On the front lines of space innovation
Aeronautics and astronautics PhD candidate George Lordos develops technologies to enable life on Mars.
MIT design for Mars propellant production trucks wins NASA competition
BART and MARGE will reliably produce, store, and distribute 50 tons of rocket fuel per year on the surface of Mars.
Porosity of the moon’s crust reveals bombardment history
The moon sustained twice as many impacts as can be seen on its surface, scientists find.
Astronomers discover a multiplanet system nearby
Just 33 light-years from Earth, the system appears to host two rocky, Earth-sized planets.
New maps of asteroid Psyche reveal an ancient world of metal and rock
The varied surface suggests a dynamic history, which could include metallic eruptions, asteroid-shaking impacts, and a lost rocky mantle.
3 Questions: Ariel Ekblaw on building beautiful architecture in space
The TESSERAE project, a design for self-assembling space structures and habitats, has sent prototypes to the International Space Station.
Peter Fisher to step down as head of the Department of Physics
Professor led MIT department for eight years, playing pivotal leadership roles at the Institute and in physics research and community-building.
Search reveals eight new sources of black hole echoes
The findings will help scientists trace a black hole’s evolution as it feeds on stellar material.
MIT scientists develop low-cost, high-precision fabrication method for thin mirrors and silicon wafers
A novel photolithography technique could be a manufacturing game-changer for optical applications.
“Diverse people lead to diverse ideas”
As he works toward a career in aerospace engineering, senior Devin Johnson uplifts others along the way.
Scientists develop the largest, most detailed model of the early universe to date
Named after a goddess of the dawn, the Thesan simulation of the first billion years helps explain how radiation shaped the early universe.
Look! Up in the sky! Is it a planet? Nope, just a star
Among thousands of known exoplanets, MIT astronomers flag three that are actually stars.
New maps show airplane contrails over the U.S. dropped steeply in 2020
The computer-vision technique behind these maps could help avoid contrail production, reducing aviation’s climate impact.
Study reveals chemical link between wildfire smoke and ozone depletion
If wildfires become larger and more frequent, they might stall ozone recovery for years.
How to reach a tumbling target in space
Experiments aboard International Space Station demonstrate a potential solution for cleaning up orbital debris and repairing damaged satellites.