Earth has captured a new mini moon — but it won't stick around for long

space.com Nov 5, 2026

Earth has captured a new mini moon — but it won’t stick around for long

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Nov 5, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Earth captured a temporary mini‑moon, 2026 QQ8, which entered orbit in April 2026 and was first observed in August 2026. The International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center announced the discovery on October 29. QQ8 will remain bound to Earth until December 2026, after which it will escape in 2027. The object orbits the Sun every 359 days, approaches Earth roughly every decade, and will come as close as 353,000 miles (568,000 km). At about 6 feet (2 m) in diameter, it would burn up if it entered Earth’s atmosphere.

💡 Why It Matters

· The brief capture of QQ8 demonstrates Earth’s ability to temporarily seize passing asteroids, offering a natural laboratory for studying gravitational capture and the dynamics of near‑Earth objects.

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On this day in space! Nov. 5, 2002: NASA’s Galileo spacecraft flies…

On November 5, 2002, NASA’s aging Galileo spacecraft performed a close flyby of Jupiter’s small moon Amalthea, only 99 miles from the surface. The probe entered safe mode 30 minutes later due to intense Jovian radiation, but engineers restored operations quickly. Amalthea, the reddest object in the solar system, is a low‑density, icy rubble pile that generates more heat than it receives from the Sun. Less than a year later, Galileo was deliberately plunged into Jupiter’s atmosphere, ending its mission.

💡 The flyby confirmed Amalthea’s porous, ice‑rich composition, offering clues about the formation of irregular Jovian moons. It also demonstrated Galileo’s resilience in extreme radiation, extending valuable data collection before its final descent.

space.com · Nov 5

Blue Origin announces 3rd stage for its powerful New Glenn rocket —and…

Blue Origin announced the GS3 third stage for its New Glenn rocket, adding a BE‑7 engine that will enable direct satellite deployment to geostationary orbit and support lunar and deep‑space missions. The GS3 enhances payload capacity and flexibility, allowing faster trans‑lunar injection and sustained lunar operations. A government customer has already booked a GS3‑equipped flight to cislunar space in 2028. The company also revealed the Northstar first‑stage engine, which offers 30% lighter mass, 50% fewer parts, and 15% more thrust than the BE‑4.

💡 The GS3 expands New Glenn’s reach into lunar logistics, positioning Blue Origin as a key player in the emerging cislunar economy. The Northstar engine’s efficiency gains could lower launch costs and accelerate the company’s heavy‑lift ambitions.

space.com · Nov 5

‘We got it done!’ Spacewalking astronauts finish installing next-gen ISS solar arrays

On November 5, 2026, NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk completed a 6‑hour‑59‑minute EVA to install the eighth and final International Space Station Roll‑Out Solar Array (iROSA) on the starboard side of the station’s truss. The new 63‑foot carbon‑composite array, delivered by a SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, augments the legacy solar wings and can boost ISS power generation by up to 30 percent. After an initial shunt‑current anomaly, Mission Control and the crew inspected connectors, waited for orbital night, and verified proper current before deployment. The array unfurled without motors, completing a 15‑year upgrade program that began in 2021 and will sustain the station’s electricity needs through its planned 2030 deorbit.

💡 The final iROSA ensures the ISS can meet its power demands for the remainder of its service life, securing critical research and life‑support capabilities as the station approaches retirement.

spacenews.com · Nov 5

Cork Takes the Heat So DRACO’s Data Can Survive

Amorim Cork Solutions will supply its P50 cork‑based ablative material for the heat shield of the European Space Agency’s DRACO mission, slated for a 2027 launch. DRACO – Destructive Reentry Assessment Container Object – will deliberately reenter Earth’s atmosphere, break apart, and record the breakup with roughly 200 sensors and four cameras. A 40 cm survival capsule, protected by the P50 shield, must endure the extreme thermal and mechanical loads long enough to preserve and transmit the most valuable data. The von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics selected P50 after half‑scale plasma‑flow tests validated its performance. The mission aims to improve re‑entry models and support ESA’s Design for Demise and Zero Debris initiatives. The collaboration builds on years of research between Amorim and VKI.

💡 By proving cork‑based ablatives can survive intentional destruction, DRACO gives engineers a reusable, low‑cost path to validate debris‑mitigation designs.

space.com · Nov 5

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins is the 1st Black woman to command a…

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins became the first Black woman to command a crewed space mission when she led SpaceX’s Crew‑13 launch to the International Space Station on Oct. 1, 2026. The six‑month mission carried Watkins, a geologist, aquanaut, former rugby player, and seasoned astronaut, alongside three other crew members. Her command follows a 2022 flight on Crew‑4, bringing her total space time to over 200 days. NASA confirmed the historic milestone in an official email, noting her experience and leadership.

💡 Watkins’ leadership spotlights the growing inclusion of women of color in high‑profile STEM roles, challenging long‑standing industry stereotypes. Her visibility may encourage broader participation and inspire future generations to pursue space exploration.

space.com · Nov 5

NASA’s Voyager 1 probe bounces back from communications glitch in interstellar space

NASA’s Voyager 1 probe, the most distant human‑made object, briefly lost contact with Earth from Oct. 18–20 due to a communications glitch that resolved itself. Engineers observed the spacecraft enter a safe mode, with one thruster group shutting down and backups activating automatically. The probe, now nearly one light‑day away, will reach that milestone on Nov. 18. The incident is being investigated, but the mission remains active, continuing to transmit scientific data from interstellar space.

💡 The glitch demonstrates Voyager 1’s autonomous fault‑tolerance, a critical feature for deep‑space probes operating far beyond human reach. It also underscores the ongoing reliability of NASA’s long‑duration missions, which continue to deliver valuable science as their power supplies dwindle.