A small portion of a big sky.
https://youtube.com/shorts/V9qVBJBPW6Q?is=S2XQ37RwiGF3rm71
https://redd.it/1v2ckt1
@r_space
China just landed a Long March 10B booster using a suspended NET. Here is a breakdown of how it works vs. SpaceX landing legs.
On July 10th, China’s Long March 10B booster successfully deployed its satellite payload and then completed a first-stage recovery in the South China Sea. Rather than using deployable legs (like SpaceX’s Falcon 9 or Blue Origin’s New Glenn), the booster used attached landing hooks to latch onto a cross-shaped high-strength arresting net suspended over an offshore recovery vessel.
Here are the key technical takeaways from the landing architecture:
Mass Efficiency: Eliminating heavy hydraulic systems and landing legs directly saves dry mass, preserving more payload capacity for orbit.
Landing Tolerance: A suspended net system provides a wider capture window, absorbing kinetic energy via pulley-driven tension cables rather than relying solely on precise touchdown point alignment.
Strategic Context: The Long March 10 family is central to China's plan to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 and deploy their 13,000-satellite Guawang mega-constellation.
We also put together a complete digest covering this landing, the Starship Flight 13 pad abort, James Webb's latest exoplanet detection (Beta Pictoris D), and Euclid's ancient quazar discovery.
If you want a full breakdown of the engineering and this week's major space news, you can watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/CfCFZsgsAIw
What do you think of China choosing a net recovery system over landing legs for the 10B?
https://redd.it/1v22hwo
@r_space
Last year I made an dark ambiant album using Nasa's Mars recordings. It's free to listen to, maybe some of you could enjoy!
tLink to the bandcamp page
And a little info:
The project has been created using the very first audio recordings made on Mars, captured in 2021 by NASA’s Perseverance rover. It uses raw audio data – Martian winds, laser impacts and the rover’s mechanical sounds – which has been reworked in the studio to create ambient compositions, whilst seeking to preserve the authenticity of the recordings. The process has revealed unexpected sound elements in these historic archives.
https://redd.it/1v1xtxc
@r_space
Four astronauts, 3 spacecraft, 2 weeks in orbit: Artemis III will be NASA's most complicated mission ever
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/four-astronauts-3-spacecraft-2-weeks-in-orbit-artemis-iii-will-be-nasas-most-complicated-mission-ever
https://redd.it/1v1u3rt
@r_space
On This Day 1969 - Apollo 11 Landing on the Moon HD from LM Window
https://youtu.be/6CFD5wA8zwQ
https://redd.it/1v1qa5k
@r_space
Is it possible I see planets getting closer if im going faster than light ?
If im going 299 792 458 m/s exactly I will see earth for exemple behind me and it will stay like that because im traveling with the light but in the other hand if im going 300 000 000 m/s for exemple will I see earth getting closer or it will be the same as going light speed?
https://redd.it/1v169ru
@r_space
Viking Lander 1 & 2 original digital images first time published in the same processing as normal digital cameras
Viking Lander 1 was on Monday tomorrow exactly 50 years ago on July 20th 1976 the first successful landing on Mars. It was also the first with color images from another planet. The Soviet Venus lander was earlier a year before, but only in monochrome.
While the Viking Lander camera teams worked hard to get the images processed correctly, at JPL in Pasadena and NASA Langley in Hampton, VA and also at Brown University, RI, where Tim Mutch the camera PI came from, they couldn't come to a consensus and in the end, the NASA Administrator himself, James Fletcher, had to decide about such a presumedly profane topic as color processing.
This week I published all color images from Viking Lander 1 & 2 processed in the same way as every commercial digital camera does it, when switching the camera to manual white balance for a sunny day on Earth. As far I could find out, that's the first time all color images are processed that consistent way. Individual images have been created in that way especially by the team from Brown University, and they also worked together with the photo experts at National Geographic magazine, but their results were never published.
Now everyone can find their favorite Martian Sky Color in those original Mars pictures from 1976 - 1982! Blue and white during the usual clear weather, over gray and yellow to red during dust storm activity later in the mission. Even water ice surface frost on Viking Lander 2 during the winter!
All can be viewed for free via this link: https://areo.info
Currently you need the areoHDR for Android and iPhone / iPad for viewing them. In a few weeks I also plan to move them to a normal website.
https://redd.it/1v0vwux
@r_space
I made a website showing the timeline of human spaceflight
There are websites that show who's currently in space right now, but I need something more complete. I want a single timeline displaying all human spaceflights from Yuri Gagarin to the present day. So I built this website to satisfy my curiosity. The timeline includes every crewed spaceflight from Gagarin's historic mission through the latest (currently Soyuz MS-29).
I'm sharing this in hopes that others will find it as interesting as I do. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think!
Website: https://azlkiniue.github.io/piste/
https://redd.it/1v0gidl
@r_space
Skyroot Aerospace reaches orbit on first Vikram-1 launch
https://spacenews.com/skyroot-aerospace-reaches-orbit-on-first-vikram-1-launch/
https://redd.it/1uzzyc1
@r_space
Vikram-1: India's first private space rocket by Skyroot to carry diamond flower
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyekv7rld3o
https://redd.it/1uzogx7
@r_space
Google-backed satellites for wildfire detection launch as smoke chokes US, Canada | The FireSat program can spot wildfires that other satellites miss.
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/07/google-backed-satellites-for-wildfire-detection-launch-as-smoke-chokes-us-canada/
https://redd.it/1uzaoq3
@r_space
Earth-like exoplanet found to have an atmosphere | Space | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/16/atmosphere-lhs-1140b-exoplanet-could-water-scientists
https://redd.it/1uz3l4s
@r_space
Why did we not continue Venus exploration ?
Soviet Union landed 13 probes to Venus and 13th the most successful one, but it’s been like what 40 years ? Anyways why did we stop exploring planets, better tech now I’m sure we can do it again ? Or it’s just a budget concern would be cool ngl to see something like that again.
https://redd.it/1uyz4f7
@r_space
SpaceX scrubs Starship launch after some of its engines didn’t start | “Now offloading propellant. Next launch attempt hopefully in a few days.”
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/07/spacex-scrubs-starship-launch-after-some-of-its-engines-didnt-start/
https://redd.it/1uyvzir
@r_space
Space: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 launch updates: Elon Musk's future moon rocket is ready for liftoff today.
https://www.space.com/news/live/spacex-starship-flight-13-launch-updates-july-16-2026
https://redd.it/1uyg6ni
@r_space
Researchers Used Two Telescopes to Discover a Planet Hidden In Plain Sight
https://petapixel.com/2026/07/20/researchers-used-two-telescopes-to-discover-a-planet-hidden-in-plain-sight/
https://redd.it/1v29er5
@r_space
Yesterday's Axiom Spacesuit AMA w CTO and EVA Manager
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1v0xpgn/were_developing_the_nextgeneration_spacesuit_to/
https://redd.it/1v1xlz9
@r_space
A SpaceX rocket is about to crash into the moon—scientists will be watching
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-spacex-rocket-is-about-to-crash-into-the-moon-scientists-will-be-watching/
https://redd.it/1v1wt1y
@r_space
Visualizing the Artemis II Mission
https://foxglove.dev/blog/visualizing-the-artemis-ii-mission
https://redd.it/1v1qr6h
@r_space
The Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids meteor showers are about to peak
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-southern-delta-aquariids-and-alpha-capricornids-meteor-showers-are-about-to-peak/
https://redd.it/1v1m6c9
@r_space
All Space Questions thread for week of July 19, 2026
Please sort comments by 'new' to find questions that would otherwise be buried.
In this thread you can ask any space related question that you may have.
Two examples of potential questions could be; "How do rockets work?", or "How do the phases of the Moon work?"
If you see a space related question posted in another subreddit or in this subreddit, then please politely link them to this thread.
​
Ask away!
https://redd.it/1v0xe1q
@r_space
Atmosphere found around Earth-like planet LHS 1140b
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4kdd1e0ejo
https://redd.it/1v0nueg
@r_space
The First Vehicle on the Moon Was Stranger Than You Think
https://youtu.be/i_efS--2y2w
https://redd.it/1v011rp
@r_space
Oldest known Mars rock offers glimpse of planet’s watery youth
https://www.science.org/content/article/oldest-known-mars-rock-offers-glimpse-planet-s-watery-youth
https://redd.it/1uzvbyh
@r_space
India's first privately developed orbital rocket, Vikram-1, reaches orbit on its debut flight
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/skyroot-vikram-1-launch-live-updates-indias-1st-private-orbital-rocket-historic-takeoff-today-pm-modi-vande-mataram-message-space-sector-11787076
https://redd.it/1uzov27
@r_space
Regarding August 12 Solar Eclipse: A Quick Safety Check for Your Eclipse Glasses
As the August 12 total solar eclipse approaches, I wanted to share a story. In 2024 I bought a set of solar eclipse glasses and found that the Sun looked way too bright for comfort. By chance I tried them on inside, and I could see light bulbs, ceiling fans, etc. I was pretty sure that wasn't supposed to happen.
That sent me down a rabbit hole researching how to tell whether the eclipse glasses were safe or not. I found three simple checks that anyone can do:
1) Check the markings: Legit eclipse glasses should have printed information indicating compliance with the ISO 12312-2 standard. This is not a guarantee, but it shows they did their homework.
2) Try them indoors first: You should not be able to see ordinary objects or details in the room through properly rated eclipse glasses. It's normal to see the filament from a bright incandescent bulb or a really bright LED light.
3) Check the manufacturer: The American Astronomical Society keeps a list of vetted solar eclipse glasses makers.
If you'd like to see these checks demonstrated, I put together a short video (please forgive my jumpiness, too much caffeine):
https://youtu.be/Q8aYrD32aAM
I hope all of you lucky enough to see the upcoming total solar eclipse has a wonderful time. The 2024 experience was amazing.
https://redd.it/1uz5c61
@r_space
First atmosphere found around Earth-like planet LHS 1140b
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy4kdd1e0ejo
https://redd.it/1uz0xzh
@r_space
New Horizons spacecraft reveals six large landslides on Pluto
https://www.scisuggest.com/new-horizons-spacecraft-reveals-landslides-on-pluto/
https://redd.it/1uyw63x
@r_space
India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket Vikram-1 set for July 18 lift-off
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/indias-first-privately-developed-orbital-class-rocket-vikram-1-set-to-liff-off-on-july-18/article71229535.ece/amp/
https://redd.it/1uylf6t
@r_space
New study reveals potential atmosphere on rocky planet of nearby star
https://news.ufl.edu/2026/07/exoplanet/
https://redd.it/1uyctff
@r_space
