Digital Government

Why NASA Is Trying to Dodge the Moon

If the James Webb Space Telescope were to leave Earth at the wrong time, our very own satellite could thwart the mission.

Emerging Tech

Elon Musk Is Maybe, Actually, Strangely, Going to Do This Mars Thing

From his private Cape Canaveral, the billionaire is manifesting his own interplanetary reality—whatever it costs.

Digital Government

The Thorniest Subject at NASA Right Now

The space agency is carefully following pandemic measures. Elon Musk thinks they’re overblown. But both are going to the moon together.

Digital Government

How Christina Koch Could Become a Spaceflight Legend

One of the astronauts in NASA’s current corps could be the first in a generation to walk on the moon—or the first to walk on Mars.

Digital Government

The Legacy of a Hidden Figure

The stories of black women at the space agency were once buried so deep that it felt like a revelation when they were brought to light.

Modernization

NASA Will Only Tolerate So Much Danger

An investigation into what really went wrong with Boeing's last space mission turned up serious issues.

Emerging Tech

The Night Sky Will Never Be the Same

Elon Musk’s plan for worldwide internet has sent bright artificial, lights streaking through the dark.

Emerging Tech

A Graveyard of Giant Spacecraft Spins Through Space

After observatories retire, they can still spend hundreds, even millions, of years trailing the Earth.

Emerging Tech

The Next Big Customer Experience From Jeff Bezos

His space company, Blue Origin, is on the verge of sending tourists just past the boundary of Earth.

Ideas

The False Promise of Morning Routines

Why everyone’s mornings seem more productive than yours.

Emerging Tech

NASA Hands Elon Musk a Reality Check

A shared effort to deliver NASA astronauts to space recently got a little awkward.

Emerging Tech

The Great NASA Bake-Off

High-tech agriculture would keep far-flung astronauts alive, but making something delicious would keep them happy.

Emerging Tech

A Startling Spike on Mars

Methane gas is a potential indicator of life on the red planet, but it’s proving difficult to track.

Emerging Tech

A Robot Has Been Stuck on Mars for Months

NASA will conduct a delicate rescue mission to free a probe trapped just inches below the red planet’s surface.

Digital Government

What If We Gave Up on the Stars?

The night sky is already dotted with shiny satellites and other artificial lights. One day, maybe that’s all there will be.

Digital Government

The Case for Wearing AirPods All the Time

The inconspicuous buds might make friendly interactions awkward, but they can also provide protection in dangerous situations.

Digital Government

Even Astronauts Binge-Watch TV While in Space

In a cramped and isolated environment like a space station, leisure activities are extra important for maintaining mental health.

Policy

Just Don’t Call Them UFOs

The U.S. military wants pilots to report strange sightings in the sky, but doesn’t want any of the stigma that comes with it.

Emerging Tech

Why Trump Wants to Go to the Moon So Badly

The administration has vowed to return Americans to the lunar surface in 2024 “by any means necessary.”