Arctic Greening
Photograph: Jeff Kerby/National Geographic Society01
Photograph: Gergana Daskalova/National Geographic Society02
Photograph: Isla Myers-Smith/National Geographic Society03
Photograph: Jeff Kerby/National Geographic Society04
Photograph: Jeff Kerby/National Geographic Society05
Photograph: Jeff Kerby/National Geographic Society06
The Future of the Artemis Program Is Riding on Reentry
Entire space programs have been canceled after a failure in the reentry phase. In the final test for Artemis II, astronauts will travel at 32 times the speed of sound as they return from the moon.
Jorge Garay
The Trajectory of the Artemis II Moon Mission Is a Feat of Engineering
The astronauts will arrive about 10,300 kilometers beyond our satellite, breaking all previous records for distance from Earth. But how was their route chosen?
Luca Nardi
The US Military’s GPS Software Is an $8 Billion Mess
The GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System was due for completion in 2016. Ten years later, the software for controlling the military’s GPS satellites still doesn’t work.
Stephen Clark, Ars Technica
5 Mysteries That the Artemis Missions to the Moon Could Finally Solve
The moon is not just a barren rock orbiting the Earth. The Artemis missions could answer the great unknowns that the satellite holds.
Jorge Garay
10 Things You Can Do While Waiting in the TSA Line
As Washington wrangles over the future of federal employees’ pay, here are some ideas for passing the time.
Aarian Marshall
How and When to Watch the Artemis II Mission’s Return to Earth
Splashdown for the Artemis II crew is scheduled for Friday evening, and NASA will livestream the historic homecoming.
Jorge Garay
Artemis II Astronauts Witnessed 6 Meteorites Colliding With the Moon
The moon gets hit by space debris all the time, but some of it is so large that the impact generates light that can be seen thousands of kilometers away.
Jorge Garay
Even Artemis II Astronauts Have Microsoft Outlook Problems
The mission commander’s email inbox failed during the journey to the moon. Have they tried turning the computer off and back on again?
Jeremy White
Artemis II Mission Launches Successfully
The crew of Artemis II will not descend to the moon, but their capsule will fly over the far side of its surface.
Jorge Garay
No One Knows Where US Vaccine Policy Goes Next
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s sweeping changes to federal vaccine guidance are paused for now. But even if they’re reversed, lasting damage has already been done.
Emily Mullin
You Can Approximate Pi by Dropping Needles on the Floor
Who needs a supercomputer when you can calculate pi with a box of sewing needles?
Rhett Allain
What’s With the US Ban on Foreign Routers?
The FCC just banned the sale of new consumer-grade Wi-Fi routers manufactured outside the US. Here’s what it means for you.
Simon Hill