Earth's oceans

SpaceX's Starship has returned to Earth, splashing down after its latest flight test. The rocket's descent into the ocean marks another milestone in the company's program to develop the massive spacecraft for future missions to the Moon and Mars. Reactions are focused on how the vehicle performed during reentry and landing, and what the results mean for upcoming test flights and NASA's lunar plans.

SpaceX's Starship completed a full-duration test flight of roughly three hours, returning through the atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii. The flight marks another step in the rocket's development campaign, with observers tracking how the vehicle handled reentry and recovery. SpaceX has not detailed the outcome of every test objective, but the splashdown confirms the ship survived to its planned end point.

SpaceX's Starship has splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after returning to Earth earlier than planned. The next-generation rocket, developed for missions to the Moon and Mars, ended its flight short of schedule, prompting discussion about what caused the early return and what the outcome means for the vehicle's testing programme.

New research reported by The Guardian shows Earth microbes can survive in laboratory conditions replicating the ocean beneath the ice of Enceladus, Saturn's icy moon. The findings strengthen the case that the moon's subsurface sea could be habitable, fuelling discussion among scientists and space enthusiasts about the search for life beyond Earth and future missions to Enceladus.

The European Space Agency's JUICE mission, bound for Jupiter and its icy moons, passed at less than 10,000 km overhead around 13:45 CEST during its second Earth gravity assist, prompting a heads-up to ships in the Indian Ocean beneath its flight path. The spacecraft will return for one final Earth slingshot in 2029 before heading to the outer solar system.

Scientists report that conditions on Enceladus, Saturn's icy moon with a subsurface ocean, could support microbial life. The findings strengthen the case that the moon is one of the most promising places in the solar system to search for living organisms beyond Earth. The research is drawing attention among space and astrobiology enthusiasts discussing future exploration missions to Enceladus.

A spacecraft built to explore icy moons where life could exist is flying close by Earth, using the planet's gravity to adjust its course. The maneuver is part of a long journey toward the outer solar system, where scientists hope to study oceans beneath the moons' surfaces. The flyby has drawn attention as a milestone in the search for conditions suitable for life beyond our planet.

New research indicates that Earth microbes can survive under simulated conditions of the ocean beneath the ice of Saturn's moon Enceladus, suggesting life there is not out of the question. Scientists see the finding as encouraging for the search for life beyond Earth, since Enceladus's subsurface ocean is considered one of the most promising places to look.

Scientists suggest Saturn's icy moon Enceladus could host microbial life, and that plumes of water erupting from beneath its surface offer a way to detect it. The geysers blast material from a subsurface ocean into space, meaning a spacecraft could potentially sample it without drilling through the ice, keeping hopes alive in the search for life beyond Earth.

New research explains how Saturn's moon Enceladus transforms its subsurface ocean spray into chemically varied ice grains, shedding light on the processes behind the plumes first observed by the Cassini spacecraft. The findings help scientists understand the moon's ocean chemistry and its potential to host conditions suitable for life.

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside report that shifts in ocean chemistry played a key role in allowing early life to keep producing oxygen, sustaining Earth's breathable atmosphere. The study, covered by Phys.org, suggests chemical changes in seawater helped marine microbes maintain oxygen production over billions of years. The findings offer new insight into how the planet's atmosphere became stable enough to support complex life.

New research indicates the ice grains erupting from Saturn's moon Enceladus are more unusual than scientists previously understood. Enceladus, which has a subsurface ocean beneath its icy shell, constantly sprays water vapor and ice particles into space through cracks near its south pole, and fresh analysis of this material has revealed unexpected properties. The finding adds to interest in the moon as one of the most promising places to search for life beyond Earth.

SpaceX's Starship completed Flight 14, reaching Earth's orbit before the vehicle's reentry ended in an explosion over the Pacific Ocean. The test flight is part of SpaceX's iterative development program for the giant rocket, in which destruction during reentry or descent phases is an anticipated outcome providing engineering data. No injuries were reported.

SpaceX's Starship returned to Earth ahead of schedule, ending its orbital test mission with a fiery splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The early return came after the spacecraft abandoned part of its planned orbit, but the vehicle survived reentry and hit the water intact enough to conclude the flight. The splashdown marks another step in SpaceX's campaign to prove Starship is ready for future lunar and Mars missions.

New reporting highlights that Earth's ocean floor plays a surprisingly powerful role in regulating the climate, beyond its traditionally understood passive role. The seafloor influences heat exchange, carbon storage and ocean circulation patterns that shape global temperatures. Scientists say these deep-sea processes are often overlooked in climate models, and better understanding them could improve predictions of how quickly the planet warms in the coming decades.

New research suggests Saturn's icy moon Enceladus makes signs of potential alien life easier to detect. The moon's subsurface ocean, sampled by NASA's Cassini spacecraft through plumes venting from its south pole, offers a promising target in the search for life beyond Earth, and the findings have drawn attention from planetary scientists.