Author Archive
Digital Government
Why NASA Is Trying to Dodge the Moon
If the James Webb Space Telescope were to leave Earth at the wrong time, our very own satellite could thwart the mission.
Emerging Tech
Elon Musk Is Maybe, Actually, Strangely, Going to Do This Mars Thing
From his private Cape Canaveral, the billionaire is manifesting his own interplanetary reality—whatever it costs.
Digital Government
The Thorniest Subject at NASA Right Now
The space agency is carefully following pandemic measures. Elon Musk thinks they’re overblown. But both are going to the moon together.
Digital Government
How Christina Koch Could Become a Spaceflight Legend
One of the astronauts in NASA’s current corps could be the first in a generation to walk on the moon—or the first to walk on Mars.
Digital Government
The Legacy of a Hidden Figure
The stories of black women at the space agency were once buried so deep that it felt like a revelation when they were brought to light.
Modernization
NASA Will Only Tolerate So Much Danger
An investigation into what really went wrong with Boeing's last space mission turned up serious issues.
Emerging Tech
The Night Sky Will Never Be the Same
Elon Musk’s plan for worldwide internet has sent bright artificial, lights streaking through the dark.
Emerging Tech
A Graveyard of Giant Spacecraft Spins Through Space
After observatories retire, they can still spend hundreds, even millions, of years trailing the Earth.
Emerging Tech
The Next Big Customer Experience From Jeff Bezos
His space company, Blue Origin, is on the verge of sending tourists just past the boundary of Earth.
Ideas
The False Promise of Morning Routines
Why everyone’s mornings seem more productive than yours.
Emerging Tech
NASA Hands Elon Musk a Reality Check
A shared effort to deliver NASA astronauts to space recently got a little awkward.
Featured eBooks
Emerging Tech
The Great NASA Bake-Off
High-tech agriculture would keep far-flung astronauts alive, but making something delicious would keep them happy.
Emerging Tech
A Startling Spike on Mars
Methane gas is a potential indicator of life on the red planet, but it’s proving difficult to track.
Emerging Tech
A Robot Has Been Stuck on Mars for Months
NASA will conduct a delicate rescue mission to free a probe trapped just inches below the red planet’s surface.
Digital Government
What If We Gave Up on the Stars?
The night sky is already dotted with shiny satellites and other artificial lights. One day, maybe that’s all there will be.
Digital Government
The Case for Wearing AirPods All the Time
The inconspicuous buds might make friendly interactions awkward, but they can also provide protection in dangerous situations.
Digital Government
Even Astronauts Binge-Watch TV While in Space
In a cramped and isolated environment like a space station, leisure activities are extra important for maintaining mental health.
Policy
Just Don’t Call Them UFOs
The U.S. military wants pilots to report strange sightings in the sky, but doesn’t want any of the stigma that comes with it.
Emerging Tech
Why Trump Wants to Go to the Moon So Badly
The administration has vowed to return Americans to the lunar surface in 2024 “by any means necessary.”
