Space Travel | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/space-travel/RSS feed for Space TravelenMon, 19 Oct 2026 19:41:00 +0000Scientists Don't Know How Mars Acquired Its Two Moons. Japan Just Launched a Historic Space Mission That Will Fetch Samples to Find Outhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-dont-know-how-mars-acquired-its-two-moons-japan-just-launched-a-historic-space-mission-that-will-fetch-samples-to-find-out-180989713/The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's spacecraft is expected to reach the Martian system in August 2027 and return samples from the moon Phobos to Earth in 2031Mon, 19 Oct 2026 19:41:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-dont-know-how-mars-acquired-its-two-moons-japan-just-launched-a-historic-space-mission-that-will-fetch-samples-to-find-out-180989713/SpaceX's Giant Starship Rocket Reached Earth Orbit on Its First Try, but Engine Problems Forced It to Return to the Planet Earlyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacexs-giant-starship-rocket-reached-earth-orbit-on-its-first-try-but-engine-problems-forced-it-to-return-to-the-planet-early-180989596/Two aerospace companies are competing to create the lunar lander NASA uses when it returns humans to the moon's surface. But to reach our lunar companion, a spacecraft will first have to get to Earth orbitWed, 30 Sep 2026 20:30:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacexs-giant-starship-rocket-reached-earth-orbit-on-its-first-try-but-engine-problems-forced-it-to-return-to-the-planet-early-180989596/After an Eight-Year Journey, Two Spacecraft Have Begun Their Arrival to Mercury, the Inner Solar System's Most Mysterious Planethttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-an-eight-year-journey-two-spacecraft-have-begun-their-arrival-to-mercury-the-inner-solar-systems-most-mysterious-planet-180989458/The BepiColombo mission, by the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, is only the third to study our smallest planetary neighborFri, 04 Sep 2026 18:48:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-an-eight-year-journey-two-spacecraft-have-begun-their-arrival-to-mercury-the-inner-solar-systems-most-mysterious-planet-180989458/Would You Eat a Cookie Made From Upcycled Plastic? Scientists Propose a New Way to Deal With Waste and Provide Food in Extreme Environmentshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/would-you-eat-a-cookie-made-from-upcycled-plastics-scientists-propose-a-new-way-to-deal-with-waste-and-provide-food-in-extreme-environments-180989413/A team of researchers programmed yeast to turn broken-down plastic and agricultural waste into sweet treats called µBites. They might come in handy during deep-space missions or in disaster zones, although some critics say the food is impracticalMon, 31 Aug 2026 15:42:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/would-you-eat-a-cookie-made-from-upcycled-plastics-scientists-propose-a-new-way-to-deal-with-waste-and-provide-food-in-extreme-environments-180989413/