https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/space-travel/RSS feed for Space TravelenWed, 27 May 2026 20:47:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-unveils-new-details-about-the-future-moon-base-and-the-missions-laying-the-groundwork-to-build-it-180988837/The first three missions are targeted to launch this year. They’ll involve lunar landers developed by several aerospace companies, including Blue Origin, and deliver scientific instruments and a roverWed, 27 May 2026 20:47:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-unveils-new-details-about-the-future-moon-base-and-the-missions-laying-the-groundwork-to-build-it-180988837/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/soviet-cosmonauts-trained-at-star-city-as-they-raced-to-beat-america-to-the-moon-now-a-new-tv-series-imagines-what-happened-behind-the-bases-walls-180988823/Apple TV's "Star City" takes place in a world where the space race never came to an end. A spinoff of "For All Mankind," the show is told from the Soviet perspectiveWed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/soviet-cosmonauts-trained-at-star-city-as-they-raced-to-beat-america-to-the-moon-now-a-new-tv-series-imagines-what-happened-behind-the-bases-walls-180988823/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-microscopic-fungus-survived-nasas-sterilization-protocols-and-is-hardy-enough-to-potentially-contaminate-mars-180988728/The microbe was gathered from the agency's clean rooms, where experts build spacecraft in carefully controlled environments. The findings reveal gaps in the agency's procedures to prevent durable hitchhikersWed, 13 May 2026 18:57:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-microscopic-fungus-survived-nasas-sterilization-protocols-and-is-hardy-enough-to-potentially-contaminate-mars-180988728/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-just-uploaded-more-than-12000-stunning-photos-from-the-artemis-2-mission-here-are-a-few-of-our-favorites-180988697/Although the mission's four astronauts sent a few photos to Earth while in space, most needed to be delivered via physical memory cards once they returned to the planetTue, 12 May 2026 20:32:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-just-uploaded-more-than-12000-stunning-photos-from-the-artemis-2-mission-here-are-a-few-of-our-favorites-180988697/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hummus-made-from-moon-grown-chickpeas-might-be-on-the-menu-for-future-lunar-residents-180988320/Researchers successfully grew and harvested chickpeas in simulated moon dirt—with a little help from worm poop and a beneficial fungus. However, they're still testing whether the legumes are safe to eatFri, 01 May 2026 17:23:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hummus-made-from-moon-grown-chickpeas-might-be-on-the-menu-for-future-lunar-residents-180988320/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-keep-the-voyager-1-spacecraft-on-its-interstellar-journey-nasa-turned-off-one-of-its-few-remaining-instruments-180988608/The probe launched almost 50 years ago and is the farthest human-made object from Earth. Shutting down one of its scientific devices will help it conserve energy and continue traveling toward the edge of the solar systemFri, 24 Apr 2026 18:59:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-keep-the-voyager-1-spacecraft-on-its-interstellar-journey-nasa-turned-off-one-of-its-few-remaining-instruments-180988608/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronauts-memories-of-earths-gravity-may-influence-how-they-move-and-hold-objects-even-after-months-in-space-180988586/Examining the fine motor skills of space travelers can help improve safety for future missions, scientists sayTue, 21 Apr 2026 20:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronauts-memories-of-earths-gravity-may-influence-how-they-move-and-hold-objects-even-after-months-in-space-180988586/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-rounding-the-moon-artemis-2-astronauts-reflect-on-the-enormity-of-the-experience-we-as-countries-and-as-humans-did-this-180988568/In their first press conference since returning from space, the four-person crew described feeling small but united with people on Earth and said the mission was an achievement by all of humanityFri, 17 Apr 2026 15:01:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-rounding-the-moon-artemis-2-astronauts-reflect-on-the-enormity-of-the-experience-we-as-countries-and-as-humans-did-this-180988568/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-writings-and-tree-rings-helped-researchers-track-a-solar-storm-from-800-years-ago-and-reconstruct-past-solar-cycles-180988546/Diary entries by the Japanese poet Fujiwara no Teika, along with other historical sources from across Asia and Europe, played pivotal roles in a new studyThu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-writings-and-tree-rings-helped-researchers-track-a-solar-storm-from-800-years-ago-and-reconstruct-past-solar-cycles-180988546/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artemis-2-astronauts-successfully-return-to-earth-after-completing-a-historic-mission-around-the-moon-180988513/The crewmembers splashed down Friday after breaking a space-faring record and viewing lunar features never seen by human eyes during their ten-day trip. It marks the first time anyone has left Earth's orbit in more than 50 yearsSat, 11 Apr 2026 00:07:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artemis-2-astronauts-successfully-return-to-earth-after-completing-a-historic-mission-around-the-moon-180988513/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-lies-beyond-artemis-2-these-other-missions-are-setting-their-sights-on-the-moon-this-yearand-on-a-future-with-humans-in-space-180988517/As the historic lunar flyby comes to a close, space companies and nations around the world are also shooting for the moon. Upcoming landings aim to change the landscape of space explorationThu, 09 Apr 2026 14:02:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-lies-beyond-artemis-2-these-other-missions-are-setting-their-sights-on-the-moon-this-yearand-on-a-future-with-humans-in-space-180988517/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-awe-inspiring-new-photos-of-the-moon-and-earth-sent-back-from-the-artemis-2-mission-180988498/The astronauts are on their way home after looping around the moon on a historic flyby. Here are the dazzling images they capturedTue, 07 Apr 2026 19:07:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-awe-inspiring-new-photos-of-the-moon-and-earth-sent-back-from-the-artemis-2-mission-180988498/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artemis-astronauts-overcome-toilet-trouble-and-officially-head-toward-the-moon-180988483/Houston, we have a potty problemFri, 03 Apr 2026 20:35:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artemis-astronauts-overcome-toilet-trouble-and-officially-head-toward-the-moon-180988483/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-astronauts-sudden-inability-to-speak-prompted-the-isss-first-medical-evacuation-doctors-still-dont-know-what-caused-the-issue-180988471/The individual who fell ill, NASA's Mike Fincke, says the medical team is almost certain that the issue was related to being in spaceFri, 03 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-astronauts-sudden-inability-to-speak-prompted-the-isss-first-medical-evacuation-doctors-still-dont-know-what-caused-the-issue-180988471/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-artemis-2-mission-launches-sending-humans-toward-the-moon-for-the-first-time-in-more-than-50-years-180988026/Four astronauts have begun a ten-day mission in which they’ll loop around the moon, laying the groundwork to put humans on the lunar surface as early as 2028Wed, 01 Apr 2026 22:35:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-artemis-2-mission-launches-sending-humans-toward-the-moon-for-the-first-time-in-more-than-50-years-180988026/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-might-struggle-to-make-babies-in-space-sperm-gets-disoriented-in-microgravity-a-new-study-suggests-180988459/Simulated near-weightless conditions reduced human sperm’s navigational abilitiesWed, 01 Apr 2026 18:59:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-might-struggle-to-make-babies-in-space-sperm-gets-disoriented-in-microgravity-a-new-study-suggests-180988459/