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.

How an asteroid near-miss shocked the UN

Spurred by a near miss, the world built an alert system to detect #asteroids heading for Earth, but if one were found it’s not clear who would decide what to do next.

The amateur asteroid hunters giving NASA a run for its money

Even with millions in funding and super high-tech equipment, the world’s space agencies need a helping hand from people at home to track down near earth asteroids.

Australia has lift off

Australia has taken another step towards becoming a serious contributor to the global space economy with the launch of a NASA sounding rocket from the Arnhem Space Center at Nhulunbuy in the Northern Territory.

Close encounters of the drone kind

The United States Congress recently held a hearing into “unidentified aerial phenomena” and while it’s likely they’re drones of terrestrial origin, they’re rekindling interest into the possibility of alien visitation.

Mining the Moon and Mars

Off-earth mining may once have been purely the stuff of science fiction, but now it’s potentially a US$1 trillion industry that is likely to be vital if humans are serious about colonising Mars or the Moon.