When NASA’s Cassini spacecraft concluded its mission in 2017 with a dive into Saturn’s atmosphere, it left behind a treasure trove of data. Nearly a decade later, re-examined measurements from its October 2008 E5 flyby of Enceladus have yielded one of the strongest indications yet that Saturn’s icy moon harbors the chemical foundation for life….
NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) has become a symbol of both the risks and opportunities in modern space exploration. Originally announced in 2019 with an optimistic $250 million budget, VIPER was designed to map water ice at the Moon’s south pole, data vital for the Artemis program and future cislunar infrastructure. By 2024,…
SpaceX’s Starlink has redefined satellite broadband by deploying a vast and ever-growing constellation in low Earth orbit (LEO). Launched in 2019 with its first-generation (V1) satellites, Starlink initially delivered tens of gigabits per spacecraft and quickly evolved into a global service with millions of users. Now, the program is entering its most ambitious phase yet:…