Mining the Moon

The Artemis Accords support the use of space resources on a first come, first served basis and could herald the start of space mining on asteroids and the Moon.

Drake’s space odyssey

The equation coined by American astronomer Frank Drake, who died recently, continues to inform our calculations for the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in our galaxy.

Space needs a vacuum

While space wreckage hits the headlines when it lands on Earth, we should be more concerned about the debris that remains in orbit.

Back to the Moon

If all goes well, NASA’s Artemis project put humans back on the Moon in 2025.

Voyage to the stars

The two Voyager spacecraft left on their eternal journey through the solar system to the stars fifty years ago, but may still survive, in vestigial form, five billion years from now.

How commercial satellites are helping Ukraine

Satellites owned by private companies have played an important role in the war in Ukraine, exposing Russian lies and atrocities and helping the defenders repel the invaders.

Planning Earth’s defence against cosmic objects

A large asteroid or comet on track for Earth would be a global threat and it would require national and international efforts to stop it.

Science and the sublime

Viewing the James Webb space telescope images through the lens of the sublime can be a way of remaining humble in the face of scientific achievement.

Looking for life on alien worlds

The James Webb space telescope should be able to detect the chemical signatures of life in the atmosphere of planets far beyond our solar system.

Developing Australia’s role in space for national security

Australia needs to develop itself as a regional, as well as international, space player given the growing importance of space as a domain of contested international interests.

The cosmic time machine

It has been an exciting week in space with the release of breathtaking photos by the James Webb Space Telescope, allowing us to see distant galaxies as they were more than 13 billion years ago.

Keep watching the skies!

If an asteroid threat emerged, Earth would need to be ready and scientists are continually working to give the planet the best range of defensive strategies.