The Latest Breaking News from NASA

LOS ANGELES — Before the sun rises on Thursday, a rocket carrying the Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite will blast off from Vandenberg Space Force Base north of Santa Barbara.

The United States warned Tuesday that China and Russia were destabilizing Africa with their growing inroads as it rolled out the red carpet to the continent's leaders and pledged billions of dollars in support.

Behold the sound of a dust devil on Mars as it strikes the NASA Perseverance rover. The rover didn't see the dust devil, but picked it up on several instruments.

ORLANDO, Fla. — With Orion safe back on Earth, the last and most important tests of the Artemis I mission have been completed, but there are still miles to travel and months of data sifting to go before NASA will target an Artemis II launch date.

Of the more than 3,800 suppliers providing parts for the Artemis rocket, the overwhelming majority are small businesses.

A NASA rover on Mars by chance had its microphone on when a whirling tower of red dust passed overhead last year and caught the sound

A dust devil looks a bit like a tornado, but is weaker and rarely lasts more than about a minute. It is a twisting column of warmed air scooting across sun-heated ground, made visible by the dust that it lofts upwards. Although usually benign, occasionally dust devils can kill.

The Geminids meteor shower, one of the best and most reliable of the year, will peak on Tuesday night.

NASA's successful Artemis I mission sets the stage for future crewed flights.