News Archive / Tagged: The Range

• Study makes case for geophysical planet definition

  Laurel KornfeldJanuary 16th, 2022

  In an in-depth study of planet classification from the time of Galileo to the present, a group of planetary scientists criticize the 2006 International Astronomical Union planet definition as being rooted in folklore and astrology and argue for a geophysical definition that includes spherical moons as secondary or satellite planets.

• Sublimating nitrogen ice could be cause of polygons in Pluto’s Sputnik Planitia

  Laurel KornfeldJanuary 12th, 2022

  The unusual polygonal features seen in Sputnik Planitia, the left side of Pluto's iconic heart feature known as Tombaugh Regio, could be caused by the sublimation of nitrogen ice, a team of scientists propose in a study published in the journal Nature.

• Bill Gates-founded clean-tech initiative funds rocket startup

  Theresa CrossJanuary 4th, 2022

  Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy has backed Stoke Space's goal of creating a fully-reusable rocket in the company's latest funding round.

• Our spaceflight heritage: A conversation with Fred Haise

  Scott JohnsonDecember 24th, 2021

  Spaceflight Insider spoke with Fred Haise after a ceremony commemorating the 2020 designation of the A-1 Test Stand after the Apollo 13 astronaut.

• NASA asking for fission power design concepts for Moon missions

  Cullen DesforgesDecember 20th, 2021

  As humanity moves toward the very real possibility of becoming a multi-planet species, the need for safe and reliable energy not only arises on Earth, but especially so in outer space.

• Images of Pluto’s dark side produced using reflected sunlight from Charon

  Laurel KornfeldDecember 13th, 2021

  A team of scientists produced images of Pluto's dark side using reflected sunlight from its large moon Charon in images taken by the New Horizons spacecraft to tease out features on that side in low resolution.

• Artemis I Space Launch System Rollout Delayed to January

  Scott JohnsonDecember 12th, 2021

  NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and SLS Program Manager John Honeycutt provide an update on Artemis 1 rollout, and RS-25 engine controller issue.

• Gateway exhibit set to open spring 2022 at KSC Visitor Complex

  Cullen DesforgesDecember 8th, 2021

  The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida is preparing to open what will be its first free-standing exhibit building since opening the Atlantis exhibit in 2013.

• NASA leadership visits Marshall Space Flight Center

  Scott JohnsonDecember 6th, 2021

  NASA Administrator Bill Nelson visited the Marshall Space Flight Center for an update on the center's contribution to the nation's space program.

• Northrop Grumman proposes lunar rover for Artemis program

  Theresa CrossNovember 27th, 2021

  A team of companies led by Northrop Grumman has put forth a proposal for an astronaut-driven lunar rover for the agency’s Artemis Moon program.

• Laser demo aims to increase in-space communications bandwidth

  Cullen DesforgesNovember 23rd, 2021

  A laser communications payload is set to fly next month to demonstrate advantages of such a system and for engineers to learn how to use them operationally.

• Astronaut Jessica Watkins assigned to Crew-4 mission

  Theresa CrossNovember 19th, 2021

  NASA has announced the final crewmember for the next International Space Station crew rotation mission under the agency's Commercial Crew Program.

• Interstellar probe could be successor to the Voyager missions

  Laurel KornfeldNovember 14th, 2021

  With Voyagers 1 and 2 set to run out of power in approximately a decade, NASA is considering a follow up interstellar probe that could last 50 to 100 years.

• Ingenuity Mars Helicopter completes 15th flight

  Cullen DesforgesNovember 13th, 2021

  NASA’s Mars Helicopter known as Ingenuity has begun to traverse its way back to the famed Wright Brothers Field on the Martian surface after completing its 15th successful flight.

• National Geographic selected to tell the story of Artemis 2

  Theresa CrossNovember 12th, 2021

  NASA and National Geographic have partnered to help tell the story of the first crewed flight around the Moon in more than a half century.