Latest from Space

Dawn Aerospace sells its first spaceplane – what the US buyer paid
The Aurora can reach 100km altitude, achieving three minutes of microgravity.

Tech Insider: A $529 phone, bought in March, can only make 3G calls; IRD’s AI warning; Musk’s pain is Beck’s gain; a self-employed Wellington man scores a $16K Google Cloud refund
PLUS: Elon Musk's pain is Sir Peter Beck's gain.

Craters or bumps? The optical illusion on the Moon's surface
New York Times: How your brain is tricked by lunar images.

Nasa's science missions face cuts in Trump's budget plan
Voyager funding cuts are from $7.8 million to $5m, then zero by 2029.

'Most beautiful display': Locals marvel at southern lights spectacle
The Aurora Australis lit up Aotearoa's skies with orange, red and purple hues.

Watch: Kiwi aerospace entrepreneur becomes first New Zealander in space
The flight reached 105km, just past the Kármán line, and lasted 11 minutes.

First Kiwi in space
Mark Rocket was one of six passengers on Blue Origin’s 12th human spaceflight early yesterday (NZT). Video / Blue Origin

Rapid unscheduled disassembly: Musk's Starship hits turbulence again
The first-stage booster blew up instead of splashing down in the Gulf.

Rocket Lab to join satellite payload segment with $462m takeover of US company Geost
Missile warning and tracking, tactical intelligence, surveillance among US firm's skills.

Aerospace entrepreneur to make history as first New Zealander in space
Mark Rocket's passion for space led him to change his surname 25 years ago.

Markets with Madison: Sir Peter Beck interview
It’s been six months since I interviewed Rocket Lab chief executive Sir Peter Beck. We have a lot to discuss following the space company’s Q1 earnings! Video / Cameron Pitney

Rocket Lab’s Sir Peter Beck not giving up on Mars amid Trump budget cuts
Plus, Beck discusses its growing defence division.

The hunt for equity: New Zealand's race to space
The space sector added $2.47 billion to the economy in the 2023-24 financial year.

NZ lagging behind most comparable countries on space spending
NZ has one operational spaceport at Mahia; UK is developing six.

Soviet-era spacecraft expected to crash to Earth this month
The landing module is 'highly likely' to reach Earth’s surface in one piece.

Amazon launches first Starlink-rival internet satellites
Backers of the $16.7 billion initiative plan to deploy thousands of satellites.

Government takes action against foreign attacks on ground-based space operations
It's to stop malicious attempts to use ground-based operations to harm the country.

China sends three astronauts to space station in milestone launch
Three astronauts blasted off to China's space station in a milestone for Beijing.

Nasa's oldest active astronaut returns to Earth on 70th birthday
Nasa’s oldest active astronaut, Don Pettit, returns to Earth on his 70th birthday.

Webb telescope detects a possible signature of life on a distant world
A chemical produced only by life was detected on a planet 124 light-years from Earth.

'A little spice to space': Suits revealed for all-female space flight
The all-female crew includes Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry and Gayle King.