A cluster of recent theoretical papers has laid out mathematical frameworks for propelling spacecraft at speeds ranging from ...

A byproduct of aging nuclear weapons stockpiles could help power spacecraft on missions lasting decades. Americium-241, an isotope that can be separated from aged plutonium, is being studied as a ...

One would think that this excellent question would be easy to answer: A bucket full of “deep space” would contain essentially nothing — and, well, there you are! Outer space is, after all, the closest ...

ESA has inaugurated a powerful new 35-meter deep space antenna at its New Norcia site in Western Australia, marking a major boost to Europe’s ability to communicate with spacecraft exploring the Solar ...

The left panel shows the solar system and Earth. The upper right panel presents the layered structure of the Earth, with arrows showing the coupling between mantle convection and tectonic plate motion ...

Suggested Citation: "4 Prioritizations and Rankings to Optimize and Enable the Expansion of Deep Space Human Exploration." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. A Midterm ...

Deep Space Energy is developing a power generator technology that is based on radioisotopes, materials derived from nuclear ...

We are in an era where planetary science no longer depends on government missions. Commercial capabilities are mature and ready to deliver a higher cadence of planetary exploration that fits within ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I cover the future of astronautics and space technologies. That visibility naturally invites a follow-on question: what comes next ...