Space ExplorationApril 10, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II crew returns today—here’s what to know ahead of splashdown
After a 10-day mission around the moon, the Artemis II astronauts will have traveled nearly 700,000 miles
Space & Physics
The UniverseApril 10, 2026
NASA’s Dragonfly will explore the air, land and seas of Titan, Saturn’s most mysterious moon
NASA plans to launch a wildly ambitious nuclear-powered octocopter to Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, in 2028
The Young American Scientists Event—Register Now
BooksApril 10, 2026
Alexis Hall talks space whales, AI and reinventing a classic
Alexis Hall reimagines Melville’s classic with space whales, AI intrigue and a bold queer twist that launches Moby-Dick into an entirely new sci‑fi universe
Solar systemApril 10, 2026
Medieval poets wrote about auroras. Their work is providing clues to the solar cycle
Medieval poets, including a Japanese noble, provided key descriptions to track down solar events
SpacecraftApril 9, 2026
White House budget seeks to scrap 54 major NASA science missions
Experts found that the White House budget request for the upcoming fiscal year could defund 54 NASA science missions, including a spacecraft currently studying Jupiter and two planned Venus missions
Space ExplorationApril 9, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II moon mission faces the final hurdle—coming home
After a hectic eight days in space, the Artemis II crew—and the many NASA personnel supporting their journey—are ready for the mission’s final milestone
Space ExplorationApril 9, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II mission’s return to Earth, hour by hour
On Friday, the four astronauts on board the Orion space capsule will begin their final descent to Earth. Here’s the plan, including the final, most nail-biting 13 minutes of the journey
Space ExplorationApril 9, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II moon mission preps for its last full day in space
The moon is now far in the rearview after a near-flawless spaceflight, but the crew of Artemis II aren’t home safe yet
Space ExplorationApril 9, 2026
How China could still win the new moon race
China is working toward its own moon landing. Could it put astronauts on the moon before NASA’s Artemis program does?
Space ExplorationApril 9, 2026
What’s the deal with the Artemis II music? The crew finally gave us some answers
It’s NASA tradition to wake up astronauts with a song. Here are the Artemis II crew’s favorites
Space ExplorationApril 9, 2026
Heat shield worries resurface as the Artemis II moon mission nears reentry
Before NASA’s moon mission launched, experts sounded the alarm over the Orion capsule’s heat shield and reentry. Now splashdown is just one day away
Space ExplorationApril 8, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II moon mission is focusing on its return to Earth
The Artemis II spacecraft is due to splash down on April 10, and NASA officials and the astronauts onboard are gearing up for that return