Illustration: Annelise Capossela/AxiosCompanies are rapidly designing private space stations that could one day dominate operations in orbit around Earth.Why it matters: NASA is hoping private industry will start to take over operations in low-Earth orbit once the International Space Station comes to an end, creating a robust commercial market in that part of space.Driving the news: NASA detailed an at the end of March asking companies to partner with them in the development of private space stations that might act as a destination for NASA astronauts and research in the future. Between the...…Illustration: Annelise Capossela/AxiosCompanies are rapidly designing private space stations that could one day dominate operations in orbit around Earth.Why it matters: NASA is hoping private industry will start to take over operations in low-Earth orbit once the International Space Station comes to an end, creating a robust commercial market in that part of space.Driving the news: NASA detailed an at the end of March asking companies to partner with them in the development of private space stations that might act as a destination for NASA astronauts and research in the future. Between the...WW…

Photo: NASAA Japanese billionaire is searching for eight people to join him on a trip around the Moon, and anyone can enter for their chance to win a seat. Why it matters: If successful, this mission would mark the first time civilians — not professional astronauts — fly beyond Earth's orbit.What's happening: The mission — backed by entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa — is due to launch in 2023 aboard SpaceX's Starship system, designed to take people and heavy payloads to orbit and beyond. Background: This project, called dearMoon, was first announced in 2018, with Maezawa expecting to take artists...…Photo: NASAA Japanese billionaire is searching for eight people to join him on a trip around the Moon, and anyone can enter for their chance to win a seat. Why it matters: If successful, this mission would mark the first time civilians — not professional astronauts — fly beyond Earth's orbit.What's happening: The mission — backed by entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa — is due to launch in 2023 aboard SpaceX's Starship system, designed to take people and heavy payloads to orbit and beyond. Background: This project, called dearMoon, was first announced in 2018, with Maezawa expecting to take artists...WW…

Artist's illustration of the planet TOI-561b. Image: W. M. Keck Observatory/Adam MakarenkoScientists have discovered a rocky “super-Earth” planet in an ancient star system that likely formed 10 billion years ago, only a few billion years after our Milky Way galaxy came to be.Why it matters: The newfound planet likely can't support life, but in general, researchers think older planetary systems have better odds of possibly harboring life because they're long-lived.What they found: The planet — called TOI-561b — orbits its star in less than half an Earth day and is about 50% larger than our...…Artist's illustration of the planet TOI-561b. Image: W. M. Keck Observatory/Adam MakarenkoScientists have discovered a rocky “super-Earth” planet in an ancient star system that likely formed 10 billion years ago, only a few billion years after our Milky Way galaxy came to be.Why it matters: The newfound planet likely can't support life, but in general, researchers think older planetary systems have better odds of possibly harboring life because they're long-lived.What they found: The planet — called TOI-561b — orbits its star in less than half an Earth day and is about 50% larger than our...WW…

Venus as seen from orbit. Photo: JAXA /ISAS/Akatsuki Project TeamTraces of a gas in Venus' clouds could indicate some form of life may exist there, according to a study published today.Why it matters: Scientists have been musing about the possibility that life exists in Venus' temperate clouds for decades. If confirmed as a sign of life, the finding would open up a new era of science.What's new: The in the journal Nature Astronomy reports the detection of phosphine — a possible signature of life — in Venus' atmosphere for the first time. "So far we've done everything we can, which is go...…Venus as seen from orbit. Photo: JAXA /ISAS/Akatsuki Project TeamTraces of a gas in Venus' clouds could indicate some form of life may exist there, according to a study published today.Why it matters: Scientists have been musing about the possibility that life exists in Venus' temperate clouds for decades. If confirmed as a sign of life, the finding would open up a new era of science.What's new: The in the journal Nature Astronomy reports the detection of phosphine — a possible signature of life — in Venus' atmosphere for the first time. "So far we've done everything we can, which is go...WW…

Earth from space by night. Photo: NASAThe U.S. Space Force has awarded United Launch Alliance and SpaceX hundreds of millions of dollars to fly national security payloads to space in the coming years. Why it matters: The money provided by these competitive government contracts keeps space companies in business and flying to orbit regularly. Details: ULA will receive the bulk of the funds, with $337 million going to the company for two missions expected to launch in 2022.The big picture: SpaceX and ULA weren't the only companies competing for this award. Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman also...…Earth from space by night. Photo: NASAThe U.S. Space Force has awarded United Launch Alliance and SpaceX hundreds of millions of dollars to fly national security payloads to space in the coming years. Why it matters: The money provided by these competitive government contracts keeps space companies in business and flying to orbit regularly. Details: ULA will receive the bulk of the funds, with $337 million going to the company for two missions expected to launch in 2022.The big picture: SpaceX and ULA weren't the only companies competing for this award. Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman also...WW…

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir on a spacewalk. Photo: NASA Current and former astronauts are speaking out on social media and in interviews in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and protests against police violence.Why it matters: Astronauts are NASA's public face and usually avoid politically charged topics in public, but as the agency's astronauts have more direct means of communication to the public, those lines are beginning to blur.Details: Active astronauts Jessica Meir, Victor Glover and others have all publicly posted either explicitly or implicitly supporting the movement....…NASA astronaut Jessica Meir on a spacewalk. Photo: NASA Current and former astronauts are speaking out on social media and in interviews in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and protests against police violence.Why it matters: Astronauts are NASA's public face and usually avoid politically charged topics in public, but as the agency's astronauts have more direct means of communication to the public, those lines are beginning to blur.Details: Active astronauts Jessica Meir, Victor Glover and others have all publicly posted either explicitly or implicitly supporting the movement....WW…

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/AxiosThe coronavirus and are making NASA's goal of landing people back on the Moon in 2024 seem less likely. Why it matters: The Trump administration has hung its hat on the Artemis Moon program as its defining space policy, with the goal of accomplishing the first crewed landing before the end of President Trump's second term — if he is re-elected.What's happening: The coronavirus pandemic forced NASA to shut down much of the work involving its Space Launch System rocket, designed to bring people to the Moon's surface. Between the lines: That...…Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/AxiosThe coronavirus and are making NASA's goal of landing people back on the Moon in 2024 seem less likely. Why it matters: The Trump administration has hung its hat on the Artemis Moon program as its defining space policy, with the goal of accomplishing the first crewed landing before the end of President Trump's second term — if he is re-elected.What's happening: The coronavirus pandemic forced NASA to shut down much of the work involving its Space Launch System rocket, designed to bring people to the Moon's surface. Between the lines: That...WW…

The Sun is getting a long-overdue close-up thanks to a number of new missions designed to reveal the inner workings of our nearest star. Why it matters: The mechanisms that govern the solar wind, the Sun's 11-year cycle and magnetic fields are still largely a mystery. Understanding those behaviors is necessary for forecasting space weather — and protecting satellites in orbit and the power grid on Earth. What's happening: The Solar Orbiter spacecraft — a joint mission of NASA and the European Space Agency — launched Sunday night. Once in place around the Sun, it will snap photos of the...…The Sun is getting a long-overdue close-up thanks to a number of new missions designed to reveal the inner workings of our nearest star. Why it matters: The mechanisms that govern the solar wind, the Sun's 11-year cycle and magnetic fields are still largely a mystery. Understanding those behaviors is necessary for forecasting space weather — and protecting satellites in orbit and the power grid on Earth. What's happening: The Solar Orbiter spacecraft — a joint mission of NASA and the European Space Agency — launched Sunday night. Once in place around the Sun, it will snap photos of the...WW…