The Mars ascent vehicle (MAV) will be very different from the ascent stage of the Apollo Lunar Module, the only craft ever to carry humans off the surface of another planetary body.

Given the success of the five-nation ISS partnership, the new director-general of the European Space Agency is hopeful any successor to the orbiting outpost will be founded on international cooperation. To this end, he has proposed a free-flying science lab that would continue ISS micro-gravity research in low Earth orbit while advancing technologies for orbital-debris mitigation. He has also floated a so-called “Moon Village” mission on the dark side of the lunar surface, offering the potential to further research and technology development in a low-gravity environment using humans, robots, or both.

Pentagon postures for a reality where satellites are threatened or even attacked.

Protecting planets in the search for life, and actually searching for it with humans, probably won’t mix.

NASA has a hard sell at the International Astronautical Congress with its focus on Mars.

Finding adds urgency to space agency’s quest to find life on other planets.

Spurred by consumer demand, enabled by consumer electronics, cubesats are becoming more capable and commercially viable, says Scotland-based developer Clyde Space.

This week's top aerospace and defense stories, including Norway's first F-35A and Boeing's bulk Chinese aircraft order.