SPACE

It is still unclear as to what the Zuma satellite's mission is and what branch of the US government the spacecraft belongs to.

2018 is slated to be an exciting year for Nasa and its fans as the space exploration organisation has a lot of missions, updates and extensive plans scheduled across the year.

The main payload will be India's own Cartosat-2 series Earth Observation satellite

Using samples from surfaces in the space lab, unknown microbes have been collected and identified.

Researchers have reportedly gathered observational evidence to posit a weird correlation between the mass of supermassive black holes at the centre of a galaxy and star-formation.

More than 700 sightings of the green flash of light were reported to the International Meteor Organisation (IMO).

Around 2,000 to 8,000 pounds of debris from the Chinese satellite is expected to crash on Earth.

Located some 40 light years away in constellation Aquarius, the Trappist solar system has been a critical point of study in the search of life-supporting exoplanets.

A supermoon is a full moon at the closest orbital point to Earth. They appear about 14% larger and 30% brighter than moons occurring at the farthest orbital point.

We as humans can be compared to oysters when it comes to intelligence with intelligent life, says researcher.

As 2017 comes to a close, it is time to look back and see the top five moments that marked SpaceX's domination in the spacefaring arena.

Nasa astronaut Joe Acaba recalled a family tradition of celebrating the New Year with his father's chilli at midnight.

A 3D VR model of a 300-year old supernova remnant will allow astronomers and enthusiasts to experience the massive cosmic event.

Luciana, according to a company statement, is of Chilean descent and has the skills and smarts to achieve what she wants.

The near-earth asteroid 2017 YZ4 will pass closely between the Earth and the Moon at 3.56pm on 28 December, the first known asteroid to fly by within one lunar distance this month.

Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin said that the Meteor-M satellite was lost after launch last month after it was programmed to launch from the wrong cosmodrome.

The pseudoscientific theory has already gained some traction lately, with some believing that the beings living inside never get ill and are 12ft tall, one theorist said.

Space station astronauts celebrated Christmas by watching Stars Wars The Last Jedi and opening gifts from Earth.

The satellite has been tasked to provide communication and broadcast services for next 15 years.

SpaceX's final mission for the year, the Falcon 9 launch, was not just successful, but also caused quite a stir in California.

The two Japanese satellites are on separate missions – one will study Earth's climate and the other will test ion engine technology.

The waves in the upper atmosphere are similar to the V-shaped waves left behind by a ship moving through water.

Pyongyang reportedly defended its interests in space development as a "legitimate" right, sparking fears about an impending missile test disguised as a satellite launch.

This star, accprding to Nasa and the European Space Agency, has completed the red giant phase of its lifetime and is ejecting gases into space.

From Nasa's Trappist1 discovery to the mysterious Oumuamua – here are the biggest and most interesting space stories of the year.

Bruce McCandless logged more than 312 hours in space, including four hours of flight time using a Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU).

The asteroid, 3200 Phaethon, made a close approach to Earth a few days after the glorious Geminid meteor shower in mid-December.

Asteroids often collide with other objects as they hurtle through space, leaving their surfaces covered in various markings and craters.

From Nasa's ambitious goal to travel to Alpha Centauri to hunt for alien life to Russia's plan to open up a luxury hotel in space – these are the best space stories of the week.