News on Startgaze — Astronomy, Stargazing & Space Sciencehttps://www.startgaze.com/categories/news/Recent content in News on Startgaze — Astronomy, Stargazing & Space ScienceHugoen-usSun, 31 May 2026 07:37:53 +0000NASA named it Moon Base, and the first lander launches this fallhttps://www.startgaze.com/posts/2026-05-31-nasa-moon-base-three-missions-this-year/Sun, 31 May 2026 07:37:53 +0000https://www.startgaze.com/posts/2026-05-31-nasa-moon-base-three-missions-this-year/NASA announced three uncrewed Moon Base missions for 2026, plus $440M in rover contracts. What each lander carries and what the phased timeline looks like.SMILE is in orbit: what happens between now and the first X-ray image of Earth's magnetospherehttps://www.startgaze.com/posts/2026-05-19-smile-is-in-orbit/Tue, 19 May 2026 07:37:02 +0000https://www.startgaze.com/posts/2026-05-19-smile-is-in-orbit/ESA and China's SMILE spacecraft launched from Kourou at 03:52 UTC on May 19. Here's the orbit-raising plan, the commissioning timeline, and when aurora watchers can expect results.ESA's SMILE launches May 19: the first spacecraft to X-ray Earth's magnetic shieldhttps://www.startgaze.com/posts/2026-05-07-esa-smile-mission-x-ray-magnetosphere/Thu, 07 May 2026 07:39:55 +0000https://www.startgaze.com/posts/2026-05-07-esa-smile-mission-x-ray-magnetosphere/ESA and CAS launch SMILE on May 19 to image Earth's magnetosphere in X-rays and film the aurora in UV. Here's what the mission does and why aurora chasers should care.