good Enough" Gets You to the Moon

NASA's Artemis 2 rocket shows minor fuel leaks during testing, but engineers say it's within acceptable limits for the crewed lunar mission.

Artemis 2's Rocket Test Pushed Back by Florida's Surprising Cold Snap

NASA delays crucial Artemis 2 fueling test as freezing temperatures grip Florida, pushing the crewed lunar mission launch to February 8 at earliest.

The Future of Propulsion

Interstellar Warfare

Musk's Next Move: SpaceX Absorbs xAI for Orbital Data Center Dreams

SpaceX acquires Elon Musk's AI company xAI to develop orbital data centers, potentially revolutionizing cloud computing from space.

Space Combat in 2120

SpaceX Kicks Off February with Another Flawless Starlink Mission

SpaceX launched 23 more Starlink satellites on Groundhog Day from California, continuing the relentless expansion of its global internet constellation.

Time Magazine Honors Artemis 2 Crew as Humanity Prepares for Lunar Return

Time Magazine's commemorative cover celebrates the four Artemis 2 astronauts who will fly around the Moon in humanity's next chapter of space exploration.

Weather Puts the Brakes on Artemis 2's Critical Dress Rehearsal

NASA delays crucial Artemis 2 fueling test due to weather, potentially pushing back the crewed lunar mission's February launch window timeline.

SpaceX Wants to Put a Million-Satellite Data Center in Orbit

SpaceX files for FCC approval of unprecedented orbital data center constellation that could revolutionize cloud computing from space.

Weather Throws Another Wrench in Artemis 2's Path to the Moon

NASA delays critical Artemis 2 fueling test due to weather, making February launch window increasingly unlikely as Moon program faces more setbacks.