Satellites | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/satellites/RSS feed for SatellitesenTue, 07 Jul 2026 21:15:14 +0000Strange Spheres Washed Ashore on an Australian Beach. Authorities Say They're Probably 'Space Balls'—Empty Fuel Vessels From a Rockethttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/strange-spheres-washed-ashore-on-an-australian-beach-authorities-say-theyre-probably-space-balls-empty-fuel-vessels-from-a-rocket-180989082/The shiny objects—each roughly twice the size of a basketball—began to appear on July 3. Authorities initially worried that they were hazardous but have since determined that they're likely safe bits of space junkTue, 07 Jul 2026 21:15:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/strange-spheres-washed-ashore-on-an-australian-beach-authorities-say-theyre-probably-space-balls-empty-fuel-vessels-from-a-rocket-180989082/This Week, NASA Will Launch a First-of-Its-Kind Mission to Save a Space Telescope That Has Observed the Sky for Nearly 22 Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonianmag/this-week-nasa-will-launch-a-first-of-its-kind-mission-to-save-a-space-telescope-that-has-observed-the-sky-for-nearly-22-years-180988998/In 2024, researchers realized that the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory was falling from its orbit faster than expected. Now, a robotic spacecraft called LINK aims to give the satellite a boostTue, 23 Jun 2026 18:21:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonianmag/this-week-nasa-will-launch-a-first-of-its-kind-mission-to-save-a-space-telescope-that-has-observed-the-sky-for-nearly-22-years-180988998/These Ten Remarkable Objects From the Smithsonian Collections Make the Case for America’s Status as the Innovation Nationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-ten-remarkable-objects-from-the-smithsonian-collections-make-the-case-for-americas-status-as-the-innovation-nation-180988874/An encouragement for invention was written right into the Constitution, and whatever the task at hand, someone is always up for the challengeTue, 09 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-ten-remarkable-objects-from-the-smithsonian-collections-make-the-case-for-americas-status-as-the-innovation-nation-180988874/Tonga's Enormous Volcanic Eruption Cleaned Up Part of Its Own Methane Emissions in 2022, Hinting at a Way to Fight Climate Changehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tongas-enormous-volcanic-eruption-cleaned-up-part-of-its-own-methane-emissions-in-2022-hinting-at-a-way-to-fight-climate-change-180988893/Researchers analyzed satellite imagery of the volcanic plume and found evidence that the potent greenhouse gas had broken down. The work could inform artificial interventions aiming to mitigate global warming, scientists sayThu, 04 Jun 2026 16:14:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tongas-enormous-volcanic-eruption-cleaned-up-part-of-its-own-methane-emissions-in-2022-hinting-at-a-way-to-fight-climate-change-180988893/