WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Glowbug-2 instrument successfully launched on board the Department of War (DoW) Space Test Program – Houston 11 (STP-H11) payload at approximately 6:05 p.m. EDT on May 15, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla.

SAN ANTONIO — May 18, 2026 — Looking back at 14 years of Hubble telescope data for Jupiter’s moon Europa has given Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) scientists a better understanding of its tenuous atmosphere. The findings have cast doubt on previous evidence suggesting that the icy moon intermittently discharges faint water plumes from a presumed subsurface ocean.

A new study led by researchers at the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) and the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) reveals how the discs of galaxies like the Milky Way are affected by ancient galactic collisions.

Researchers demonstrated that sunlight can be used to generate correlated photon pairs, overturning the long-held assumption that stable laser sources are essential for this key quantum optics process. Using an automated sun-tracking system to collect and deliver sunlight into a laboratory, the team pumped a nonlinear crystal to produce strongly position-correlated photon pairs via spontaneous parametric down-conversion. They showed the practical value of this approach by performing high-visibility ghost imaging, achieving image quality comparable to that obtained with a conventional laser of the same power. The results mark the first experimental demonstration of sunlight-driven photon-pair generation and highlight a pathway to power-free quantum light sources for remote, extreme, or space-based applications.

An international team led by Associate Professor Kimihiko Nakajima of Kanazawa University has captured a rare look at the early universe. Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST *1) and the power of a gravitational lensing (* 2) in space, the team achieved a definitive characterization of LAP1-B, an ultra-faint galaxy from 13 billion years ago. Expanding upon initial detections, this new study utilized deep JWST spectroscopy to reveal a record-breaking low oxygen abundance (* 3) -- merely 1/240th that of the Sun. This chemically primitive state, coupled with an elevated carbon-to-oxygen ratio and a dominant dark matter halo, suggests that LAP1-B is the long-sought "ancestor" of the mysterious fossil galaxies found near our Milky Way today, providing a historic window into the earliest, most primitive stages of galaxy assembly.

After the success of Artemis II, longer space journeys are expected, raising new health and nutritional challenges for astronauts. Current space foods rely on dried, shelf-stable items. A study published in ACS Food Science & Technology suggests fortified beverages could help fill nutrient gaps and add variety to astronauts’ diets. Researchers created drinks using emulsions that are stable in Earth’s gravity and microgravity. Their recipes deliver omega-3 fatty acids with customizable sweetness levels and flavors.

A review paper by scientists from Imperial College London examined how sensor‑integrated suits and soft exoskeletons could replace traditional exercise hardware with lightweight, modular, and intelligent systems that provide real‑time monitoring, dynamic loading, and personalized training—all while fitting inside a cramped spacecraft.

The new research paper, published on Apr. 17 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, discussed the challenges of the outer space environment and the musculoskeletal health complications derived from prolonged exposure. The currently employed solutions to address these complications are discussed, along with their limitations and potential solutions.