Space

Science

'Are We Alone?' Churchill Concludes It's Likely Life Circles Other Suns

7:54am February 18, 2017

by Scott Simon

In an essay written in 1939, Winston Churchill pondered the possibility that there might be life elsewhere in the universe. The document was recently rediscovered in a museum in Fulton, Mo.

Winston Churchill Ponders Extraterrestrial Life In Newly Discovered Essay

4:59am February 17, 2017

by NPR Staff

Astrophysicist Mario Livio discusses a recently unearthed essay written by Winston Churchill in 1939. Churchill wrote about the possibility of space travel and life on other planets.

This is the actual NASA graphic illustrating the "Space Poop Challenge."

Science

Space Poop Problem-Solvers Take Home Cash Prizes From NASA

2:09pm February 15, 2017

by Camila Domonoske

NASA was looking for help from the public in solving a very specific challenge: How to deal with poop in a spacesuit. The winners included doctors, a dentist, a product designer and an engineer.

The "Snow Moon"during the peak of the penumbral lunar eclipse on Friday night, as seen from Orlando, Fla.

PHOTOS: Green Comet, 'Snow Moon' And Eclipse Make For A Space Trifecta

12:54pm February 11, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

Between a penumbral eclipse, a full moon and even Earth's closest comet encounter in over 30 years, there's been no lack of lovely sights at night this week. In case you missed them, here's a look.

Science

Look Up! Astronomer Details Upcoming Trifecta Of Celestial Activity

4:23pm February 10, 2017

First, go outside, then look up! There's a trifecta of celestial activity Friday night, says astronomer Jackie Faherty, plus another sky watching tip.

Dashcam video from the Lisle Police Department in Lisle, Ill., captured images of a meteor as it streaked over Lake Michigan early Monday morning.

National

WATCH: Huge, Green Fireball Streaks Across Midwest Sky

1:12pm February 06, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

If you were outside in the Midwest around 1:30 Monday morning, you may have received quite a shock. The vivid meteor lit up the sky and set off sonic booms. Dramatic video captured the moment.

Astronauts May Hold Football Passing Record

6:15am February 06, 2017

In new video shot on the International Space Station, NASA posed the question: How far can you throw a football in a zero-G environment? Astronaut Tim Kopra threw for 564,664 yards.

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Science

Moon Express Reaches Finals In Google Lunar Xprize Competition

12:36am February 02, 2017

The Silicon Valley company, Moon Express, is now a finalist in the $30 million Google Lunar Xprize competition. The company will attempt to place a spacecraft on the moon that could travel on its surface and transmit high definition images. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Naveen Jain, one of the founders of Moon Express, about the competition and the future of private space exploration and research.

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For years, the satellites that make up America's Global Position System have been carrying sensors that measure the weather in space. This image illustrates the orbital planes in which GPS satellites travel around Earth.

Government Releases 16 Years Of Data About Solar Weather

4:57pm January 30, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

It's the first time the U.S military has made public the data collected by GPS satellites about solar events. It may help people predict Earth disasters caused by space weather.

Apollo 1 astronauts Ed White (from left), Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee, 1967. The astronauts died as a result of a fire in the cockpit during a training session on Jan. 27, 1967.

50 Years Later, NASA Creates Tribute To 3 Astronauts Who Died In Space Race

7:41pm January 26, 2017

by Brendan Byrne

On Jan. 27, 1967, three astronauts were killed when a fire broke out in their Apollo 1 cockpit during a test on the launchpad. The capsule will be put on public view for the first time Friday.

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