Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Space Travel

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo during its initial unveiling in 2009.

Trending Today

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo Just Crashed in California

The private spaceflight company was testing a new fuel for their experimental spaceship

None

Cool Finds

The European Space Agency Has Made the Weirdest Short Film

The ESA’s advertising Rosetta with a very unusual sci-fi short

The now non-existent Antares rocket sits on the launch pad at Wallops Flight Facility on October 26, 2014.

Trending Today

The Antares Rocket Explosion Wasn’t Orbital Sciences’ First Big Malfunction

Orbital Sciences has lost some of NASA’s gear before, because going to space is really, really hard

An earlier launch of one of Orbital Science's Antares rockets from Wollops, April 21, 2013.

Trending Today

Reminder: Keep Your Boat AWAY From NASA’s Rocket Launches

A mission to the ISS was cancelled because of a wayward boat

Cool Finds

From Lightning on Jupiter to Apollo 13’s Call for Help, Hear Some of NASA’s Greatest Recordings

An audio archive captures some iconic moments of space history

Curiosity is able to take pictures of itself on Mars using a camera mounted to its robotic arm. This mosaic was made from 55 snapshots taken in October 2012.

An Insider’s Biography of a Celebrity Mars Rover

The chief engineer for Curiosity offers a peek at the NASA rover’s tumultuous rise to stardom in a new tell-all book

Astronaut Mae Jemison in the Spacelab in 1992.

Cool Finds

The Case for Sending Women to Mars

Because women are smaller than men, they’re cheaper to send into space

The Mangalyaan orbiter back when it was still on the ground.

Trending Today

India’s Space Agency Made It to Mars on the First Try

India’s Mangalyaan orbiter dropped into orbit around Mars last night

An artist's conception of MAVEN in orbit around Mars

Trending Today

Mars Just Got a New Robotic Explorer

NASA’s MAVEN orbiter dropped into orbit last night

SpaceX's Dragon V2 crew capsule was unveiled in May

Trending Today

SpaceX and Boeing Will Be NASA Astronauts’ New Ride Come 2017

Commercial companies could take over as early as 2017

Sorry, rover. Planting a garden will have to wait.

Four Handy Tips for Growing Your Garden on Mars

Is it possible to have a green thumb on the Red Planet? Perhaps, after you’ve mastered a few space gardening tricks

The power of science fiction comes from the license to dream.

Round Table

What Idea From Science Fiction Would You Most Like To See Become Reality?

Astronomers, writers and an astronaut weigh in with some interesting answers

Back in 2005 Virgin Galactic and New Mexico worked out a deal for the state to build a multimillion dollar spaceport. Here's Richard Branson (right) giving Governor Bill Richardson a model airplane to commemorate the occasion.

Cool Finds

Delay-Plagued Virgin Galactic Finds Itself Delayed, Again

It will be hard for Virgin Galactic to fly by 2015 without a fully tested rocket engine

Trending Today

RIP Sexy Space Geckos

The five geckos sent to space have all died

An artist's concept of the SLS heavy-lift rocket

Trending Today

Meet the Newly Approved Rocket That Will Take People To Mars

The approval of the Space Launch System is an important step for NASA

Cool Finds

Help NASA Out by Looking at Beautiful Pictures of Space

NASA wants your help identifying astronauts’ photos of the earth

Cool Finds

Imagine Living on Mars In One of These Structures

You could call an acropolis, pyramid or beehive home

None

Hear How Robin Williams Woke Up the Space Shuttle Discovery Crew in 1988

The actor and comedian provided a special message for astronauts during the first flight after the Challenger disaster

The LDSD being lifted into the air by balloon during a test on June 28, 2014

Cool Finds

Watch Video From NASA’s “Flying Saucer” Test

The LDSD test on June 28 went well, and more tests are expected to run next year

A close up of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko taken from just 80 miles up.

Trending Today

Rosetta Satellite Is the First to Ever Orbit a Comet

It’s been a long trip, but Rosetta has finally reached its destination

Page 34 of 37