Space, astronomy and planetary science

An element that's rare on Earth is found far, far awayTellurium detected for the first time in ancient stars.

Robots go head to head, 250 miles above EarthThird annual Zero Robotics competition pits robots against each other on the International Space Station.

Battered asteroid may have warm coreNew analysis of Lutetia finds evidence for molten interior.

3 Questions: Greg Chamitoff on the final frontierAlum-astronaut relives some of the highlights of his space shuttle career.

MIT’s TESS project awarded $1 million NASA grant

To the moonMIT-led GRAIL mission to map the lunar gravitational field.

Stellar eclipse gives glimpse of exoplanetNew data reveals a ‘super-Earth’ next door, astronomically speaking

Helping space shuttles achieve liftoffMIT has contributed 27 alumni-astronauts, plenty of earthbound expertise.

3 Questions: Richard Binzel on near-Earth asteroids'2011 MD,' found by a Lincoln Lab team, will pass close to the planet on Monday.

Greetings from spaceAstronaut alumni wish MIT a happy 150th from 200 miles above.

Doc Draper in spaceA letter written by Charles Stark Draper in 1961 hitches a ride on Space Shuttle Endeavour.

New Endeavour for an MIT experimentSpace shuttle propels MIT-led Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station.

Exploring explorationFrom deep space to deep sea, two-day symposium examined MIT’s impacts and innovations.

3 Questions: Jeffrey Hoffman on the Space Shuttle at 30Anniversary of the first shuttle flight comes just as it nears retirement, but the vehicle has changed space travel dramatically.

Cold asteroids may have a soft heartPartially molten small bodies may be abundant in space, and may have given the Earth its oceans.

Explained: Transiting exoplanetsHow astronomers learn whether a planet is habitable by observing slight changes in light emanating from its parent star.

And then there was lightAstronomers probe ancient radio waves for clues about the universe’s first light.

Earth’s final growth spurtNASA team suggests that massive projectiles added mass to Earth, Mars and the Moon during final phase of planet formation

The final frontierNow that an Earthlike planet has been discovered, the key to confirming that it can host life will be to study its atmosphere in detail

Learning from hot JupitersBy studying how massive planets may have formed, MIT astrophysicist sets the stage for studying smaller, more Earthlike planets.

Building a list of Earth candidatesMIT researchers increase their odds of detecting an Earthlike planet by working on a combination of satellite missions.

Astronomers detect first carbon-rich exoplanetDiscovery opens door to new class of exoplanets, including rocky planets rich in diamond and graphite.

Growing Earth’s oceansStudy suggests that trace amounts of water created oceans on Earth and other terrestrial planets, including those outside the solar system.

3 Questions: Sara Seager on the discovery of a ‘new’ form of lifeThe MIT planetary scientist discusses what the finding means for life on Earth and elsewhere in the universe.

Lending a handMIT researchers may be closer to understanding why spacesuit gloves hurt astronauts’ hands.

Telling time on the moonNew map of lunar craters sheds light on early solar-system activity and points to oldest parts of the moon’s surface.

Robert J. Butler, former design research engineer at MIT, dies at 89An MIT engineer for 25 years, he helped design instruments for NASA’s Voyager spacecraft.

Personal cushion of airInspired by seeds, proposed air-bag system would surround astronauts and protect them during bumpy landings

A hop, skip and a jump on the moon — and beyondTeam envisions robotic spacecraft that can explore hard-to-reach areas on the moon and other planetary bodies by hopping.

Explained: the Doppler effectThe same phenomenon behind changes in the pitch of a moving ambulance’s siren is helping astronomers locate and study distant planets.