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'Stranded' astronauts aboard Chinese space station are preparing to come home — but no date has been announced
By Ben Turner published
Three astronauts remain stuck on China's Tiangong space station after errant debris struck their return capsule last week. But their return vessel has already arrived, meaning a flight home will come sooner rather than later.

Three Chinese astronauts stranded in space after debris hits their return capsule
By Harry Baker published
Three Chinese taikonauts — Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui and Chen Dong — will be extending their stay aboard China's Tiangong space station after their return capsule was struck by a presumed piece of orbital debris on Wednesday.

We sharpened the James Webb telescope's vision from a million miles away. Here's how.
By Benjamin Pope published
A small piece of metal engineered in Australia helped sharpen the James Webb telescope's vision from a million miles away.

Controversial startup's plan to 'sell sunlight' using giant mirrors in space would be 'catastrophic' and 'horrifying,' astronomers warn
By Harry Baker published
California-based startup Reflect Orbital aims to build a swarm of 4,000 giant mirrors in low Earth orbit to "sell sunlight" to customers at night. Experts warn that the mirrors could mess with telescopes, blind stargazers and impact the environment.

Two spacecraft will pass right through comet 3I/ATLAS' tail
By Andy Tomaswick published
Two ESA spacecraft, Hera and Europa Clipper, are poised to fly through the long tail of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, a new paper finds.

Charred piece of secretive Chinese rocket found still smoldering in the Australian outback
By Harry Baker published
Experts believe that a five-foot-wide piece of space debris discovered near an Australian mining town was part of a dead Chinese rocket. The wreckage likely crashed just before it was found.

$20 million NASA mission to visit 'God of Chaos' asteroid saved from budget cuts in last-minute decision
By Elizabeth Howell published
NASA's OSIRIS-APEX mission, which was one of 19 designated to be canceled by the Trump administration, has been saved from the chopping block in a last-minute decision. There will be a significant change to its structure, however.

New report warns that China could overtake the US as top nation in space — and it could happen 'in 5-10 years,' expert claims
By Harry Baker published
A new report from the Commercial Space Federation warns that China could soon overtake the U.S. in the "new space race." The country's rapid progression starkly contrasts the limitations imposed on NASA by record-breaking budget cuts.
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