Vote Now! Best Space Stories of the Week – July 26, 2014

Apollo 11 Remembered, Alien Planet's Size Measured and More

NASA

Last week we looked at the scariest moments of Apollo 11, marked 15 years of the Chandra telescope and more. See the best stories from the week here.

FIRST STOP: The Future of Moon Exploration, Lunar Colonies and Humanity

The Future of Moon Exploration, Lunar Colonies and Humanity

Bigelow Aerospace

July 21 - A rocket carrying more than a dozen privately built probes touches down on the moon. The robots burst from the vehicle in a race to beam back high-definition video and other data while roving the surface of Earth's nearest natural satellite. The people of Earth watch a broadcast of the race as the rovers roam (or stall) in the lunar dust.

[Full Story]

NEXT: Apollo 11's Scariest Moments: Perils of the 1st Manned Moon Landing

Apollo 11's Scariest Moments: Perils of the 1st Manned Moon Landing

NASA

July 21 - NASA's Apollo 11 moon landing was a human spaceflight feat, but also a dangerous journey. See some of the scariest moments of first manned moon landing.

[Full Story]

NEXT: Apollo 11 Patch Flown on 1st Moon Landing to Launch with Astronauts to Mars

Apollo 11 Patch Flown on 1st Moon Landing to Launch with Astronauts to Mars

NASA via collectSPACE.com

July 21 - A NASA mission patch flown on the historic Apollo 11 moon landing has a date with Mars. See how the Apollo 11 patch will go to Mars with NASA's manned mission.

[Full Story]

NEXT: 'One Giant Leap': As Apollo 11 Moon Landing Turns 45, NASA Aims for Mars

'One Giant Leap': As Apollo 11 Moon Landing Turns 45, NASA Aims for Mars

NASA

July 20 - Forty-five years ago today (July 20), humanity took a giant leap from its birthplace onto the surface of another world.

[Full Story]

NEXT: Newfound Alien Planet Has Longest Year Known for Transiting World

Amazing SpaceX Reusable Rocket Test Caught on Video

SpaceX (via YouTube as SpaceX)

July 22 - A stunning new video shows the first stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket making a soft ocean splashdown as planned after its launch earlier this month.

[Full Story]

NEXT: NASA's Chandra X-Ray Space Telescope Celebrates 15 Years of Discoveries

Newfound Alien Planet Has Longest Year Known for Transiting World

David A. Aguilar (CfA)

July 22 - Astronomers have found a transiting exoplanet that takes mAstronomers have found a transiting exoplanet that takes more than 700 days to orbit its host star, giving it the longest year known for such a world.ore than 700 days to orbit its host star, giving it the longest year known for such a world.

[Full Story]

NEXT: Amazing SpaceX Reusable Rocket Test Caught on Video

NASA's Chandra X-Ray Space Telescope Celebrates 15 Years of Discoveries

NASA/JPL-Caltech

July 23 - NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, which observes the hot and energetic universe, marks a big milestone today (July 23) — 15 years in Earth orbit.

[Full Story]

NEXT: Apollo 11's Vintage Tech: The Most Amazing Moon Landing Innovations

Apollo 11's Vintage Tech: The Most Amazing Moon Landing Innovations

NASA

July 24 - While the Apollo 11 landing was on the cutting-edge of technology in 1969, today it's a demonstration of how much could be accomplished with so little.

[Full Story]

NEXT: Astronauts Simulate Deep-Space Mission in Underwater Lab

Astronauts Simulate Deep-Space Mission in Underwater Lab

NASA TV

July 24 - Plenty of astronauts practice spacewalks in the water, but a crew currently living in an underwater lab plans to introduce a surprising twist to its aquatic excursions: They will create a 10-minute communications delay with Mission Control, simulating what speaking with people on Earth could be like in deep space.

[Full Story]

NEXT: Alien Planet's Size Measured Like Never Before

Alien Planet's Size Measured Like Never Before

NASA/JPL-Caltech

July 25 - Astronomers have made the most best-ever measurement of the radius of an alien world.

[Full Story]

NEXT: Bunnies on the Moon? 7 Lunar Myths Apollo 11 Debunked

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Space.com Staff
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Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.