For 75 years, CU Boulder has been a leader in space exploration and innovation. We travel to space to monitor sea level rise, melting ice, weather patterns and more. Our researchers explore how to track and remove dangerous debris in space. We research the health of humans in space to inform medical applications for people on Earth.ÌýLearn more about the latest in space research and science at CU Boulder.
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lllustration of small spacecraft orbiting Earth

7 reasons to get excited about CU Boulder in space

Oct. 13, 2023

From rockets that reach the edge of Earth’s atmosphere to a historic journey to the moon’s South Pole, a landmark year for space exploration is coming for CU Boulder.

People in protective suits place a plaque on a space instrument in a clean room

Ralphie in space! One mascot and her adventures across the solar system

Oct. 12, 2023

For more than 30 years, teams at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at CU Boulder have emblazoned the image of the university's beloved buffalo mascot onto instruments destined for space. Follow Ralphie as she journeys from orbit around Earth to the rings of Saturn and beyond.

solar eclipse

Saturday’s solar eclipse will shift the weather

Oct. 10, 2023

Scientists from NOAA, CU Boulder and babyÖ±²¥app State University have now included the effects of solar eclipses in a key weather model, benefiting the energy industry.

A satellite next to the moon

CU Boulder leading $5M project to advance the space economy

Oct. 10, 2023

The space economy is booming, and CU Boulder is at the forefront of a major federal award aimed at expanding science and engineering knowledge and workforce development for projects centered around the moon.

Illustration of five planets with a star in the background

New observations of flares from distant star could help in search for habitable planets

Oct. 9, 2023

The star TRAPPIST-1 sits roughly 40 light-years from Earth. It's barely bigger than the planet Jupiter, but it shoots out giant flares several times a day. New observations of these eruptions could help scientists detect atmospheres around a host of far-away planets.

three people sit in chairs on a stage

Call them UFOs or UAPs, scientists need better data

Oct. 8, 2023

During a packed event, a panel of journalists and scientists called for removing the stigma around studying unidentified anomalous phenomena—such as strange blips that zoom across the instruments of fighter jets or even mysterious lights in the night sky.

People sitting on grass wearing eclipse glasses and looking up

A ‘ring of fire’ eclipse is coming. Here’s how to watch

Oct. 6, 2023

Sky gazers in parts of the United States will see two solar eclipses in the next year, beginning with an annular, or "ring of fire," eclipse on Oct. 14. John Keller, director of the Fiske Planetarium, gives his take on what makes these events so exciting—and how you can observe them safely.

Illustration of spacecraft orbiting cloudy planet

Does lightning strike on Venus? Maybe not, study suggests

Oct. 2, 2023

Venus is a distinctly unfriendly planet, with crushing atmospheric pressures at the surface and temperatures that hit 900 degrees Fahrenheit. But new observations from scientists at CU Boulder suggest that frequent lightning strikes may not be one of the planet's hazards.

Earth glows during an Aurora, with a part of the International Space Station in the foreground

New center will lay groundwork for better space weather forecasts

Sept. 20, 2023

As its name suggests, the newly launched Space Weather Operational Readiness Development (SWORD) center at CU Boulder seeks to offer a little protection for the planet, spurring research into the tumultuous environment several hundred miles above the surface of Earth.

ring of dust around a star with small planet in the foreground

An infrared telescope that spans the globe? New grant may make it possible

Sept. 14, 2023

Physicists and engineers at CU Boulder envision infrared astronomy telescopes that may one day span the entire globe—syncing up observations from instruments spread across the continents, or even orbiting Earth, and giving scientists an unprecedented look at phenomena like the birth of new planets.

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