Spacecraft Test
- All
- News
- Videos
-
Video: Musk's SpaceX Rocket Booster Makes Planned Crash In Gulf Of Mexico
SpaceX launched another of its mammoth Starship rockets on a test flight Monday, striving to make it halfway around the world while releasing mock satellites like last time.
-
NASA’s Astrobee Robots Gain New Capabilities via Arkisys Partnership
NASA has partnered with Arkisys to extend the Astrobee robotic mission aboard the ISS. The free-flying robots are set to support future exploration by performing spacecraft maintenance and assisting astronauts. The collaboration sustains a platform vital for testing new technologies in microgravity as NASA prepares missions to the Moon and Mars.
-
SpaceX Moves Starship to Launch Pad for Final Version 2 Test Flight
SpaceX has moved its next Starship spacecraft to the launch pad at Starbase, Texas, signaling preparations for Flight 11. This test flight will be the last mission of Starship Version 2, following Flight 10’s success with splashdowns and satellite deployment.
-
NASA’s Artemis Prepares Crews for Future Mars Missions
NASA’s Artemis programme goes beyond Apollo by planning longer lunar missions to test spacecraft, life-support, and logistics for Mars. With Gateway, lunar ice harvesting, and global partnerships, Artemis aims to simulate deep-space challenges. These lessons will directly guide future crewed journeys to the Red Planet and beyond.
-
Researchers Create Metal That Resists Cracking in Deep Space Cold
Researchers have engineered a cobalt-nickel-vanadium alloy that stays tough even at –186°C, resisting the brittleness that plagues most metals in extreme cold. Using atomic-scale design, the team created dual structural patterns inside the alloy that block cracks and preserve ductility. In lab tests, the metal absorbed far more strain than conve...
-
"Survival Tests, Photography Lessons": Shubhanshu Shukla Shares Axiom-4 Preparations Details
Undergoing survival tests in simulated environment, learning photography to document space experiences -- these were some of the activities that the crew of Axiom-4 had engaged in before setting off on the mission, Shubhanshu Shukla said.
-
Elon Musk's SpaceX Launches Secretive US Military X-37B Space Drone Into Orbit
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted into space on Thursday night carrying the US military's secretive X-37B drone.
-
China Conducts First Test Of Manned Lunar Lander 'Lanyue'
China conducted its first test on Wednesday of a lunar lander that it hopes will put the first Chinese on the moon before 2030, the country's manned space program said.
-
NASA's TRACERS Satellites Begin Solar Wind Study Despite SV1 Glitch
NASA launched its twin TRACERS satellites on July 23, 2025, to study how solar wind causes magnetic reconnection in Earth's magnetosphere. However, a power issue on one spacecraft, SV1, has caused intermittent communication. Engineers believe the issue relates to sunlight availability on its solar panels and plan recovery efforts in August. Meanwhi...
-
ESA JUICE Mission Scans Jupiter's Lunar Crater in Test Run for Alien Life
ESA’s JUICE spacecraft scanned the famous Earthrise crater on the Moon to test radar for future exploration of Jupiter’s icy moons. The data confirmed JUICE’s radar accuracy, setting the stage for a search for life beneath Europa and Ganymede. The crater, immortalised in a 1968 Apollo 8 photo, now plays a role in extraterrestrial science.
-
NASA Tests Modular Satellite Tech to Cut Launch Costs and Speed Missions
NASA is developing scalable, modular satellite platforms to reduce cost and accelerate science missions. The Athena EPIC spacecraft, built from eight “Satlet” modules, shares control systems among instruments, simplifying integration. Slated to launch in 2025 on a SpaceX rideshare, Athena aims to cut costs from billions to millions per mission....
-
NASA's New Horizons Proves Deep-Space Navigation via Stellar Parallax
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft accomplished a world-first by performing a deep-space stellar navigation test using stellar parallax. On April 23, 2020, while 438 million miles from Earth, it imaged nearby stars Proxima Centauri and Wolf 359. From the spacecraft’s distant viewpoint, the stars appeared slightly shifted compared to Earth-based obs...
-
NASA to Gather Reentry Imagery of European Commercial Capsule Using High-Altitude Aircraft
NASA’s SCIFLI team will track the reentry of a European test capsule named Mission Possible using a spectrometer and high-definition telescope from a Gulfstream III aircraft. The mission aims to gather thermal and parachute deployment data, aiding spacecraft design. Backed by a Space Act Agreement, it highlights international collaboration and en...
-
NASA’s Europa Clipper Captures Stunning Infrared Image of Mars
During a Mars flyby on March 1, 2025, NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft captured thermal images with its E-THEMIS infrared imager. The mission team used this opportunity to test key instruments ahead of Clipper’s arrival at Jupiter’s moon Europa in 2030.
-
NASA Plans Another Starliner Test Flight Amid Propulsion System Challenges
NASA is considering another test flight for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner before it is used for crew rotations to the International Space Station. Reports suggest that propulsion system issues, including helium leaks and thruster failures, are still being investigated. NASA’s Steve Stich has stated that Boeing is testing new seals and propulsion c...
-
Video: Musk's SpaceX Rocket Booster Makes Planned Crash In Gulf Of Mexico
SpaceX launched another of its mammoth Starship rockets on a test flight Monday, striving to make it halfway around the world while releasing mock satellites like last time.
-
NASA’s Astrobee Robots Gain New Capabilities via Arkisys Partnership
NASA has partnered with Arkisys to extend the Astrobee robotic mission aboard the ISS. The free-flying robots are set to support future exploration by performing spacecraft maintenance and assisting astronauts. The collaboration sustains a platform vital for testing new technologies in microgravity as NASA prepares missions to the Moon and Mars.
-
SpaceX Moves Starship to Launch Pad for Final Version 2 Test Flight
SpaceX has moved its next Starship spacecraft to the launch pad at Starbase, Texas, signaling preparations for Flight 11. This test flight will be the last mission of Starship Version 2, following Flight 10’s success with splashdowns and satellite deployment.
-
NASA’s Artemis Prepares Crews for Future Mars Missions
NASA’s Artemis programme goes beyond Apollo by planning longer lunar missions to test spacecraft, life-support, and logistics for Mars. With Gateway, lunar ice harvesting, and global partnerships, Artemis aims to simulate deep-space challenges. These lessons will directly guide future crewed journeys to the Red Planet and beyond.
-
Researchers Create Metal That Resists Cracking in Deep Space Cold
Researchers have engineered a cobalt-nickel-vanadium alloy that stays tough even at –186°C, resisting the brittleness that plagues most metals in extreme cold. Using atomic-scale design, the team created dual structural patterns inside the alloy that block cracks and preserve ductility. In lab tests, the metal absorbed far more strain than conve...
-
"Survival Tests, Photography Lessons": Shubhanshu Shukla Shares Axiom-4 Preparations Details
Undergoing survival tests in simulated environment, learning photography to document space experiences -- these were some of the activities that the crew of Axiom-4 had engaged in before setting off on the mission, Shubhanshu Shukla said.
-
Elon Musk's SpaceX Launches Secretive US Military X-37B Space Drone Into Orbit
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted into space on Thursday night carrying the US military's secretive X-37B drone.
-
China Conducts First Test Of Manned Lunar Lander 'Lanyue'
China conducted its first test on Wednesday of a lunar lander that it hopes will put the first Chinese on the moon before 2030, the country's manned space program said.
-
NASA's TRACERS Satellites Begin Solar Wind Study Despite SV1 Glitch
NASA launched its twin TRACERS satellites on July 23, 2025, to study how solar wind causes magnetic reconnection in Earth's magnetosphere. However, a power issue on one spacecraft, SV1, has caused intermittent communication. Engineers believe the issue relates to sunlight availability on its solar panels and plan recovery efforts in August. Meanwhi...
-
ESA JUICE Mission Scans Jupiter's Lunar Crater in Test Run for Alien Life
ESA’s JUICE spacecraft scanned the famous Earthrise crater on the Moon to test radar for future exploration of Jupiter’s icy moons. The data confirmed JUICE’s radar accuracy, setting the stage for a search for life beneath Europa and Ganymede. The crater, immortalised in a 1968 Apollo 8 photo, now plays a role in extraterrestrial science.
-
NASA Tests Modular Satellite Tech to Cut Launch Costs and Speed Missions
NASA is developing scalable, modular satellite platforms to reduce cost and accelerate science missions. The Athena EPIC spacecraft, built from eight “Satlet” modules, shares control systems among instruments, simplifying integration. Slated to launch in 2025 on a SpaceX rideshare, Athena aims to cut costs from billions to millions per mission....
-
NASA's New Horizons Proves Deep-Space Navigation via Stellar Parallax
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft accomplished a world-first by performing a deep-space stellar navigation test using stellar parallax. On April 23, 2020, while 438 million miles from Earth, it imaged nearby stars Proxima Centauri and Wolf 359. From the spacecraft’s distant viewpoint, the stars appeared slightly shifted compared to Earth-based obs...
-
NASA to Gather Reentry Imagery of European Commercial Capsule Using High-Altitude Aircraft
NASA’s SCIFLI team will track the reentry of a European test capsule named Mission Possible using a spectrometer and high-definition telescope from a Gulfstream III aircraft. The mission aims to gather thermal and parachute deployment data, aiding spacecraft design. Backed by a Space Act Agreement, it highlights international collaboration and en...
-
NASA’s Europa Clipper Captures Stunning Infrared Image of Mars
During a Mars flyby on March 1, 2025, NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft captured thermal images with its E-THEMIS infrared imager. The mission team used this opportunity to test key instruments ahead of Clipper’s arrival at Jupiter’s moon Europa in 2030.
-
NASA Plans Another Starliner Test Flight Amid Propulsion System Challenges
NASA is considering another test flight for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner before it is used for crew rotations to the International Space Station. Reports suggest that propulsion system issues, including helium leaks and thruster failures, are still being investigated. NASA’s Steve Stich has stated that Boeing is testing new seals and propulsion c...
