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China"s Landspace attempted to launch and recover its first reusable rocket, the Zhuque-3, but the mission ended in failure when the first stage booster caught fire during landing, despite successfully reaching low Earth orbit. The incident is currently under investigation by Landspace.
A stunning new image of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy located approximately 160,000 light-years from Earth, showcases its intense star-forming activity. The galaxy, classified as an irregular galaxy due to its lack of a coherent spiral structure, is experiencing a burst of new star formation, providing valuable insights into the processes that shape the universe.
A high-speed solar wind stream and an incoming coronal mass ejection (CME) are expected to cause geomagnetic storms, making the northern lights visible in 15 US states on December 3-4. This phenomenon is a result of increased solar activity, which can affect Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere.
Private astronaut Jared Isaacman testified before the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, reiterating his commitment to NASA's Artemis Program and defending his draft plan, Project Athena, which aims to assess how the agency can adapt to the modern space age. The plan is seen as crucial in maintaining US supremacy in spaceflight amidst a growing threat from China.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch two Galileo satellites on an Ariane 6 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on December 17, marking a significant milestone in the Galileo programme, a flagship initiative of the European Union. This launch will further enhance the capabilities of the Galileo constellation, which has been making a difference across various fields, including navigation, rail, maritime, agriculture, and rescue operations.
LandSpace successfully launched its new Zhuque-3 rocket, reaching its target orbit despite a failed landing attempt, marking a significant step forward for China"s reusable rocketry program. This achievement has major implications for the country"s space industry and its ability to compete with the US launch sector.
Jared Isaacman has appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for a hearing to become NASA's next administrator, receiving broad support from the space community. A vote to advance his nomination is scheduled for December 8.
The European Space Agency has selected a consortium led by Thales Alenia Space to develop the Argonaut Lunar Descent Element, a crucial component of the Argonaut lunar lander, which is slated to launch on an Ariane 64 rocket in 2030. This development marks a significant step forward in the agency"s efforts to establish a human presence on the Moon as part of the broader Artemis program.
The US Air Force has granted SpaceX permission to launch its Starship spacecraft from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, allowing for up to 76 launches and 152 landings per year. This development marks a significant milestone in the company"s plans for reusable space technology.
The James Webb Space Telescope has observed a distant "super-puff" exoplanet, WASP-107b, shedding its helium atmosphere into space, providing valuable insights into the planet"s history and the effects of stellar radiation on planetary atmospheres. This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of planetary formation and evolution.
Scientists propose utilizing bacteria to create building materials on Mars, reducing reliance on Earth-based supplies and potentially paving the way for sustainable human settlements. This innovative approach, slated for the 2030s, leverages in-situ resource utilization and biomineralization to construct habitats using local Martian resources.
The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, a collaborative project between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), has completed 30 years of observing the sun, providing invaluable insights into its structure, dynamics, and behavior. This milestone marks a significant achievement in the field of solar research, with SOHO having studied nearly three solar cycles and captured numerous solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
Scientists have detected sugars crucial to life, including ribose and glucose, in samples from asteroid Bennu brought back by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, suggesting that the basic chemical ingredients needed for biology were common throughout the early solar system. This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the origins of life.
On December 2, 2025, SpaceX successfully launched 29 new Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, marking the 155th flight of the Falcon 9 in 2025. This launch is part of SpaceX"s ongoing efforts to expand its Starlink satellite constellation, which aims to provide global broadband internet coverage.
The European Space Agency has approved a three-year budget of nearly 22.1 billion Euros, marking a significant increase in funding for science exploration and dual-use technologies, while NASA faces deep cuts to its 2026 budget. This development is expected to have major implications for the aerospace industry, with potential impacts on Europe's sovereignty and autonomy in critical infrastructure.
A Russian cosmonaut, Oleg Artemyev, has been removed from SpaceX's upcoming Crew 12 mission due to alleged violations of U.S. national security regulations, specifically the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). This incident highlights the complexities and sensitivities involved in international cooperation in space exploration.
Scientists have calculated that time passes approximately 477 millionths of a second faster per day on Mars than on Earth due to the planet's weaker gravity and more eccentric orbit. This discovery has significant implications for future navigation and communication networks between the two planets.
The International Space Station has reached its maximum capacity with eight docked spacecraft, marking a historic milestone in the station's operational history. This achievement showcases the station's versatility and highlights the growing importance of the ISS as a hub for international cooperation and space research.
China's space agency is planning to return a damaged Shenzhou spacecraft to Earth after it was struck by debris, while a replacement crew has been successfully launched to the Tiangong space station. The incident highlights the risks and challenges of space exploration, particularly in low Earth orbit where debris collisions are a growing concern.
NASA is nearing a decision on selecting a company for its Lunar Terrain Vehicle contract, which has a combined maximum potential value of $4.6 billion, and plans to award one company the services contract while funding a second company as a "warm backup". The decision is complicated by limited funding and the need for firm leadership in place, with three companies - Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Astrolab - having completed preliminary design work.
The US Senate will hold a hearing on December 3 to consider the re-nomination of Jared Isaacman, a private astronaut and commander of two SpaceX missions, as the chief of NASA. If confirmed, Isaacman will succeed Sean Duffy, the current acting administrator of the agency.
In 2029, the asteroid Apophis will pass close to Earth, and an Australian company, HEO Robotics, plans to capture images of it using a dying satellite. This unique opportunity will provide scientists with valuable data on the effects of gravity on the asteroid.
Scientists have made significant observations of the ancient interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, gaining a deeper understanding of its composition and behavior as it approaches the sun. The comet's close proximity to the sun and subsequent tail formation have provided researchers with a unique opportunity to study an object from outside our solar system.
The Northern lights are expected to be quiet on December 2, but geomagnetic conditions are predicted to increase on December 3-4 due to a fast solar wind stream, potentially leading to a G2 geomagnetic storm. This forecast is based on data from agencies such as NOAA and the U.K. Met Office, which monitor space weather events like coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and coronal holes.