NASA launches spacecraft to crash into asteroid next September

“This isn’t going to destroy the asteroid. It’s just going to give it a small nudge,” said mission official Nancy Chabot of Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, which is managing the project.

NASA to target asteroid with probe in first full-scale 'planetary defense' test

It may sound like a Hollywood plot, but what if an Earth-killing asteroid really was barreling towards our planet? That possibility is Something the folks at NASA are taking seriously with their latest mission known as DART.

Thousands of satellites, space junk surround Earth and it’s a problem, astronomers say

There are thousands of satellites orbiting Earth, and that’s not all — tons of space junk from previous collisions are also cluttering the orbit around the planet. Astronomers say there’s more to come, and it could spell trouble.

ISS astronauts face threat from space debris after Russia blows up old satellite

NASA says astronauts onboard the International Space Station now face a four-times greater risk of hitting space debris after Russia blew up one of its old satellites in a test of an anti-sat missile.

Russia rejects blame for space debris endangering 7 astronauts aboard ISS

U.S. officials accused Russia of destroying an old satellite with a missile. Astronauts now face four times greater risk than normal, a NASA official said.

Russian test blamed for space debris that forced 7 astronauts aboard ISS to seek shelter

A Russian weapons test created more than 1,500 pieces of space junk that is now threatening the seven astronauts aboard the International Space Station, U.S. officials said Monday.

Man who went to space with William Shatner dies in plane crash in New Jersey

State police say Glen de Vries, a man who traveled to space with William Shatner last month, was killed along with another person when a small plane crashed in northern New Jersey.

Skies clear in time for Crew-3 launch; 4 astronauts blast off to space station

The Crew-3 mission lifted off Wednesday evening after a day of rain, the Falcon 9 rocket cutting through the broken clouds before finally disappearing for good and leaving only a lingering rumble rolling across the Florida coast.

Eiffel Tower-sized asteroid to fly past Earth next month

A massive asteroid is expected to whiz by Earth next month, and scientists say it won’t pose any threat to the planet. It’s the latest in a string of huge asteroids that have flown past Earth over the past few weeks.

SpaceX crew returns to Earth after 6 months aloft

Four astronauts are back on Earth after a 200-day space station mission. They rode home Monday in a SpaceX capsule, parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Florida, in darkness. 

VIDEO: Astronaut becomes China's first woman to walk in space

China Manned Space Engineering Network posted video to Weibo showing Wang Yaping leaving and re-entering the module, along with fellow astronaut Zhai Zhigang.

No toilet for returning SpaceX crew, stuck using diapers

The astronauts who will depart the International Space Station as early as this weekend will be stuck using diapers on the way home because of their capsule’s broken toilet.

SpaceX crew launch bumped to next week; astronaut on mend

SpaceX’s next crew flight is off until at least next week, as NASA debates whether to bring astronauts back from the International Space Station before launching their replacements.

SpaceX launch delayed due to astronaut ‘minor medical issue’

A medical issue has sidelined one of four astronauts assigned to SpaceX’s upcoming flight to the International Space Station and delayed the launch, officials said Monday.