Gunter Stein, control systems and theory expert, dies at 84
Longtime EECS adjunct professor and LIDS researcher was known for an influential essay on the need for engineers to “respect the unstable.”
MIT student team CERBERUZ wins NASA LunaRecycle Centennial Challenge, turning lunar trash into tools
The team took first prize in both the Prototype and Digital Twin tracks for its lunar waste recycling system.
Margaret Hamilton, computing pioneer who led software development for the Apollo program, dies at 90
Over two decades at MIT, Hamilton forged new paths in computer science and engineering. Her groundbreaking work included leading the team that programmed the first computers that took humans to the moon.
The next generation’s guide to the new space economy
An industry report published by students in an MIT aerospace entrepreneurship class lays out guidance for aspiring space leaders and investors.
Fueling a return journey from Mars
PhD candidate Lanie McKinney is building technology to convert the Red Planet’s atmosphere into propellant for bringing astronauts home.
How to design a space habitat that supports its residents’ mental health
A new online platform helps engineers look beyond survival mode when designing habitats for extreme living conditions.
High-orbit satellites could light the way for travel to the moon
Acting as cooperative optical beacons, the satellites could provide GPS-like navigation and communications support for spacecraft operating across cislunar space.
Then and now: How MIT Lincoln Laboratory has served as a driving force in national security innovation
Members of the laboratory community reflect on technology impacts that shaped the United States and the world over the past 75 years.
MIT researcher proposes a way to detect nuclear weapons in space
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty bans nuclear weapons in space, but there’s currently no way to verify that satellites aren’t carrying them.
MIT student teams win top honors in NASA competition
Three MIT teams took five top awards in the 2026 NASA RASC-AL Competition for designing critical elements for the moon base and future missions to Mars.
How Artemis II livestreamed hi-def videos and images from the moon to Earth
This first use of laser communications on a crewed mission at lunar distance was a foundational step to establishing a high-speed internet in deep space.
Flying at the edge of the stratosphere
MIT students see the Earth's curvature in reborn AeroAstro intro course.
Lincoln Laboratory laser communications terminal launches on historic Artemis II moon mission
High-definition video and data sent from the lunar vicinity to Earth will demonstrate the first use of laser communications on a crewed mission.
Finding a nanoscale solution to safer spaceflight
Using boron nitride nanotubes, mechanical engineering doctoral student Palak Patel develops materials for space that block dangerous ionizing radiation.
Fueling research in nuclear thermal propulsion
Master's student Taylor Hampson is modeling the behavior of an unconventional rocket engine that will heat propellant using nuclear energy.