Human flights to Mars still at least 15 years off: ESA head

DARMSTADT, Germany (Reuters) - Dreaming of a trip to Mars? You'll have to wait at least 15 years for the technology to be developed, the head of the European Space Agency (ESA) said, putting doubt on claims that the journey could happen sooner.

Reuters: Science News

Juno on Jupiter's Doorstep

NASA's Juno spacecraft obtained this color view on June 21, 2016, at a distance of 6.8 million miles (10.9 million kilometers) from Jupiter. Juno will arrive at Jupiter on July 4. As Juno makes its initial approach, the giant planet's four largest moons -- Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto -- are visible.
NASA Image of the Day

Attorney general to accept FBI findings in Clinton email probe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch will accept the recommendations of career prosecutors and investigators on whether or not to bring charges against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over her email use, a Justice Department official said on Friday.

Reuters: Politics

Human skin cells used in animal-free cosmetic tests

A UK-based laboratory is working to eradicate animal testing in the cosmetics industry by developing alternative methods which are not only cruelty-free but more scientifically advanced than other current tests.

Reuters: Science News

Trump's opposition to trade deals fuels internal party opposition

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Presidential candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's scathing criticism of his stance on trade, highlighting divisions within the Republican Party that threaten unity ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

Reuters: Politics

Booster Test for Space Launch System Rocket

The second and final qualification motor (QM-2) test for the Space Launch System’s booster is seen, Tuesday, June 28, 2016, at Orbital ATK Propulsion Systems test facilities in Promontory, Utah. During the Space Launch System flight the boosters will provide more than 75 percent of the thrust needed to escape the gravitational pull of the Earth.
NASA Image of the Day

Bat wings inspire new breed of drone

The unique mechanical properties of bat wings could lead to a new breed of nature-inspired drone. A prototype built by researchers at the University of Southampton shows that membrane wings can have improved aerodynamic properties and fly over longer distances on less power.

Reuters: Science News

Zika sex research begins despite U.S. Congress funding impasse

(Reuters) - It could take years to learn how long men infected with Zika are capable of sexually transmitting the virus, which can cause crippling birth defects and other serious neurological disorders.

Reuters: Politics

Crew Dragon Pressure Vessel Put to the Test

Pressure vessels built by SpaceX to test its Crew Dragon designs are going through structural testing, so engineers can analyze the spacecraft’s ability to withstand the harsh conditions of launch and spaceflight. A pressure vessel is the area of the spacecraft where astronauts will sit during their ride to the International Space Station.
NASA Image of the Day

NASA space probe to lift the veil on Jupiter

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - NASA's Juno spacecraft hurtled closer toward Jupiter on Friday headed for a July 4 leap into polar orbit around the solar system's largest planet to analyze how it formed and helped set the stage for life on Earth.

Reuters: Science News

Probe of Clinton's email driven by facts, not politics: White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday said the U.S. Justice Department's investigation into Hillary Clinton's email use is being driven by facts and should be free of political interference.

Reuters: Politics

Aurora South of Australia

On June 24, 2016, Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams of NASA photographed the brilliant lights of an aurora from the International Space Station. Sharing the image on social media, Williams wrote, "We were treated to some spectacular aurora south of Australia today."
NASA Image of the Day

Solar plane lands in Spain after three-day Atlantic crossing

SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - An airplane powered solely by the sun landed safely in Seville in Spain early on Thursday after an almost three-day flight across the Atlantic from New York in one of the longest legs of the first ever fuel-less flight around the world.

Reuters: Science News

House of Representatives reignites gun-control debate with planned vote

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives, under mounting pressure to advance gun-control legislation, will vote next week on a measure to keep guns out of the hands of people on government terrorism watch lists.

Reuters: Politics

Rosetta spacecraft to give 'final kiss' to comet on crash-landing

TOULOUSE (Reuters) - The European spacecraft Rosetta will crash-land on the surface of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and end its 12-year space odyssey on Sept. 30, France's National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) said on Thursday.

Reuters: Science News

Puerto Rico authorizes debt payment suspension; Obama signs rescue bill

SAN JUAN (Reuters) - Puerto Rico authorized suspension of payments on its general obligation debt on Thursday just minutes after U.S. President Barack Obama signed a law creating a federal oversight board with authority to negotiate the restructuring of the island's $ 70 billion in debt.

Reuters: Politics

Airbus, Safran finalize space launchers merger

PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus Group and Safran pledged on Thursday to make Europe competitive in the face of U.S. low-cost rival SpaceX as they completed a deal to merge their space launcher activities.

Reuters: Science News