Then and Now
These images show the International Space Station in late 2000, when the first permanent crew was aboard (left), and in…
Hazardous Exploration
Astronauts work around a Mars habitat and rover (left) in this artist’s concept. Mars explorers will face hazards both on…
Brilliant Demise
This composite image shows Cassiopeia A, the shattered remains of a star that exploded as a supernova around the year…
Getting Close
This image shows the target touchdown spot for OSIRIS-Rex, a spacecraft that has been flying along with the asteroid Bennu…
Last Gasp
A combined image from Hubble Space Telescope and a ground-based telescope in Chile shows details in the Helix Nebula, the…
Lunar Explorers
China’s second lunar mission, Chang’e-2 (inset) snapped a photo of a crater in the Bay of Rainbows after entering lunar…
Long-Range Scanner
This artist’s concept depicts a possible view of a planet in another star system as seen by a spacecraft using…
Generation Ships
Mockups of two generations of Soviet/Russian lunar landers are shown side by side. At left is Luna 16, which returned…
Moonrocks
This ordinary looking rock is one of the most precious rocks on Earth: a piece of the Moon. It was…
Dark World
An artist’s concept depicts TrES-2b, the darkest planet yet discovered. It reflects no more than one percent of the light…