Spaceflight and Exploration on ZME Science

The Growing Menace of Space Junk: How a Minefield of Orbiting Debris Threatens Our Future in Space

Low-orbit Earth could become inoperable for spacecraft and satellites if this complacency persists, with dire consequences.

Remembering Félicette: The first cat in space

Celebrating the memory of the world's first and only astrocat.

How JWST is showing us the earliest galaxies in the universe -- and challenging our current theories

What is so important about the James Webb’s big old galaxies?

What is Tiangong: China's space station that wants to rival the ISS

China only launched its first crewed flight in 2003. Now it has a permanent space station and plans to build an outpost on the moon in the next decade.

With solar sails onboard, you don’t need fuel for space travel

Solar sailing exists for real, and here is the proof.

Space junk is becoming a problem and we need to talk about it

We're littering our planet's orbit.

What is a Dyson sphere and could we just build one?

For now at least, Dyson spheres are reserved for civilizations more advanced than us.

Iconic photos of Earth taken by Apollo astronauts, digitally restored and in full glory

Some of the most iconic images of Earth from space have been brought to new light.

Why don't satellites fall down from the sky?

They keep falling, but not down.

The history of spacesuits

If you want to explore outer space, you need quite a fair bit of fancy equipment: a good ship, life support, and of course, a reliable space suit. Spacesuits aren’t just a piece of clothing astronauts wear in space — instead, a spacesuit is more like a miniature spacecraft in itself. Spacesuits are festooned with […]

How does the Sky Crane work? Everything you need to know

The sky crane touchdown system was a huge wager for NASA that paid off.

What would happen to humans exposed to the vacuum of space without a spacesuit?

You won't explode or boil to death -- not before other more immediate threats kill you.

A look back at Hubble's history in honor of its 30th anniversary

The story of the most prolific space telescope in history.

A brief history of Martian spacecraft and landers

For the last 60 years, humans have been sending all sorts of spacecraft to the Red Planet -- here's a rundown.

Dogs in space: the adventures of the U.S.S.R. canine cosmonauts

A big step for canine-kind.

Why satellites have those golden foils on them -- and how it saves a lot of lives

Like many other NASA technologies, this also proved to be really useful on Earth.

Voyager-1 spacecraft: 40 years of history and interstellar flight

Despite traveling more than ten billion miles in four decades, Voyager-1 is still at it.

Copernicus: the treasure in the sky helping science and the climate with free and open data

Copernicus is one of the most valuable scientific programs in the world you likely never heard about.

Myth busted: Americans spent millions to make a pen that would flow in space -- the Russians used a pencil

It's a great story that reminds us complicated solutions can have very simple solutions. But the Russian pencil story is just a myth, though.

Astronaut food: what astronauts eat in space

Many of you reading this hope to one day be able to explore outer space; the thrill of discovery, entwined with the peace and solitude that only the silent void can provide. It's awesome stuff, I'm completely on board. But as it usually goes, great adventures come with great sacrifices.

Free retro motivational space posters

This amazing collection of space posters will light up your living room.