In 1964, NASA first tracked a satellite with lasers; the method later helped measure sea-level rise and ice lossIn 1964, NASA researchers made history by tracking a satellite for the first time using a laser beam. Leveraging spare radar components and...
24 Aug, 2026, 06.30 PM IST
In 2004, NASA’s Genesis sample capsule crashed in Utah at up to 193 miles per hour; scientists later recovered valuable solar-wind samplesNASA's Genesis mission faced a dramatic mishap in Utah when its capsule crashed after gathering precious solar wind samples. The failure of...
22 Aug, 2026, 02.40 PM IST
In 2013, NASA beamed laser data from lunar orbit at 622 megabits per second, demonstrating faster space communications than radioIn 2013, NASA's Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration set a groundbreaking standard by achieving data transmission speeds of 622 megabits...
22 Aug, 2026, 02.30 PM IST
NASA left a camera on the moon for 31 months; when Apollo 12 brought it home, scientists found bacteria that appeared to be aliveAfter 31 months on the moon, a bacterium discovered on the Surveyor III camera is believed to be a case of contamination. A thorough re-eva...
22 Aug, 2026, 01.20 PM IST
NASA's Curiosity Rover on Mars captured a mysterious ‘jellyfish’ with two small legs and a body sparking theories of alien life on the Red planetA NASA Curiosity rover image of Mars shows a mysterious jellyfish-like figure with a body and two legs in Gale Crater, absent from photos t...
21 Aug, 2026, 05.43 PM IST
Trump pledges 'golden age' of space travelUS President Trump plans to boost American space travel and lunar missions. The United States aims to compete with China for a moon landing...
21 Aug, 2026, 05.39 PM IST
NASA germinated corn seeds during spaceflight; seedlings showed altered root growth and twisted shoot patterns in microgravityIn a groundbreaking experiment, corn seeds grown in space exhibited unusual growth patterns, with roots growing sideways and shoots curling...
21 Aug, 2026, 01.50 PM IST
Donald Trump pushes commercial space boom with 1,000-launch annual goalPresident Trump signed a memo to significantly increase U.S. commercial space launches. The directive aims for one thousand launches and re...
21 Aug, 2026, 06.37 AM IST
Why NASA's latest moon discovery creates a major dilemma for Artemis astronautsMicrobes from Earth can survive on the Moon's surface for days. New research shows shadowed lunar craters offer protective microclimates fo...
20 Aug, 2026, 09.05 PM IST
52 astronauts left Earth for months in orbit, and within weeks their gut bacteria changed how they processed food, revealing why spaceflight can trigger constipation and potentially affect brain healthConstipation in space is more than an uncomfortable side effect. Astronauts often face it during long missions, but scientists have not ful...
18 Aug, 2026, 12.45 AM IST
Japan aims for the moons of MarsJapan's MMX mission will blast off soon to collect Martian moon samples. The spacecraft will orbit Mars for three years and land on Phobos....
16 Aug, 2026, 07.50 AM IST
She was rejected by NASA at 14, then unpacked a space toilet: Claire Parfitt’s unlikely journey from a teenage work-experience placement to leading Mars exploration studies at the European Space AgencyAt 14, Claire Parfitt dreamed of working in space and applied to NASA, only to be rejected. She instead landed a work placement at Leiceste...
14 Aug, 2026, 09.35 PM IST
In 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts saw mysterious flashes with their eyes closed. Scientists later found the causeDuring the Apollo missions, astronauts noted peculiar flashes of light occurring inside their spacecraft. These experiences were later attr...
13 Aug, 2026, 12.03 AM IST
In 1961, a UCLA graduate student at JPL discovered how spacecraft could borrow speed from planetary gravity. Decades later, his gravity-assist technique produced a fuel-saving breakthrough that transformed deep-space explorationIn 1961, UCLA graduate student Michael Minovitch found a smarter way to move spacecraft through space. At JPL, he studied planetary gravity...
12 Aug, 2026, 06.19 PM IST
In 2006, NASA grew Salmonella in space; the bacteria returned more virulent than genetically identical germs cultivated on EarthIn a striking discovery, researchers found that Salmonella bacteria cultivated in space exhibited a heightened level of aggression, proving...
11 Aug, 2026, 05.53 PM IST
In 1994, NASA raised jellyfish in orbit to study their sense of balance; they developed normally but had trouble swimming under Earth’s gravityNASA ventured into the unknown in 1994 by studying baby jellyfish in orbit. The jellyfish managed to develop vital sensory adaptations for ...
08 Aug, 2026, 07.43 PM IST
In 2025, scientists tracked 12 people through 10 months of Antarctic isolation. The findings could reshape how future Mars astronauts are trained for the psychological challenges of deep-space missionsTen months of Antarctic isolation revealed a hard truth about deep space. Twelve people trapped at Concordia Station faced rising conflict,...
08 Aug, 2026, 06.11 PM IST