Space/satellites & astronomy
Key Questions
What is Starlink planning for American Airlines?
Starlink will provide WiFi on over 500 American Airlines planes by 2027.
What exoplanet now has a confirmed atmosphere in the habitable zone?
LHS 1140 b is the first rocky habitable-zone exoplanet with a confirmed atmosphere and variable helium escape.
How many satellites does Starlink plan for its Gen 3 constellation?
Starlink Gen 3 aims for 100,000 satellites, raising concerns about interference with ground-based telescopes.
What new planet was discovered by JWST near Beta Pictoris?
JWST found giant exoplanet Beta Pic d via atmospheric fingerprint, making it the second system with three imaged planets.
Are solar storm risks being underestimated?
Researchers warn that measurement bias at L1 may hide solar storm impacts up to twice as severe as currently estimated.
What is AST SpaceMobile launching for direct-to-phone service?
AST SpaceMobile has launched its largest direct-to-phone satellites capable of 200 Mbps speeds.
What is the status of Starlink direct-to-cell service?
T-Mobile is already offering Starlink-powered satellite connectivity, with O2 launching the service live in the UK.
What telescope is under construction with a 39-meter mirror?
The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) features a 39m mirror and is expected to advance exoplanet and astronomy research.
New: Carrington Event historical hook with modern relevance; inside-out exoplanet system challenges formation theories; ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot's first spacewalk tomorrow. Researchers challenge Earth's magnetic field ceiling theory — potential doubled damage to satellites/power grids during extreme solar storms (NASA-backed). Direct-to-Cell satellite-to-phone tech explainer (SpaceX vs AST vs Lynk vs Apple). Starlink hits 7M US subscribers, tripling estimates. New: Starlink goes live in Vietnam (VinSpace contract), Airtel/Starlink launch Africa's first direct-to-phone service in DRC, Globalstar finally launching replacement satellites, ancient tree rings reveal solar superflares 10x worse than Carrington every ~200 years — new 774 AD Miyake event 80x stronger, hidden solar outburst caught by Europa Clipper exposes forecasting blind spot, JWST's pink planet GJ 504 b with salty clouds, new mega-Earth exoplanet 23x Earth mass (rocky, young) challenges core accretion models. New: Cotton candy planet (Jupiter-size, low density) provokes its star into blasting it — first direct evidence of planet triggering stellar flares. New: JWST finds ethanol and other organic molecules around protostars ('space alcohol' hook). New: Tabby's Star mystery solved — giant companion (9.4 Jupiter masses) knocks comets into star, not alien megastructure. Ongoing: Reflect Orbital space mirrors, Amazon direct-to-phone, JWST discoveries, Starlink V3.