SpaceFoxies: Space News and Space Community

Does China have its own space station? Yes — Tiangong is a major Chinese space station in orbit. Learn how large it is and how it compares with the ISS.

With Artemis II, NASA completed one of the most important steps in modern spaceflight in early April 2026: for the first time since the Apollo missions, a crewed mission flew around the Moon again. The four-person crew launched on April 1, 2026, circled the Moon on a so-called free-return trajectory, and safely splashed down in the Pacific on April 10, 2026. The mission lasted 9 days, 1 hour, and 32 minutes and marks the transition from the testing phase to the next big question: What happens now?

With the Artemis program, the NASA aims to return humans to the Moon for the first time in more than five decades. Unlike the Apollo era, the focus is not on a single landing but on the step-by-step establishment of a sustainable human presence in lunar orbit and on the Moon’s surface. Artemis is designed as both a technology program and an exploration initiative, while also serving as preparation for future crewed missions to Mars.

Japan has successfully launched its new HTV-X cargo spacecraft on its first mission to the International Space Station (ISS), marking a major milestone in the nation’s space transportation program.

ESA’s ambitious Enceladus mission could launch in 2042 and search for signs of life beneath the icy surface of Saturn’s mysterious moon.

Space is no longer the exclusive playground of government agencies and billion-dollar corporations. Today, German start-ups are emerging as bold players in the global space industry, aiming to harness satellite data, build rockets, and develop innovative solutions for environmental protection, communication, and beyond.

Mars has fascinated scientists and space enthusiasts for centuries. As our closest neighboring planet, it could one day become the destination for a manned mission or even a human colony. But what do we really know about the Red Planet?
In this article, you'll discover fascinating facts about Mars – from its size and gravity to its seasons, massive sandstorms, and the time it takes to travel there.

Mars – our neighboring planet and the most promising target for humanity to establish an interplanetary civilization. For centuries, people have dreamed of visiting the Red Planet and even settling there one day. But only in the last few decades, thanks to modern space technology and ambitious plans from space agencies and private companies, has this dream moved closer to reality.

As humanity stands at the threshold of a new era in space exploration, the possibilities seem boundless. From revisiting the Moon to setting our sights on Mars and beyond, the future of space exploration is poised to revolutionize our understanding of the universe and our place within it. This article delves into the latest advancements, upcoming missions, and the visionaries leading the charge into the cosmos.

Saturn, the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in our solar system, is renowned for its spectacular ring system. These fascinating structures have captivated scientists and astronomers for centuries. In this article, we will delve into the rings of Saturn, exploring their formation, composition, and the latest scientific insights.

Within our solar system, there exist numerous fascinating phenomena that pique the curiosity of scientists and space enthusiasts alike. One such phenomenon is the rings of the gas giant Jupiter. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into Jupiter's rings, their discovery history, their structure, possible causes, and most importantly, the question of how many rings Jupiter actually has.

The discovery of exoplanets has revolutionized our view of the universe. In recent years, astronomers have identified thousands of planets outside our solar system. These distant worlds, orbiting stars in other galaxies, provide insights into the diversity and complexity of the cosmos. In this article, we will explore some of the most fascinating exoplanets, delve into their unique features, and contemplate how they influence the foundations of our understanding of planets and life.

Cheers at the Japanese space agency: After a failed attempt, the new H3 carrier rocket has successfully launched. The 63-meter-high rocket has been in development for eight years. Japan hopes to compete with SpaceX with this achievement.

The moon, our faithful companion in the night sky, has captivated humanity throughout history. With its silver presence and mysterious influence on tides and cultures, the moon has played a unique role in shaping the narrative of human existence. In this article, we will delve into the fascination the moon exerts, shedding light on some intriguing aspects of its impact on our lives and culture.

The NASA's 'Artemis' mission aims to return to the Moon. The original schedule for this endeavor, set to happen later this year, has, however, experienced delays. A previous US mission had failed in attempting a lunar landing.

Since landing almost three months ago, NASA has faced challenges in opening the container holding soil samples from the asteroid "Bennu." While the braking parachute failed during the landing in the Utah desert, the main parachutes compensated for its absence. However, a new issue arises as the lid of the sample container cannot be fully opened due to two screws being unresponsive. Experts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston are attempting to retrieve at least part of the valuable cargo using forceps since the container cannot be fully opened. Additionally, there is material located outside the container.

Strictly speaking, the atmosphere has no upper limit; it gradually thins out until, at an altitude of several thousand kilometers, even lightweight helium atoms can escape Earth's gravitational pull. Within the atmosphere, distinct layers can be identified, with the most common division based on temperature, which undergoes characteristic changes with increasing altitude.

The NASA spacecraft "Lucy" brought a remarkable surprise during its initial close encounter with an asteroid. The first images sent back to Earth indicated that "Dinkinesh" isn't a single asteroid but rather an asteroid pair, as revealed by the US space agency NASA on Thursday.

Together with the Japanese space agency JAXA, the Japanese automaker Toyota is working on a lunar vehicle: the Lunar Cruiser. The six-wheeled off-road vehicle is intended to not only drive on the lunar surface from 2029 (perhaps even on the first lunar roads) but also on Earth.

The Lunar Cruiser has a total range of approximately 10,000 kilometers and is powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology. Its living space measures 13 cubic meters and can accommodate up to four people. With a length of 6 meters, a width of 5.20 meters, and a height of 3.80 meters, it is roughly the size of two compact buses parked side by side.

Houston - According to the US space agency NASA, a sample of rubble from asteroid Bennu, which was dropped to Earth approximately three weeks ago, contains traces of water and carbon. Initial investigations of the sample revealed these findings, but further in-depth analyses are still required, NASA announced during a press conference on Wednesday, where they also unveiled photos and videos of the sample for the first time. This marks the first successfully brought to Earth sample from an asteroid in the history of the US space agency, and it is the largest such sample ever collected.