Aerospace

Aerospace

Aerial view of a large, modern data center complex with two main rectangular buildings separated by a central road, surrounded by fields and parking areas.
The AI energy debate focuses on supply — but smarter planning could deliver more computing from the same megawatts.
Cadence
Book cover titled "MUSKISM: A Guide for the Perplexed" by Quinn Slobodian & Ben Tarnoff, featuring a plume of smoke rising against a blue sky—a striking visual that hints at the enigmatic essence of muskism.
As SpaceX slashes launch costs, governments are gaining new capabilities, while potentially outsourcing their sovereignty to Musk's private empire.
moon landing Apollo 11
Even though no human has stepped foot on the Moon's surface in 50 years, the evidence of our presence there remains unambiguous.
A black silhouette of an astronaut is suspended upside down by a cord against a solid red background.
Andy Weir’s novel blends humor, scientific rigor, and human ingenuity to make science fiction feel believable and thrilling.
A collage featuring vintage documents, a grayscale moon map with labeled lunar missions, colored dots, and an old astronomical chart on a black background.
Government-spec’d glory projects produce tech demos. Enduring progress demands a better way forward.
levitation
With the right material at the right temperature and a magnetic track, physics really does allow perpetual motion without energy loss.
Hexagonal map showing Europe, parts of Asia, and North Africa in varying shades of green and gray, with clusters of red and purple indicating specific regions.
"Gyroscope-on-a-chip" technology could soon enable us to navigate over long distances without GPS.
A sleek supersonic jet labeled "Overture" by Boom flies above the clouds against a clear blue sky.
"You’ll be able to fly twice as fast as a Boeing or Airbus, and it’ll be like the cost of flying business today."
A rocket launches with flames visible at the bottom. The text "T-MINUS" is superimposed over the image.
Featuring SpaceX's "Mechazilla," a first-of-its-kind spacewalk, and more.
A digital countdown reading "0: MINUS" over an Earth view from space with scattered debris and sunlight illuminating the scene.
Experts answer 10 big questions about the nightmare scenario that could send us back to the pre-Space Age.
A rocket launches into the sky against a sunset backdrop, with "T-MINUS" text overlay in bold letters.
Reusable rockets, moon landers, civilian astronauts, and more.
A close-up of a rocket engine testing setup, showing a small blue flame at the nozzle and multiple cables and pipes connected to the engine.
Astro Mechanica’s “turboelectric” jet engines offer a way to transform both commercial flights and space launches.
A spacecraft travels at the fastest spacecraft speed record through bright, yellow-orange streaks of plasma and solar wind near the Sun.
The Parker Solar Probe is about to undergo its seventh encounter with Venus on its journey toward the Sun. Here's how fast it'll go.
View of Earth from a spacecraft window with "T-MINUS" displayed in bold text overlaying the image.
These startups, space agencies, and aerospace giants are building humanity's next off-world homes.
A computer-generated image shows the airflow patterns around a streamlined aircraft, highlighted in various colors to depict different airflow intensities.
Hypersonic aircraft can fly at least five times the speed of sound. They would make for terrifying weapons.
A rocket launches from a pad at a coastal space center with ocean in background. The word "TMNTUS" is overlaid in large letters.
Comparing Elon Musk's Mars rocket to NASA's new ride.
Animated countdown timer at zero with the word "MINUS" appearing after the countdown, displayed over a background transitioning from red to blue.
The threats Mars astronauts face — and how NASA is working to solve them.
Illustration of a drone exploring over a dusty, red martian landscape with mountains in the background.
NASA's minivan-sized drone is scheduled to search for signs of life on Titan in 2034.
Nasa's ingenuity mars helicopter captured mid-flight on the martian surface, surrounded by rocky terrain.
If the past is any guide, things are going to take off quickly.
A digital artwork of a satellite with a large golden antenna, transmitting a blue beam towards earth against a starry space background.
Astranis is on a mission to help everyone in the world get online.
A person holding a complex metallic lattice structure in focus, with a blurred individual in the background.
It’s 50% stronger than comparable materials used in aerospace.
A cluttered workspace with electronic components and a hand holding a card splattered with red liquid.
Forensics has reached the final frontier, and could be used to solve future space accidents—or crimes.
Smiling pilot holding a helmet, wearing a flight suit with a u.s. insignia and a jet pack.
On the morning of April 20, 1961, all conditions were "go" for an attempt at free flight. A man was on standby with a fire extinguisher. Just in case.
A laser beam is coming out of a large dome.
Tech designed to fuse atoms might be able to clean up space, too.
Two pictures of a drone flying in the sky with a laser.
The futuristic weapon could be ready for the battlefield in 5 years.
A man in an astronaut suit is waving to the camera, showcasing his leadership as he navigates outer space.
Former spacewalker Mike Massimino tells Big Think how NASA missions shaped great leaders.
A group of people standing in front of a large white blimp.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin’s airship startup hits a major milestone.
T-Minus
Freethink's weekly countdown of the biggest space news, featuring a stranded space factory, Jeff Bezos' new moon lander, and more.
Keywords: Joyce Neighbors

Description: A black and white photo featuring Joyce Neighbors standing proudly next to a rocket.
A woman’s name would undermine the credibility of the mission. Names of former Nazis, however, were no problem.
air space flight
Only nine weeks later, the Wright Brothers achieved manned flight. The pathologically cynical always will find a reason to complain.