Orbits : Discovery News

Mercury Crater Exhibits 'Artistic' Bright Rays: Big Pic

Posted 5 HOURS AGO | 0

A recent image from NASA's MESSENGER Mercury satellite features a brightly-rayed crater that's held on to its youth. Read more

'Real-Time' Space Station Flight Up The East Coast: Video

Posted Wed Feb 8, 2012 02:26 PM ET | 0

A time-lapse video from the ISS takes us on a night tour of the Gulf of Mexico and the US East Coast... in near real-time! Read more

Watching a Moonset... from Space: Video

Posted Sun Feb 5, 2012 04:59 PM ET | 0

Expedition 30 astronauts recorded a dramatic time-lapse of the Moon as it set behind Earth's atmosphere. Read more

Earth's Mugshot Explained

Posted Sat Feb 4, 2012 12:26 PM ET | 0

NASA's newest Earth-watching satellite is beaming back spectacular views of our home planet. Here's how it works. Read more

New Alien Planet Ripe for Life?

Posted by Irene Klotz Thu Feb 2, 2012 11:16 AM ET | 0

A potentially habitable alien planet that orbits a triple-star system is perfectly positioned for liquid water -- and possibly life. Read more

SpaceX Test Fires Awesome New Rocket

Posted by Ian O'Neill Thu Feb 2, 2012 01:58 AM ET | 0

The private spaceflight company has test fired a new rocket that will be used to rescue launching astronauts during an emergency and propulsively land on planetary bodies. Read more

Bus-Size Asteroid Buzzes Earth in Close Flyby

Posted Fri Jan 27, 2012 11:27 AM ET | 0

The newly discovered asteroid came within 36,750 miles of Earth when it made its closest approach at 10:30 a.m. EST. Read more

Dead Russian Mars Probe Reenters Over the Pacific

Posted Sun Jan 15, 2012 05:27 PM ET | 0

Any surviving components of the doomed Phobos-Grunt spacecraft plunged into the ocean on Sunday. Read more

Russian Mars Spacecraft Reentry Imminent

Posted Sun Jan 15, 2012 04:47 AM ET | 0

The stranded Phobos-Grunt probe will likely reenter Earth's atmosphere late on Sunday. Read more

Two Planets With Twin Stars Found

Posted by Irene Klotz Wed Jan 11, 2012 01:00 PM ET | 0

The Star Wars' fictional planet Tatooine is not so fictional or unique after all. Read more

Weirdest Mars Craters: Photos

Posted Fri Dec 30, 2011 07:00 AM ET | 0

Mars has its fair share of craters -- but which ones are just plain weird looking? Read more

Probes May Find Remnants of Moon's Lost Sibling

Posted by Irene Klotz Thu Dec 29, 2011 02:52 PM ET | 0

NASA's GRAIL mission will determine what lies beneath the lunar crust by measuring the moon's gravitational field. Read more

Planets May Have Survived Star's Death

Posted by Irene Klotz Wed Dec 21, 2011 01:00 PM ET | 0

Two Earth-sized worlds are seen orbiting a burned-out star, defying theories about the ultimate fate of planets. Read more

A Breathtaking High-Definition View from Orbit: Video

Posted Mon Nov 14, 2011 01:52 AM ET | 0

Feast your eyes on the most stunning time-lapse video to come from low-Earth orbit. Read more

Success! China Docks Two Vehicles in Orbit

Posted by Ian O'Neill Wed Nov 2, 2011 03:04 PM ET | 0

Two docking events occurred in low-Earth orbit (LEO) today; one was routine, the other was historic. Read more

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