EurekAlert!

New analytical model revolutionizes spacecraft orbit prediction under third-body gravitational effects

A research team from the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) and Yinhe Hangtian has achieved a major advance in orbit ...
CNN

Astronomers discover previously unknown quasi-moon near Earth

Astronomers have spotted a quasi-moon near Earth — and the small space rock has likely been hanging out near our planet unseen by telescopes for about 60 years, according to new research. The newly ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Astronomers Say Earth Has a Newly Discovered ‘Quasi-Moon,’ a Companion That Shares Its Orbit Around the Sun

Earth has a newly discovered—albeit temporary—companion in its journey around the sun. In research published this month in Research Notes of the AAS, a non-peer reviewed publication from the American ...
SpaceNews

China lays foundation for cislunar infrastructure with spacecraft in novel lunar orbits

HELSINKI — China has sent several small spacecraft into specialized lunar and cislunar orbits to test communications, navigation and orbital dynamics for planned Earth-moon infrastructure. China’s DRO ...
CNN

Earth’s recent ‘mini-moon’ may be an actual piece of the moon, astronomers say

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. A small space rock ...