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The capsule carrying samples entered the atmosphere just before 17:30pm Irish time, creating a shooting-star-like fireball as it entered Earth's atmosphere

Asteroid dust collected by Japan probe arrives on Earth

In a streak of light across the night sky, samples collected from a distant asteroid arrived on Earth after being dropped off by Japanese space probe Hayabusa-2.

World • 06 Dec 20

Capsule containing the asteroid samples will land in South Australia, monitored by the Royal Australian Air Force's Woomera Range Complex

Asteroid samples in 300 million kilometre trip to Earth

After six years in space, Japan's Hayabusa-2 probe is heading home, but only to drop off its rare asteroid samples before starting a new mission.

World • 04 Dec 20

The SpaceX deal could give Microsoft an edge over rival Amazon

Microsoft reaches for the stars with SpaceX cloud deal

Microsoft is partnering with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk-led SpaceX and others as it expands its cloud-computing platform into space, the software giant said on Tuesday.

Business • 20 Oct 20

Astronaut Bob Behnken takes a selfie at the International Space Station ahead of his return to Earth

SpaceX astronauts prepare for return journey to Earth

The first US astronauts to reach the International Space Station on an American spacecraft in nearly a decade are preparing for their return home, which is tentatively on schedule for Sunday evening despite the arrival of Hurricane Isaias off Florida.

News • 01 Aug 20

A handout still image made available by NASA shows SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft approaching to dock with the International Space Station

SpaceX astronauts enter International Space Station

Two NASA astronauts have entered the International Space Station after a landmark 19-hour journey on SpaceX, the first crewed US spacecraft since 2011.

Space • 31 May 20

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches into space with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley on board

SpaceX mission blasts off with two astronauts on board

SpaceX has launched with two astronauts on board, making it the first NASA crew bound for orbit from the US in nine years.

US • 30 May 20

The footage shows as yet 'unidentified' flying objects

Pentagon officially releases three UFO videos

The US Department of Defense has officially released three clips purporting to show UFOs hurtling through space.

News Lens • 28 Apr 20

The images provide astronomers with a better understanding of the sun's complex atmosphere
(Pic: University of Central Lancashire)

Highest-ever resolution images of the sun revealed

Researchers have unveiled the highest-ever resolution images of the sun.

Science and Technology • 09 Apr 20

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off without incident from Cape Canaveral in Florida carrying the 60 Starlink satellites

SpaceX launches third batch of 60 Starlink satellites

SpaceX has launched its third batch of 60 mini-satellites into orbit, as part of its plan to build a giant constellation of thousands that will form a global broadband internet system.

Science and Technology • 07 Jan 20

Boeing's Starliner will not achieve docking mission

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft will not achieve its mission objective of docking with the International Space Station, NASA has said.

US • 20 Dec 19

'Dance of avoidance' as tiny moons orbit Neptune

Even by the standards of the outer solar system, the strange orbits that carry Neptune's two innermost moons are unprecedented, according to newly-published research.

News Lens • 15 Nov 19

NASA shares Jack-o'-lantern Nebula image for Halloween

To mark Halloween, NASA has released an image of a cloud of gas and dust which looks like a celestial pumpkin. The image was created with data captured by the Spitzer Space Telescope.

News Lens • 31 Oct 19

Image: NASA, ESA, J. Dalcanton, B.F. Williams, and M. Durbin (University of Washington)

'Ghostly face' captured by Hubble shared for Halloween

To mark Halloween, NASA and the European Space Agency have released an image captured by the Hubble Space Telescope showing two galaxies of equal size in a collision that appears to resemble a ghostly face.

News Lens • 28 Oct 19

The star broke up and spiralled into the pull of the black hole (Pic: NASA)

Black hole rips apart an unfortunate star

Scientists have captured a view of a colossal black hole violently ripping apart a doomed star, illustrating a extraordinary and chaotic cosmic event from beginning to end for the first time using NASA's planet-hunting telescope.

News Lens • 27 Sep 19

At its largest estimated size, the asteroid would be nearly twice as tall as the Eiffel Tower

Huge asteroid to pass (relatively) close by Earth

A huge asteroid up to five times as tall as Dublin's Spire will pass by Earth tonight, scientists have said.

News Lens • 14 Sep 19

Located about 700 light-years from Earth, the eye-like Helix nebula is a planetary nebula, or the remains of a Sun-like star | Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA shares stunning images for telescope's anniversary

NASA launched its Spitzer Space Telescope into orbit around the Sun on 25 August 2003. Since then, the observatory has been lifting the veil on the wonders of the cosmos, from our own solar system to faraway galaxies, using infrared light.

News Lens • 28 Aug 19

Apollo 50: Go for the Moon combined full-motion projection-mapping artwork on the Washington Monument

The exploration of space in 10 key dates

From the Soviet Union's pioneering satellite to the first man on the Moon 50 years ago, here are ten key dates in space exploration.

World • 20 Jul 19

Hayabusa2 set for final touchdown on distant asteroid

Japan's Hayabusa2 probe has begun its descent for its final touchdown on a distant asteroid, hoping to collect samples that could shed light on the evolution of the solar system.

Science • 10 Jul 19

Sunset from space: NASA releases spectacular footage

NASA has shared spectacular footage of the sun setting behind the Earth, captured from the International Space Station.

News Lens • 04 Jun 19

NASA plans to put two astronauts aboard by the end of the year

NASA, SpaceX successfully launch capsule to ISS

NASA and SpaceX have successfully launched a new astronaut capsule on a week-long trip to the International Space Station and back - a key step towards resuming manned space flights from US soil after an eight-year break.

World • 02 Mar 19

The Chang'e-4 probe has sent back images of the far side of the moon (Pic: China National Space Administration)

China lands probe on far side of moon

A Chinese lunar rover has landed on the far side of the moon, in a global first that boosts its ambitions to become a space superpower.

Science and Technology • 03 Jan 19

The body is roughly 19 miles long and completes its own rotation in about 15 hours

Far away world Ultima Thule shaped like snowman - NASA

The first high-resolution images of a 21-mile tall snowman-shaped object that lies one billion miles beyond Pluto have been released by NASA.

Science and Technology • 02 Jan 19

The rocket was "successfully launched into orbit" this morning

Manned Soyuz rocket successfully docks at ISS

A Soyuz rocket carrying Russian, American and Canadian astronauts, which took off from Kazakhstan today, has successfully docked at the International Space Station.

Science and Technology • 03 Dec 18

The image shows part of the spacecraft and the Martian surface in the distance

NASA's InSight spacecraft sends back selfie from Mars

NASA has released the first image of the spacecraft InSight from the surface of Mars, after it successfully reached the planet after almost seven months travelling through space.

World • 27 Nov 18

An undated handout photo made available by the Fraunhofer FHR shows a radar image of Tiangong-1

Chinese space lab burns up over South Pacific

A defunct Chinese space lab came to a fiery end over the South Pacific in the early hours of this morning.

Science and Technology • 02 Apr 18