Science Mission

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has started transmitting data to Earth ahead of the start of its regular science observations. The agency tested whether ground stations could handle the incoming data stream once the telescope begins full operations. The trials involved ground stations operated by three agencies, including Japan's JAXA. The telescope's early data transmissions mark a key step toward the start of its planned survey mission.

The Trump administration has committed more than $5 billion to the Genesis Mission, an initiative targeting cancer research, semiconductor development, and quantum computing. The announcement pairs health research with strategically critical technologies, reflecting a push to accelerate American leadership in chips and advanced computing while funding cancer-focused science.

A widely circulated science explorer claims something unusual is taking place on Mars, presenting observations that have drawn millions of viewers. No specific finding from NASA or other space agencies is detailed, so the claim cannot be verified. Interest in the Red Planet remains high as missions like Perseverance continue sending data back to Earth.

Researchers say blood tests have identified why astronauts often suffer constipation during spaceflight, pointing to changes in the body measurable in the blood while in orbit. The finding sheds light on a common but rarely discussed problem of long-duration missions and could help protect crew health on future trips to the Moon and Mars.

A new report from the Genesis Mission examines how artificial intelligence is being applied to fusion energy research and biological design. The analysis covers AI's potential to accelerate scientific discovery in these fields, including modeling complex plasma behavior and engineering biological systems. The report is drawing attention from readers following the broader push to apply advanced computing and AI to national science and energy priorities.

The SMILE satellite has ended an 18-year gap in observations of the northern lights, and researchers say new views of Earth's x-ray magnetic shield are just weeks away. The mission is expected to provide fresh insight into how the solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field, producing auroras. Space science outlets are highlighting the milestone and the images anticipated in the coming weeks.

NASA's Science Mission Directorate has put out a call for volunteer reviewers to evaluate research proposals. The agency regularly relies on scientists from universities and research institutions to assess grant applications across its science programs, and this notice invites qualified experts to take part in the peer review process. It is aimed at researchers willing to contribute time to reviewing upcoming science submissions.

NASA's Psyche spacecraft is in the news again. The mission, launched to study the metal-rich asteroid Psyche between Mars and Jupiter, is being highlighted by NASA Science, prompting renewed public interest in the spacecraft and its journey through deep space toward its asteroid target.

Astronomers report that enigmatic flashes of X-rays in the sky may come from the catastrophic merger of two stars, producing an ultra-dense, ultra-magnetic remnant known as a magnetar. The findings emerged from a collaboration between Chinese and European science missions, and are drawing attention among space researchers and enthusiasts discussing what the discovery reveals about how magnetars form.

The stratospheric research observatory Sunrise-III has returned new observations revealing intricate magnetic structures on the Sun. Flying high above most of Earth's atmosphere, the observatory captured detailed measurements of solar magnetic fields, findings now reported by science outlets and the Japanese astronomical institute NAOJ. Researchers say the data offers an unusually sharp view of the fine-scale magnetic processes driving solar activity.

NASA is working on plans to send humanoid robots to the moon, according to a Popular Science report. The idea is that humanlike machines could perform tasks on the lunar surface before or alongside human crews, supporting future Artemis-era missions. The concept has drawn attention from robotics and space enthusiasts.

NASA is reportedly planning to send humanoid robots to the moon, according to Popular Science. The reported initiative would put human-like machines on the lunar surface, potentially to carry out tasks ahead of or alongside astronaut missions under the agency's broader lunar exploration plans. Details about which robots, timelines or partners would be involved remain limited so far.

The astronauts launching on NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station will support a range of research projects sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory. The mission continues NASA's partnership with SpaceX in rotating crews to the orbiting station, with science investigations spanning multiple disciplines arriving alongside the new crew.

NASA's Perseverance rover has carried out another abrasion on a Martian rock, documented with a processed navigation camera image from Sol 1995 looking east-southeast. Space enthusiasts are sharing the raw imagery and noting the rover's ongoing sampling and science work at its current location.

New imagery from NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, taken on sol (Martian day) 5021 of the Curiosity rover's mission, has been shared online in highly detailed panorama format. The images, credited to NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS, are available through Gigapan and GIGAmacro viewers that let people zoom into fine surface detail. Space enthusiasts are sharing and exploring the views of the Martian terrain.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission brought samples of asteroid Bennu back to Earth, and analyses show the space rock contains material from both the inner and outer reaches of the Solar System. Researchers describe Bennu as a kind of 'Frankenstein' asteroid, assembled from fragments with very different origins, offering new clues about how the Solar System formed.

NASA has presented its exploration plans and scientific work at an international space conference, according to a news release from the agency. The announcement highlights NASA's participation in global space cooperation, covering its exploration programs and science missions. Details of specific announcements remain limited in the headline information available.

NASA’s Crew-13 mission is set to launch on a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station. The crew will travel to orbit for an extended science and maintenance mission, continuing routine rotational operations. The upcoming liftoff is drawing attention as the next step in NASA’s ongoing crewed spaceflight schedule.

Scientific American reports that a new NASA directive could increase the odds of Earth-based microbes contaminating Mars. The piece raises concerns that relaxed planetary protection rules might compromise the search for Martian life and scientific integrity.

A report argues that NASA has underfunded its Research and Analysis program for roughly 15 years, leaving science portfolios short of the levels recommended by past decadal surveys and agency guidance. Scientists say the sustained shortfall has squeezed grants, delayed analysis of mission data and weakened the research base that supports future space science.

Saturn's hexagon, a giant six-sided jet stream roughly 29,000 kilometres wide at the planet's north pole, is back in the spotlight. First spotted by the Voyager missions, the storm has fascinated researchers for decades, and its exact cause remains debated. New discussion of the phenomenon is drawing fresh attention to what scientists do and do not understand about the strange atmospheric structure.