New Space EconomyBusiness, Technology, and Trends

Theory shows that stars can collapse directly into black holes without first exploding as supernovae. In fact, this should be a relatively common occurrence. But despite that, astronomers have found scant observational evidence to support it.

Nearly two years after Boeing’s botched Starliner mission to the International Space Station, NASA put the mishap in the same category as the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle disasters — and said the spacecraft wouldn’t carry another crew until dozens of corrective actions are taken.

The history of human spaceflight is anchored by two definitive eras of lunar exploration. The first, driven by the geopolitical urgency of the Cold War, produced the Apollo Command and Service Module, a vehicle purpose-built to deliver three men to the Moon and return them safely before the end of the 1960s. The second, currently unfolding under the Artemis program, centers on the Orion spacecraft. While visually similar due to the immutable laws of aerodynamics, these two vehicles represent vastly different technological epochs, mission philosophies, and engineering methodologies.

The pursuit of space exploration often conjures images of massive orbital rockets and distant planetary landers. However, a significant portion of the most vital scientific data comes from the edge of space, collected by smaller vehicles known as sounding rockets. These rockets don't enter orbit; instead, they follow a parabolic path that takes them into the upper atmosphere before they return to Earth. Peru has established itself as a central hub for this specialized field, leveraging its unique geography and a legacy of indigenous engineering. At the heart of this endeavor is the National Commission for Aerospace Research and Development (CONIDA) , which manages the nation's primary space infrastructure and spearheads international collaborations that place Peru at the forefront of equatorial atmospheric science.

The development of the Artemis II spaceflight has encountered unexpected technical hurdles during late February 2026. After months of rigorous preparation, engineers recently executed a second wet dress rehearsal at the launch pad in Florida. This intricate procedure involves loading super-cooled propellants into the massive rocket to simulate a full countdown sequence without actually igniting the main engines. The initial part of this rehearsal concluded smoothly on February 19, with the massive tanks filling successfully and no significant leaks detected on the pad. The ground teams monitored the flow rates and temperature gradients, looking for any signs of instability within the complex plumbing.

Many factors influence a planet's habitability. The more obvious ones include being in a star's habitable zone and having a magnetic shield to protect it from radiation. But other important factors are less obvious.

Using local resources will be key to any mission to either the Moon or Mars - in large part because of how expensive it is to bring those resources up from Earth to our newest outposts. But Mars in particular has one local resource that has long been thought of as a negative - perchlorates. These chemicals, which are toxic to almost all life, make up between 0.5-1% of Martian soil, and have long been thought to be a hindrance rather than a help to our colonization efforts for the new planet. But a new paper from researchers at the Indian Institute of Science and the University of Florida shows that, when making the bricks that will build the outpost, perchlorates actually help.

Space exploration and satellite technology have become central to the economic and scientific development of nations across the Asia Pacific. The region is home to established giants and emerging programs that contribute to global understanding of the solar system and provide essential services on Earth. These organizations range from national government agencies to multilateral groups designed to foster cooperation among neighboring states. As technology becomes more accessible, the number of participants in the space sector continues to rise, leading to a diverse ecosystem of orbital capabilities and deep space ambitions.

Canada occupies a unique position in the global space community as a nation with deep historical ties to North American and European programs while geographically bordering the Pacific Ocean. This dual identity often raises questions about its involvement in regional organizations like the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO). While Canada possesses the technical capability and the geographic eligibility to join such a body, a complex web of diplomatic, economic, and strategic factors has kept it entirely outside the organization’s framework.

The odds of finding any sort of smoking gun for non-baryonic (or exotic) dark matter --- the missing matter of the universe hypothesized to be made up of exotic elementary particles such as WIMPS (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles), seems to get longer with each passing year.

How do galaxies evolve? When did they start forming? Those are questions astronomers and cosmologists are working to answer. The standard evolutionary path includes early bright star-forming activity, a middle age, and then a quiescent old age where they stop making stars. That changes if the galaxy happens to collide with another one, because that spurs new bouts of starbirth. It's been this way since stars and galaxies first began forming, hundreds of millions of years after the Big Bang.

The pursuit of Outer space exploration has historically been a solo endeavor for the world's wealthiest nations. However, the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization changes this narrative by fostering a collaborative environment for countries in the region. Headquartered in Beijing, this intergovernmental body serves as a platform where member states can pool their intellectual and financial resources. It functions as a bridge, allowing developing nations to access advanced technology and participate in missions that would be impossible to manage alone. By focusing on peaceful applications of space science, the group helps its members address local challenges such as agricultural productivity and natural disaster response.

If humans ever want to work and live in space, whether in habitats on the Moon or Mars or in stations far from Earth, a reliable source of clean drinking water is essential. This presents many challenges in space, where resources are limited, and resupply missions are costly, time-consuming, or both. For starters, humans cannot survive for more than three days without water. Water is also essential for oxygen generation, irrigating edible plants, and hygiene. Meeting these requirements requires a closed-loop system that can provide clean water for months to years without replenishment.

NASA and JPL are working hard to develop more autonomy for their Mars rovers. Both of their current rovers on Mars—MSL Curiosity and Perseverance—are partly autonomous, with Perseverance being a little more advanced. In fact, developing more autonomous navigation was an explicit part of Perseverance's mission.

A new study provides the first evidence that re-entering space debris pollutes Earth’s upper atmosphere.