Space•Jul 17, 2026Astronomers Confirm an Atmosphere on a Rocky Planet in the Habitable ZoneAstronomers have detected helium escaping from LHS 1140 b, providing the first observational confirmation of an atmosphere around a rocky exoplanet in its star's habitable zone. The nearby world is now a prime target for studying planetary habitability, but the finding is not evidence of life, and the deeper atmosphere and surface remain unknown.
Space•Jul 16, 2026Webb Finds a Hidden Third Giant Planet in the Famous Beta Pictoris SystemAstronomers found Beta Pictoris d inside a bright debris disk by identifying the chemical fingerprint of its atmosphere rather than relying on a conventional picture. The independently confirmed discovery turns a nearby young system into an unusually rich laboratory for studying how giant planets and planetary disks evolve together.
Space•Jul 15, 2026FCC Clears a Giant Space Mirror to Beam Sunlight at Night - Astronomers Warn of the RisksThe U.S. FCC has authorized Reflect Orbital to deploy and operate Eärendil-1, an experimental satellite carrying an 18-by-18-metre steerable reflector. The single-satellite test could demonstrate tightly targeted sunlight from orbit, but astronomers argue that its brightness, safety implications and regulatory precedent demand far closer scrutiny.
Space•Jul 14, 2026NASA Tests a Lithium-Fed Electric Thruster Built for Deep-Space MissionsNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has tested a prototype magnetoplasmadynamic thruster that uses lithium propellant and extremely high electrical power. The technology could support nuclear-electric spacecraft carrying heavy cargo or crews to Mars, but substantial engineering work remains before flight.
Space•Jul 14, 2026Euclid Discovers Ancient Quasars From the Universe’s First EraEuclid identified 31 exceptionally ancient quasars, including two described as the oldest observed. The sample may reveal how supermassive black holes formed when the universe was only about 5% of its current age.
