NASA's next Mars helicopters tested beyond the speed of sound
Flying in the thin atmosphere of Mars is "just about the hardest thing you can do"
Plasma engines are emerging as the next frontier in deep-space propulsion
US researchers refine ion engines that could make chemical rockets look obsolete
The big picture: In deep-space travel, the race is no longer about who has the biggest rocket – it's about who can build the smartest plasma engine. As the competition to reach Mars intensifies, engineers in the US, Russia, and China are accelerating development of propulsion systems that trade conventional fuel for charged particles and magnetic fields.
Discovery of new mineral reshapes understanding of Mars' history
Mysterious sulfate layers point to ancient heat and water
NASA and Google developed an AI medical assistant to keep astronauts healthy on deep-space missions
The system could have wider healthcare uses
Fusion rocket could cut Mars trips in half and reach Pluto in four years
New Sunbird rocket uses star-like fusion to propel spacecraft
Russian scientists develop plasma engine prototype promising Mars trips in 30-60 days
The engine is still in the prototype stage, and is far from use in actual space missions
NASA wants to send a football field-sized radiator into space for its nuclear-electric Mars rocket
It will be sent up in pieces and assembled by robots
Nuclear-electric rocket propulsion could cut Mars round-trips down to a few months
Joining forces to advance space travel
Scientists discover that sand on Mars and the Moon can be turned into building blocks for space settlements
These bricks can also be used on Earth
NASA and BP collaborate to explore future resource extraction on the Moon and Mars
A deal that benefits both organizations
Scientists uncover large liquid water reservoir deep in Mars' crust
Tapping it, though, is another story
First NASA mission focused on simulated Mars habitat ends with crew alive and well
The space agency is seeking data on the astronauts' wellbeing in a hostile environment
Humans who travel to Mars risk permanent kidney damage
A first-of-its-kind study shows that kidneys remodel and shrink during long space flights
NASA seeks participants for simulated yearlong Mars mission
Participants will live in a simulated Mars colony for a full year
NASA retires Ingenuity helicopter following rotor damage
Ingenuity suffered a communications loss earlier this month
NASA's Maven spacecraft detects dramatic changes in Mars atmosphere
The big picture: Solar wind is a stream of electromagnetically charged particles released from the upper atmosphere of the Sun, the corona, and it permeates every planet and cosmic object in the Solar System. When something changes in the amount of charged particles, unexpected and extreme atmospheric phenomena can be observed.
NASA Mars Orbiter captures new views of the Red planet's atmosphere
A challenging mission to showcase the dusty, curved horizon of Mars under a new light
NASA pauses Mars fleet work as Sun interrupts communications
The Mars solar conjunction lasts two weeks
NASA generates enough oxygen on Mars for a small dog to breathe for ten hours
A pawsitive step for future exploration
CalTech's autonomous drone that can fly, roll, and walk might be the next Mars rover
NASA is testing the RC-sized bot while the research team designs a more powerful full-sized version
NASA's Perseverance rover finds diverse organic material in ancient Martian lake basin
Rock samples have been collected for analysis back on Earth
InSight data reveals Mars' liquid core and deep mantle anomalies
Advancing our understanding of the Red Planet
Mars Express celebrates 20th birthday with a livestream from the red planet
The stream provided viewers with a never before seen image of the planet every 50 seconds
Curiosity Mars rover gets its latest interplanetary software patch
Shooting all-important bytes to a machine 254 million kms away from Earth
Bill Gates takes aim at Elon Musk: I'd rather fund vaccines than go to Mars
The former Microsoft boss did have some good things to say about Musk, though