A recent study by ETH Zurich researchers has mapped the precise conditions under which a white dwarf can collapse into a neutron star through accretion‑induced collapse (AIC). The process requires a white dwarf composed of oxygen, neon, and magnesium, which are denser and more massive than typical carbon‑oxygen white dwarfs. The star must accrete material from a companion at a rate that brings it close to the Chandrasekhar limit without exceeding it, preventing a Type Ia supernova. AIC [...]

Russia will launch the Progress 96 cargo spacecraft on a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur at 9:33 a.m. EDT (1333 GMT) to deliver approximately 3 tons of food, propellant, and supplies to the International Space Station. The freighter is expected to dock two days later and remain attached for about five months before returning as debris over the Pacific. Progress 94 had recently departed the ISS to make room. The ISS crew includes NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos astronauts.

SpaceX is set to launch its 14th Starship test flight on September 22, aiming to place the vehicle’s upper stage into Earth orbit for the first time. The 75‑minute launch window opens at 7:15 a.m. CT. The mission will deploy 26 third‑generation Starlink V3 satellites, marking the first Starship flight that could generate revenue for the company’s launch division. Successful orbit insertion would validate Starship’s reusability and support SpaceX’s plan to retire Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy [...]

Intuitive Machines (LUNR) completed the handover of its SXM‑11 geostationary communications satellite to SiriusXM after successful in‑orbit testing. Launched on June 28 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, SXM‑11 is now fully operational and has entered service for SiriusXM. The milestone marks the 13th spacecraft built jointly by the two companies over more than two decades. SiriusXM’s chief product officer confirmed that work is already underway on the next satellite in the series, while Intuitive’s president highlighted the partnership’s [...]

NASA has issued a request for information to identify a U.S. state to host the new United States Space Academy, a non‑military institution aimed at training scientists, engineers, astronauts, and warfighters. The agency seeks proposals by October 26, 2026, with the first class of 300 students slated to begin in 2028. A temporary campus will serve the initial cohort, while a permanent facility—complete with academic, residential, and recreational buildings—is targeted for operational status by 2031. The academy’s establishment follows [...]

SpaceX has scheduled the 14th Starship test flight for September 22, aiming to achieve the vehicle’s first orbital mission. Unlike the 13 prior sub‑orbital attempts, Flight 14 will place Starship into a 275‑kilometre orbit, completing roughly six Earth revolutions over ten hours before a deorbit burn directs it to splash down in the Pacific west of Chile. The launch window opens at 7:15 a.m. Central time from Starbase, Texas, and remains open for 75 minutes pending FAA approval. The [...]

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launched from Cape Canaveral on Aug. 30, has secured a 22‑year science life span thanks to a lighter-than‑planned build and an exceptionally efficient launch‑to‑L2 engine burn. The spacecraft weighed 17,760 lb instead of the 21,605 lb design limit, allowing full fuel tanks and a 14‑year baseline. A precise three‑minute burn used only 40 lb of fuel, saving 10% of the budgeted 441 lb and adding roughly four years. Subsequent course corrections will further extend the mission [...]