TechnologyandExploration

Scotty is finally beamed up - to the International Space Station - and the backstory is revealed

Scotty, the chief engineer on the fictional U.S.S. Enterprise who was always scrambling to heed the cry, “Beam me up, Scotty!” has been transported himself. The ashes of James Doohan, the actor who portrayed the original “Star Trek” character Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, have been interred for a dozen years on the International Space Station (ISS). And on Monday, the backstory of how they came to be there was revealed in full. Doohan died in July 2005 at age 85, though his character would not be born until the 23rd century. Portions of the actor’s ashes had previously been launched into space of...

SpaceX Starship prototype explodes on landing, but Elon Musk happy with flight test

A SpaceX Starship prototype was destroyed in a fireball Wednesday when it attempted to land after the company successfully launched it for a high-altitude flight. The launch was an attempt to send SN8, as in serial number 8, to 12.5 km, about 41,000 feet, using three of the company’s Raptor engines for the first time, and return it safely to the company’s facility in Boca Chica, Texas. While the launch seemed to go as planned, the landing resulted in a massive explosion that left the stainless steel rocket obliterated. “This suborbital flight is designed to test a number of objectives, from ho...