Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) allows satellites to bounce radar signals off the ground and interpret the echo – and it can even peer through clouds.

The Apollo astronauts' links to Earth were primitive compared to those we enjoy today. The next generation of moonwalkers may have a far more high-resolution way of keeping in touch.

Some of the most famous space missions have been running for decades. The technology helping to keep them aloft is anything but space age.

There's a lot that can go wrong on a rocket launch. Over the decades, however, the failure rate has been surprisingly consistent.

The UK could have space launch capability as soon as this summer. What will these spaceports look like and how will they operate?

Satellite navigation systems keep our world running in ways many people barely realise, but they are also increasingly vulnerable. What could we use instead?

What if a hurricane could be defused by weather-controlling satellites? Peter Ray Allison investigates why this sci-fi staple is such a tall task.

Inaccessible or easily missed on the ground, ancient Maya ruins are increasingly spotted with the help of satellite imagery – but the process isn’t always fool-proof