Advertisement

Readers like you keep news free for everyone.

More than 5,000 readers have already pitched in to keep free access to The Journal.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can help keep paywalls away.

Support us today
Not now
Tuesday 28 March 2023 Dublin: 14°C

# Space

Last year
2022
# houston we have a plant
Scientists successfully grow plants in soil from the moon
The ground-breaking experiment has given researchers hope that it may be possible to one day grow plants directly on the moon.
# we have a problem
Fuel leak thwarts Nasa’s dress rehearsal for moon rocket
Liquid hydrogen is extremely hazardous, with officials noting that the systems had been checked for leaks prior to the test.
# Liftoff
SpaceX launches three private visitors to space station for €50 million each
It is SpaceX’s first private charter flight to the orbiting lab after two years of carrying astronauts there for Nasa.
# final frontier
Astronomers observe most distant galaxy ever spotted
The galaxy candidate is some 13.5 billion light-years away, and scientists are speculating what exactly it is.
# Quiz
Quiz: How much do you know about space?
It was reported earlier this week that the most distant star ever seen has been observed by astronomers.
# Space
Future of International Space Station in the balance, Russian official says
Space is one of the last remaining areas of co-operation between Moscow and western nations.
# to infinity and beyond
Star 13 billion light years from Earth is most distant ever discovered
Scientists said they were surprised by the distance of the star, which they have named Earendel.
Voices
Dr Niamh Shaw: Why space travel is much more than a billionaire’s pastime
The space exploration advocate makes the case for continuing to look up and learn from the cosmos.
# Goldilocks zone
Planetary bodies seen for first time in habitable zone of dead star
Researchers suggested their findings might provide a glimpse of what will become of our solar system.
# SpaceX
SpaceX satellites falling out of orbit after solar storm, but experts say no danger posed
SpaceX says the storm made the atmosphere denser, which increased the drag on the satellites.
# to infinity and beyond
World's most powerful space telescope reaches final destination a million miles from Earth
The telescope will let astronomers peer further back in time than ever before.
All time
# Starry Skies
A morning eclipse to a rare moon-and-Mars meeting - here's what to look up for in 2022
The star-studded highlights to watch out for over the next twelve months.
# space jam
Space telescope project started in 1989 set to launch Christmas eve
Multiple problems forced delays and a tripling of the telescope’s original budget with a final price tag of nearly $10 billion.
# SpaceX
ISS astronauts return to Earth in SpaceX craft after six-month mission
Their four replacements could be launched as early as tomorrow night.
# Lucy in the sky
Nasa spacecraft Lucy blasts off on 12-year mission to explore asteroids
Lucy is named after the 3.2 million-year-old skeletal remains of a human ancestor found in Ethiopia nearly half a century ago.
# Shenzhou-13
Three Chinese astronauts arrive at space station for six-month mission
The space agency declared the launch a success and said the crew “were in good shape”.
# Your Say
Poll: Would you pay to go to space as a tourist?
Star Trek actor William Shatner blasted off to space on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket yesterday.
# PRIVATE ENTERPRISE
Star Trek actor William Shatner makes history as oldest man in space
Shatner said it was ‘the most profound experience I can imagine’
# Jezero crater
Perseverance images confirm Mars crater is an ancient lake
The first scientific analysis of the images also reveals evidence that the crater endured flash floods.
# Space
Film crew to blast off from Russian launch site to make first movie in space
The nation’s space chief hailed the project as a chance to raise the prestige of Russia’s space programme.
# star trekkin
Star Trek actor William Shatner to rocket into space later this month
Jeff Bezos’ space travel company, Blue Origin, announced that Shatner will blast off on 12 October.
# Space
Space tourist trip to orbit ends with splashdown
The SpaceX capsule carrying four space tourists landed in the Atlantic after three days in orbit.
# Space
SpaceX launches first completely civilian-crewed rocket into orbit as Chinese astronauts return
The Dragon capsule’s two men and two women will spend three days circling the world.
# EUSPA
Explainer: What is the European Union Agency for the Space Programme?
EUSPA was officially launched this year as part of the EU’s €14.8 billion space programme.
# Podcast
The Explainer: How does Ireland fit into the space race?
And what will our first satellite in space do?
# live long and prosper
We're signing off from The Good Information Project's 'space module'
Thanks for travelling with us – we’ll see you in the next phase.
# ireland thinks
European Space Agency: Majority say Ireland’s contribution should not increase beyond €20m
Polling carried out by Ireland Thinks found that just 11% of the public think the contribution should be increased.
# Quiz
Quiz: How much do you know about the modern space race?
The Good Information Project spent this month looking at space – so what did you learn?
Voices
Ireland's ancient astronomers and the alignment of our prehistoric monuments
Anthony Murphy outlines how the ancient dwellers built clever structures to work in harmony with the cosmos.
# Glossary
An A-Z of everything you need to know about the space race, from astronauts to zero gravity
As part of The Good Information Project we’ve demystified some of the commonly-used terms about the 21st century space race.
# join the conversation
Open thread: What should be a priority in space exploration?
We want to hear your hopes, dreams, and fears for the future of space exploration.
# tgip space
The Good Information Project: We're launching our 'space module'
The next cycle of TGIP will look at Ireland and the EU’s role in the current space race.
# Working Conditions
Bezos attracts criticism for thanking Amazon workers after space flight
The company is facing increasing pressure to improve working conditions.
Voices
Opinion: The billionaire space race is the ultimate symbol of capitalism’s flawed obsession with growth
Professor Tim Jackson says he’s not a technophobe, but that maybe humanity should pay more attention to the planet right now than heading into space.
# final frontier
Amazon's Jeff Bezos just launched himself to the edge of space
Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson made the voyage on 11 July, narrowly beating Bezos.
# Space
'An important milestone': Xi congratulates Chinese astronauts aboard space station
The three-man crew arrived at China’s Tianhe space station last week.
# Planet pinball
Death of star will start ‘game of pinball’ for planets in system, say scientists
Astronomers have predicted the transformation of a star into a white dwarf will send its planets bouncing off each other’s gravity.
# China
Chinese cargo spacecraft docks with orbital station
The Tianzhou-2 spacecraft reached the Tianhe station eight hours after blasting off from Hainan.
# rocket science
Virgin Galactic successfully launches shuttle in step towards space tourism plans
The shuttle, with two pilots on board, took off and landed today.
# The Red Planet
China lands spacecraft on Mars for the first time
A rover will join an American craft which arrived at the red planet in February.