SectionsFeaturedtvFollow NBC NewsMore From NBC© 2022 NBCNEWS.COMBy Mike Wall, Space.comThe list of Pluto's neighbors just got considerably longer, potentially boosting scientists' odds of finding the putative .Astronomers have discovered 139 more "minor planets" — small bodies circling the sun that are neither official planets nor comets — in the dark, frigid depths beyond Neptune's orbit, a new study reports. The new additions represent nearly 5 percent of the current (TNO) tally, which stands at about 3,000, the researchers said.The scientists pored over data gathered by the Dark Energy...…SectionsFeaturedtvFollow NBC NewsMore From NBC© 2022 NBCNEWS.COMBy Mike Wall, Space.comThe list of Pluto's neighbors just got considerably longer, potentially boosting scientists' odds of finding the putative .Astronomers have discovered 139 more "minor planets" — small bodies circling the sun that are neither official planets nor comets — in the dark, frigid depths beyond Neptune's orbit, a new study reports. The new additions represent nearly 5 percent of the current (TNO) tally, which stands at about 3,000, the researchers said.The scientists pored over data gathered by the Dark Energy...WW…

Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .The sun flexed its considerable magnetic muscles today (June 13), and two solar spacecraft captured the show on video.Earth's star unleashed a long-duration early this morning, blasting high-energy radiation into space for about three hours. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which has been studying the sun from Earth orbit since 2010, observed the dramatic event in multiple wavelengths.The flare registered as an M3.4, putting it in the "medium" class of solar...…Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .The sun flexed its considerable magnetic muscles today (June 13), and two solar spacecraft captured the show on video.Earth's star unleashed a long-duration early this morning, blasting high-energy radiation into space for about three hours. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which has been studying the sun from Earth orbit since 2010, observed the dramatic event in multiple wavelengths.The flare registered as an M3.4, putting it in the "medium" class of solar...WW…

Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .A dramatic video lets us all fly along on Virgin Galactic's latest spaceflight, which occurred over the weekend.The VSS Unity suborbital vehicle aced its on Saturday morning (May 22), a test mission that was the first to lift off from Virgin Galactic's commercial hub, Spaceport America in New Mexico. Later that day, the company released a video featuring highlights of the flight captured by cameras on Unity, on its carrier aircraft VMS Eve, and on the ground. For...…Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .A dramatic video lets us all fly along on Virgin Galactic's latest spaceflight, which occurred over the weekend.The VSS Unity suborbital vehicle aced its on Saturday morning (May 22), a test mission that was the first to lift off from Virgin Galactic's commercial hub, Spaceport America in New Mexico. Later that day, the company released a video featuring highlights of the flight captured by cameras on Unity, on its carrier aircraft VMS Eve, and on the ground. For...WW…

Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .NASA's broke new ground during its latest Red Planet flight, as video of the sortie shows.Ingenuity took off early Sunday morning (April 25) on its . The 4-lb. (1.8 kilograms) chopper traveled a total of 330 feet (100 meters) laterally, stayed aloft for 80 seconds and reached a maximum speed of about 4.5 mph (7.2 kph), smashing the marks set on its ."Today’s flight was what we planned for, and yet it was nothing short of amazing," Dave Lavery, the Ingenuity program...…Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .NASA's broke new ground during its latest Red Planet flight, as video of the sortie shows.Ingenuity took off early Sunday morning (April 25) on its . The 4-lb. (1.8 kilograms) chopper traveled a total of 330 feet (100 meters) laterally, stayed aloft for 80 seconds and reached a maximum speed of about 4.5 mph (7.2 kph), smashing the marks set on its ."Today’s flight was what we planned for, and yet it was nothing short of amazing," Dave Lavery, the Ingenuity program...WW…

Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .Make it a hat trick on the Red Planet for NASA's .The 4-lb. (1.8 kilograms) chopper aced its third-ever Martian flight early this morning (April 25), adding to its already impressive resume."Third flight in the history books." officials at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California . "Our #MarsHelicopter continues to set records, flying faster and farther. The space chopper is demonstrating critical capabilities that could enable the addition of an aerial...…Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .Make it a hat trick on the Red Planet for NASA's .The 4-lb. (1.8 kilograms) chopper aced its third-ever Martian flight early this morning (April 25), adding to its already impressive resume."Third flight in the history books." officials at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California . "Our #MarsHelicopter continues to set records, flying faster and farther. The space chopper is demonstrating critical capabilities that could enable the addition of an aerial...WW…

Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .won't be just a sci-fi dream forever, if things go according to the U.S. Air Force's plans.The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is developing a project called SSPIDR ("Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research"), which aims to mature the technology needed to harvest solar energy in space and beam it down for use on .Such a capability would be a big advantage on the battlefield, Air Force officials said.Related: "Ensuring that a forward operating base...…Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .won't be just a sci-fi dream forever, if things go according to the U.S. Air Force's plans.The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is developing a project called SSPIDR ("Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research"), which aims to mature the technology needed to harvest solar energy in space and beam it down for use on .Such a capability would be a big advantage on the battlefield, Air Force officials said.Related: "Ensuring that a forward operating base...WW…

Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .NASA's just made aviation history, and its robotic buddy caught the whole thing on video.Early this morning (April 19), Ingenuity aced the . The 4-lb. (1.8 kilograms) chopper rose 10 feet (3 meters) above the floor of Jezero Crater, stayed aloft in Mars' thin air for 39 seconds and came down for a pinpoint landing at its takeoff spot. And we have high-definition documentation of this otherworldly Wright Brothers moment thanks to NASA's , which recorded the flight from...…Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .NASA's just made aviation history, and its robotic buddy caught the whole thing on video.Early this morning (April 19), Ingenuity aced the . The 4-lb. (1.8 kilograms) chopper rose 10 feet (3 meters) above the floor of Jezero Crater, stayed aloft in Mars' thin air for 39 seconds and came down for a pinpoint landing at its takeoff spot. And we have high-definition documentation of this otherworldly Wright Brothers moment thanks to NASA's , which recorded the flight from...WW…

Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .The supermassive at the heart of the galaxy M87 is coming into sharper and sharper focus.Two years ago, astronomers with the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) project , which lies 55 million light-years from Earth and is as massive as 6.5 billion suns. Those photos were historic — the first direct views of a black hole that humanity had ever captured.In the spring of 2017, as the EHT team was gathering some of the data that would result in the epic imagery, nearly 20 other...…Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .The supermassive at the heart of the galaxy M87 is coming into sharper and sharper focus.Two years ago, astronomers with the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) project , which lies 55 million light-years from Earth and is as massive as 6.5 billion suns. Those photos were historic — the first direct views of a black hole that humanity had ever captured.In the spring of 2017, as the EHT team was gathering some of the data that would result in the epic imagery, nearly 20 other...WW…

Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .Don't expect big changes at NASA if Bill Nelson does end up leading the space agency.On Friday (March 19), President Joe Biden announced that he , a former three-term U.S. senator from Florida and longtime space policy player, as NASA administrator. The choice signals that shakeups are unlikely in big-ticket NASA projects, such as the of crewed lunar exploration, said space policy expert John Logsdon."One of the buzz phrases during the [presidential] transition was...…Space is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. .Don't expect big changes at NASA if Bill Nelson does end up leading the space agency.On Friday (March 19), President Joe Biden announced that he , a former three-term U.S. senator from Florida and longtime space policy player, as NASA administrator. The choice signals that shakeups are unlikely in big-ticket NASA projects, such as the of crewed lunar exploration, said space policy expert John Logsdon."One of the buzz phrases during the [presidential] transition was...WW…

Ed Dwight, America's First Black Astronaut Candidate, Flies to Space on Blue Origin RocketThe 90-year-old finally realized his dreams of spaceflight aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle, which also carried five other crew members on a short suborbital voyageBlue Origin's nearly two-year human spaceflight drought is over.Jeff Bezos' aerospace company launched its NS-25 mission today (May 19), sending six people — including the United States' first-ever Black astronaut candidate — on a brief trip to suborbital space aboard its New Shepard rocket-capsule combo.It was Blue Origin's first...…Ed Dwight, America's First Black Astronaut Candidate, Flies to Space on Blue Origin RocketThe 90-year-old finally realized his dreams of spaceflight aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle, which also carried five other crew members on a short suborbital voyageBlue Origin's nearly two-year human spaceflight drought is over.Jeff Bezos' aerospace company launched its NS-25 mission today (May 19), sending six people — including the United States' first-ever Black astronaut candidate — on a brief trip to suborbital space aboard its New Shepard rocket-capsule combo.It was Blue Origin's first...WW…