Rosalind Franklin rover on the surface of Mars. Image credit: ESA/ATG medialab

With the invasion of Ukraine casting a shadow over the world, Chris North and Edward Gomez (returning from a long hiatus!) look at the impact of the war on astronomy and space science, mindful that these pale in importance when compared with the death and destruction taking place on the ground. From the international collaboration taking place on board the International Space Station, to the use of Russian rockets. Also at stake is the future of the Rosalind Franklin Rover, a European-Russian collaborative mission that was due to launch later this year.

Elsewhere in the world, NASA have shown off their newest rocket – the Space Launch System, or SLS. The missions it allows should be impressive, but how does the huge price tag compare to other options?

And finally, how does one de-detect a black hole? Sometimes in science, you have to take one step back to take two steps forward!