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NASA and Japan launch world's 1st wooden satellite into orbit. Here's why it could help solve a huge problem for our planet.
By Ben Turner last updated
NASA and Japan's space agency (JAXA) have officially launched the world's first wooden satellite into Earth orbit. The magnolia wood LignoSat is an attempt to make space junk biodegradable, potentially solving the growing problem of orbital debris.
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World's 1st wooden satellite arrives at ISS for key orbital test
By Mike Wall published
The first-ever wooden satellite, called LignoSat, arrived at the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule on Nov. 5 to perform some key in-space tests.
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NASA offers SpaceX $843 million to destroy the International Space Station
By Ben Turner published
The International Space Station is nearing the end of its operational life. Now NASA is developing a plan for SpaceX to destroy it.
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Mysterious object that crashed through Florida home was likely space junk from the International Space Station
By Ben Turner published
The mysterious cylinder crashed through the home of Alejandro Otero on March 8.
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Defying the odds, Japan's SLIM lander survives 2nd night on the moon
By Mike Wall published
Japan's SLIM lunar lander has survived another night on the moon, despite being designed to die after the first lunar night.
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'Everything has changed since Apollo': Why landing on the moon is still incredibly difficult in 2024
By Sharmila Kuthunur last updated
More than 50 years after the Apollo era, major governments and well-funded private companies still struggle with lunar landing missions. Why is landing on the moon so hard in 2024?
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SLIM lives! Japan's moon lander revives after freezing lunar night, defying expectations
By Brandon Specktor published
After enduring two weeks in the freezing lunar night, Japan's SLIM moon lander awoke long enough to snap some new pictures and communicate with researchers on Earth.
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Japan's high-precision 'Moon Sniper' spacecraft hit its target, but it landed upside down
By Ben Turner published
On Jan. 19, Japan's 'Moon Sniper' spacecraft made a successful soft landing on the moon. The landing was the most precise in lunar history; it was also upside-down.
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Japan's 'Moon Sniper' lands on lunar surface, but it may be dead within hours
By Brandon Specktor published
Japan's SLIM lander successfully reached the lunar surface on Friday, Jan. 19, but problems with its solar cells mean it could be dead on the moon within hours.
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Bizarre near-Earth asteroid is spinning faster every year — and scientists aren’t sure why
By Harry Baker published
Astronomers have discovered that a potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroid, 3200 Phaethon, has an unusual accelerating spin that could eventually change its trajectory through the solar system.
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