Space

An amateur astronomer’s plans for a camping vacation two years ago transformed into a possible crater find in Canada’s north. Amateur astronomer Joël Lapointe, using Google Maps to figure out his route for the 2024 vacation, saw some odd terrain in Quebec’s Côte-Nord region centered on Lake Marsal. Lapointe suspected it was an impact crater from a meteorite, and made a report…

In looking back and commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Viking missions to Mars, one is struck by the bold and audacious undertaking. Twin spacecraft missions — each consisting of a lander and an orbiter — made their way to Mars and into the history books. The Viking 1 lander planted its legs on the terrain of Chryse Planitia 50 years ago today, on July 20, 1976, while its Viking 2…

Astronauts just flew to Earth orbit space atop a rocket emblazoned with an energy-drink ad. The Soyuz MS-29 launch to the International Space Station on Tuesday (July 14), from the Russian-run Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, used a Soyuz rocket festooned with ads for Лимонад (“Lemonade”) LIT ENERGY. The ads are visible in shots of the rocket’s rollout on July 11…

Starship isn’t the only SpaceX rocket flying today. A Falcon 9 rocket launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base today (July 16), carrying 21 satellites for the U.S. military’s advanced new “Tranche 1 Transport Layer” (T1TL) constellation to orbit. Liftoff took place at 4:32 p.m. EDT (2032 GMT; 1:32 p.m. local California time). A SpaceX Falcon 9…