Four groups of competing astronomers and astrophysicists have teamed up to present a grand vision for NASA as the community grapples with what the agency's science program should prioritize.
Driving the news: Billed the "New Great Observatories," the teams behind the Lynx, LUVOIR, HabEx and Origins missions are advocating that NASA commit to building all four of these expensive, large space telescopes.
Newly graduated NASA astronauts are looking to the Moon, the International Space Station and even Mars as possible destinations.
Why it matters: Astronauts are NASA's charismatic public face, and the new class of 11 — known as the Turtles — will be at the forefront of the space agency's plans to return to the Moon as part of its Artemis program.
SpaceX, Amazon and others have high hopes for launching constellations of satellites that will provide internet to the globe, while some startups hope to nearly continuously beam back images from space.
Yes, but: The industry's growth is limited by the earthly half of the equation: ground infrastructure needed to receive data and control the satellites themselves.
The Philippines' Taal volcano has been erupting 40 miles south of the Manila and triggering at least 52 earthquakes and ashfall across the region, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a statement Monday.
What's happening: Manila's international airport suspended flights and schools canceled classes across the region because of ash from the eruption, as the alert level was raised to 4 out of 5.
Former President Obama tweeted an appeal Sunday for people to support Puerto Rico's recovery following a series of earthquakes that have rocked the island, killing at least one person.
Why it matters: Puerto Rico's governor declared a state of emergency last Tuesday. President Trump has approved a federal disaster declaration request after two earthquakes measuring magnitudes of 6.4 and 5.8 struck — displacing many people and leaving much of the island without power. Aftershocks have since hit, and there was a magnitude 5.2 quake Friday.
