John Loeffler
John is a science and technology journalist and Space.com contributor. He received his B.A. in English and his M.A. in Computer Science from the City University of New York, Brooklyn College, and has bylines with TechRadar, Live Science, GamesRadar, and other publications. You can find him on Bluesky at @johnloeffler.bsky.social or seeking out dark sky country for spectacular views of the cosmos.
Latest articles by John Loeffler
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Is Pluto a planet or not? Who cares! Our love for the King of the Kuiper Belt is stronger than ever 95 years later
By John Loeffler published
On the 95th anniversary of its discovery, Pluto remains one of the most beloved and enigmatic worlds in our solar system, whether you call it a planet or not.
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Tiny spacecraft could travel across interstellar space with this 'trampoline' lightsail
By John Loeffler published
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology have taken a major step toward developing lightsails that could one day carry tiny spacecraft to distant star systems.
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New fast radio burst detector could sift through 'a whole beach of sand' to solve big cosmic mystery
By John Loeffler published
The CRACO radio telescope system processes a massive amount of data in real-time, so it can detect fast radio bursts and sporadic neutron stars with very high efficiency.
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I screwed up and missed the solar eclipse in 2017. I won't make that same mistake on April 8.
By John Loeffler published
I didn't get to experience totality during 2017's solar eclipse, despite being just a few hours' drive away. I'm flying to Dallas so I don't make that mistake for the April 8 event.
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NASA finally opens OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample canister after freeing stuck lid
By John Loeffler published
After months of anticipation, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission team has successfully accessed the treasure trove of asteroid material the probe collected during its billion-mile journey.
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How NASA's VIPER rover could revolutionize moon exploration with AI mission
By John Loeffler published
NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover is set to revolutionize lunar exploration when it lands on the moon's Mons Mouton.
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Build your own AI-powered Perseverance Mars rover with this new DIY kit
By John Loeffler published
A new robotics kit is coming for DIYers out there, but this one has an out of this world twist: It's a miniature robotic replica of the NASA Mars Perseverance rover.
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Meet 'Tenacity:' Sierra Space unveils 1st Dream Chaser space plane (photos)
By John Loeffler published
Sierra Space marked a historic achievement with the completion of its first Dream Chaser space plane, which could launch as soon as April 2024.
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NASA wants to fly this nuclear Dragonfly drone on Saturn's moon Titan. Watch its wind tunnel test (video)
By John Loeffler published
Testing for NASA's Dragonfly mission is underway as engineers get the aerial rotorcraft ready for its anticipated 2027 departure to explore Saturn's moon, Titan.
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Space Perspective unveils 'Space Spa' restroom for balloon tourist flights (images)
By John Loeffler published
Space Perspective introduced its latest addition to its space tourism operation: a uniquely designed restroom called the 'Space Spa' that will be a key part of its Spaceship Neptune capsule.
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NASA Ames, UC Berkeley to build $2 billion space center in Silicon Valley
By John Loeffler published
The University of California, Berkeley, and NASA's Ames Research Center just unveiled plans for a new $2 billion space research center in Silicon Valley.
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High school students set record with stratospheric balloon launch and recovery (photo)
By John Loeffler published
A science club at a girls high school in the U.K. sent a pair of weather balloons high into Earth's atmosphere last month, and they're not done by a long shot.
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What cosmic object 'Arrokoth' can tell us about our solar system's formation
By John Loeffler published
A new study from researchers at the Southwest Research Institute has unearthed a fascinating discovery about Arrokoth, a trans-Neptunian object made famous by the New Horizons probe in 2020.
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Deep space missions will test astronauts' mental health. Could AI companions help?
By John Loeffler published
Could AI companions provide mental health support for astronauts experiencing the most unique instances of social isolation ever experienced by human beings?
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NASA to address concerns about Mars Sample Return mission's 'unrealistic budget'
By John Loeffler published
NASA is forming a response team after an independent review board examined the agency’s ongoing plans and objectives for its upcoming mission to retrieve samples from Mars.
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Commercial spaceflight research needs a code of ethics, scientists say
By John Loeffler published
As commercial space flights increase, experts urge clear ethical guidelines on research involving passengers in the absence of existing ethical frameworks.
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New Lockheed Martin system will manage satellite constellations from the cloud using AI
By John Loeffler published
Lockheed Martin's new satellite operations facility will let a single operator control entire constellations of satellites from the cloud.
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Stoke Space gets closer to 100% reusable rocket with successful 'Hopper' test flight (video)
By John Loeffler published
Stoke Space successfully tested its Hopper vehicle, showcasing innovative designs for its second stage rocket while aiming for full rocket reusability.
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NASA hopes humanoid robots can help us explore the moon and Mars
By John Loeffler published
NASA is exploring the capabilities of several next-gen humanoid robots that it hopes will one day assist astronauts in orbit and mine the moon for minerals.
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NASA propulsion technology brings 'flying cars' closer to reality
By John Loeffler published
The Epiphany Transporter is the latest 'flying car' effort to be unveiled, but this one has NASA engineering at its back.
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World's largest radio telescope gets help from smart maintenance robots
By John Loeffler published
The world's largest single-dish radio telescope can be a pain to maintain, so Chinese astronomers are using smart robots to make the job easier.
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Amazon's Project Kuiper opens satellite facility at Kennedy Space Center
By John Loeffler published
Amazon's new satellite processing facility in Florida brings the company's Project Kuiper closer to competing with SpaceX's Starlink, but it still has a way to go.
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See the wild Las Vegas Sphere transform into Earth, Mars and the moon (photos)
By John Loeffler published
The Sphere in Las Vegas, the world's largest spherical structure, used its 580,000-square-foot LED 'exosphere' display to bring us Mars, the moon and Earth on July 4.
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