A byproduct of aging nuclear weapons stockpiles could help power spacecraft on missions lasting decades. Americium-241, an isotope that can be separated from aged plutonium, is being studied as a ...

When scientists first sent microscopic worms into orbit in 2018, they hoped to answer a question that has shaped every discussion about long missions. What really happens to your body when gravity no ...

A cluster of recent theoretical papers has laid out mathematical frameworks for propelling spacecraft at speeds ranging from ...

Scott Solomon is a biologist and professor at Rice University and the author of “Becoming Martian: How Living in Space Will Change Our Bodies and Minds.” Astronauts are heading back to the moon — the ...

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Humanity’s plans for deep-space exploration hinge on the ability to use basic resources, such as water, to propel rockets to farther destinations in the solar system. Despite decades of ...