technical updates

Rocket Lab plans to start launching even more frequently and flexibly, thanks to a new portable spaceport system called "GHOST." GHOST — short for "Global Hypersonic & Orbital Spaceport Technology" — turns the company's " Electron and HASTE rockets into a launch-anywhere, launch-anytime capability for multi-launch flight campaigns and critical national security missions," Rocket Lab representatives said in a statement today (Aug. 10). "Packaged entirely within standard shipping containers, GHOST deploys complete rockets, launch infrastructure, ground support and range control systems anywhere in the world," they added. Electron is Rocket Lab's workhorse orbital rocket, giving small satellites dedicated rides to the final frontier. The expendable 59-foot-tall (18-meter-tall) launcher debuted with a test flight in 2017 and has 83 missions under...

Thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have shed light on a recent chapter in the history of our Milky Way's neighboring galaxy, Andromeda. Using Hubble Space Telescope observations of Andromeda 's stars, a research team showed that the spiral galaxy's rate of making new stars has dramatically slowed down in the last 40 million years. And they've found more evidence that one of Andromeda's own neighbors — a smaller galaxy called M32 — may be to blame. "We can't explicitly say that we are seeing a decrease in star formation because of M32. But it's right there, and it's definitely the most likely suspect," said Tobin Wainer, a graduate student at the University of Washington and one of the astronomers, in a statement . Astronomers like Wainer knew from prior research that Andromeda saw a burst of star formation about 2 billion years ago (poss...

Japan's H3 rocket will fly for the ninth time ever this afternoon (Aug. 10), and you can watch the action live. The H3 is scheduled to lift off from Tanegashima Space Center today during an hour-long window that opens at 3:23 p.m. EDT (1923 GMT; 4:23 a.m. on Aug. 11 local time), carrying the Michibiki 7 navigation satellite aloft. You can watch it live here at Space.com courtesy of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency or directly via JAXA . Coverage will start about an hour before launch. A Japanese H3 rocket on the launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center. (Image credit: JAXA) The two-stage H3 is the successor to Japan's workhorse H-2A rocket, which retired last year after a total of 50 flights. The H3 — which stands 187 feet or 207 feet (57 or 63 meters) tall, depending on what type of payload fairing it employs — debuted in March 2023 and has eight liftoffs under its belt to da...

Pluto's atmosphere appears to be freezing out as the dwarf planet moves ever further away from the sun, according to careful observations of Pluto astronomers made as it was seen passing in front of stars in the sky. Pluto is already cold. Its surface temperature is about –382 degrees Fahrenheit (–230 degrees Celsius), while its upper atmosphere is a little warmer at –333 degrees Fahrenheit (–203 degrees Celsius). As Pluto moves away from the sun it will grow even colder and its nitrogen-rich atmosphere should start to collapse and freeze out, condensing as frost on the frigid surface. Now, a team led by Amanda Sickafoose of Arizona's Planetary Science Institute believe they have seen the onset of this process. "We're at a particularly interesting point for Pluto ," said Sickafoose in a statement . "Our work suggests that the atmosphere has recently started decreasing i...

On Aug. 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will sweep across Earth, giving skywatchers across Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain an incredible view of totality. As the moon completely covers the sun, day will briefly turn to twilight, revealing the sun's faint outer atmosphere, the corona. But could totality reveal something else too? Although totality never produces true nighttime darkness, it does briefly dim the sky to roughly the brightness of twilight. Since eclipse chasers in Greenland and Iceland will be in the auroral zone — the geographic zone around Earth's magnetic pole where auroras are most frequently seen — it's natural to wonder whether the two phenomena could appear together. The answer is yes — but only if everything falls perfectly into place. "During totality, the sky brightness is comparable to civil twilight (the first period of darkness after sunset, until...

If you're planning to watch the total solar eclipse on Aug. 12 , knowing exactly when to look up is crucial. While totality will be visible from parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain, millions more people across Europe will experience a dramatic partial solar eclipse. Whether you're chasing the moon 's shadow in Reykjavik or watching the moon take a 'bite' out of the sun from London, Paris, or Berlin, timing is everything. You can keep up with the latest total solar eclipse news and coverage with our total solar eclipse live blog . Total solar eclipse timings Location Totality begins (local time) Duration Scoresby Sund, Greenland 4:35 p.m. 1m 46s Reykjavik, Iceland 5:48 p.m. 1m 1s Snæfellsjökull, Iceland 5:45 p.m. 2m 10s Gijón, Spain 8:26 p.m. 1m 46s A Coruña, Spain 8:27 p.m. 1m 15s Burgos, Spain 8:28 p.m. 1m 44s Mallorca, Spain 8:31 p.m. 1m 36s Partial solar eclipse timings ...