A test of NASA's towering Space Launch System rocket uncovered another issue with the vehicle meant to launch astronauts on a mission around the moon.

NASA might be best known for sending astronauts to the moon and launching rockets, but it has and continues to study Earth without leaving the atmosphere.

NASA has pulled off a high-flying aurora investigation, launching three rockets into the glowing northern lights over Alaska. One mission targeted mysterious dark patches called black auroras, while the twin GNEISS rockets created a 3D scan of the aurora’s electrical currents.

The crew will spend the next eight months conducting experiments to prepare for human exploration beyond Earth's orbit.

The four Crew-12 astronauts brought the International Space Station’s staff back to seven after a month of operating with three people on board.

The first crew permitted to leave Earth's orbit with their personal phones launched on Friday, Feb. 13

The object is hurtling towards the Earth at a zippy 12,616 miles per hour, according to data from the space agency.

Scientists may be one step closer in their hunt for signs of past life on Mars after the Curiosity rover's latest find.