October 15, 2025
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Breaking News
  • [ October 14, 2025 ] SpaceX scrubs launch 2nd batch of satellites for Space Development Agency constellation Falcon 9
  • [ October 14, 2025 ] Rocket Lab launches 7th StriX Earth observation satellites for Japan-based Synspective Electron
  • [ October 14, 2025 ] SpaceX launches final Version 2 Starship-Super Heavy rocket Mission Reports
  • [ October 13, 2025 ] SpaceX launches 24 Amazon Kuiper satellites following days of weather delays Falcon 9
  • [ October 12, 2025 ] Launch preview: SpaceX to launch final Version 2 Starship-Super Heavy from Starbase Mission Reports

Sample Return

News

NASA is bringing an asteroid sample back to Earth – here’s when, how and why

September 22, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

The sample of asteroid Bennu collected by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is set to return to Earth the morning of Sept. 24.

Mission Reports

Chinese mission returned nearly 4 pounds of lunar samples

January 1, 2021 Stephen Clark

Chinese officials say they plan to share a portion of the nearly 4 pounds of lunar material returned by the Chang’e 5 mission with other countries, but an allocation for U.S. scientists will hinge on a change in U.S. policy restricting cooperation between NASA and China’s space program.

Mission Reports

Chinese sample return capsule lands on Earth after round-trip flight to moon

December 16, 2020 Stephen Clark

A capsule containing moon rocks landed in a remote, snow-covered corner of China Wednesday, bringing home the first samples from the lunar surface in 44 years and completing the Chinese space program’s most challenging robotic mission to date.

Mission Reports

Chinese spacecraft heading back to Earth with lunar samples

December 15, 2020 Stephen Clark

A Chinese spacecraft ferrying rocks drilled from the moon’s surface is on course to land back on Earth Wednesday and deliver the first fresh lunar samples to scientists since the 1970s.

Mission Reports

Scientists thrilled with asteroid treasure returned by Japanese spacecraft

December 15, 2020 Stephen Clark

Japanese space agency officials said Tuesday they found a “large number” of pitch black rock and dust particles after opening a capsule returned to Earth earlier this month by the Hayabusa 2 mission, giving eager scientists their first significant specimens ever brought back from an asteroid.

Mission Reports

Chinese mission accomplishes first-ever robotic docking in lunar orbit

December 5, 2020 Stephen Clark

The Chinese Chang’e 5 mission accomplished the first robotic docking between two spacecraft orbiting the moon Saturday, when a lunar ascent spacecraft linked up with an Earth return vehicle and transferred a container of moon rocks to bring home in mid-December.

Mission Reports

Japanese capsule carrying asteroid rocks lands in Australia after six-year mission

December 5, 2020 Stephen Clark

An armored re-entry capsule carrying pristine specimens from an asteroid streaked into Earth’s atmosphere and parachuted to a landing in the Australian outback Saturday, bringing home extraterrestrial rocks that could hold clues to the origin of life on Earth.

Mission Reports

Live coverage: Hayabusa 2 asteroid sample return capsule lands in Australia

December 5, 2020 Stephen Clark

Japan’s Hayabusa 2 mission returned to Earth Saturday after a six-year mission to collect samples from asteroid Ryugu. The mission’s sample return capsule landed in in the Australian outback around shortly before 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT) Saturday.

Mission Reports

Japanese asteroid sampling mission on course for return to Earth

December 5, 2020 Stephen Clark

Six years after departing Earth, Japan’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft released a spinning capsule Saturday containing pristine asteroid material for a scorching re-entry and landing in the remote Australian outback, where teams are standing by to retrieve the specimens for analysis.

Mission Reports

China’s Chang’e 5 sample return craft takes off from the moon

December 3, 2020 Stephen Clark

Wrapping up a busy two days on the lunar surface, a Chinese spacecraft carrying moon soil took off from a makeshift launch pad and fired back into orbit Thursday on the first leg of its journey back to Earth.

Posts pagination

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News Headlines

  • SpaceX scrubs launch 2nd batch of satellites for Space Development Agency constellation
    October 14, 2025
  • Rocket Lab launches 7th StriX Earth observation satellites for Japan-based Synspective
    October 14, 2025
  • SpaceX launches final Version 2 Starship-Super Heavy rocket
    October 14, 2025
  • SpaceX launches 24 Amazon Kuiper satellites following days of weather delays
    October 13, 2025
  • Launch preview: SpaceX to launch final Version 2 Starship-Super Heavy from Starbase
    October 12, 2025
  • U.S. Space Force picks Blue Origin bid for expanding satellite processing at Cape Canaveral
    October 9, 2025
  • SpaceX delays launching Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites amid backdrop of poor weather
    October 9, 2025
  • SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites with a Falcon 9 booster flying for a 29th time
    October 7, 2025
  • SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket on 90th Starlink mission of 2025
    October 6, 2025
  • SpaceX to launch 4 Falcon Heavy rockets as part of newest U.S. national security missions award
    October 4, 2025
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