1. Packed with an estimated 10 million stars, it's unlikely that Omega Centauri harbors any habitable planets, according to a new study. Researchers said that despite its massive size, stars in the core of Omega Centauri interact with nearby planets too regularly. Those encounters mean the forces generated would alter the ability to sustain life within the habitable zone. "Studying globular clusters with lower encounter rates might lead to a higher probability of finding stable habitable planets," said study co-author Sarah Deveny. — PHYS

2. A "hydrogen wall" at the end of our solar system apparently is visible to NASA's New Horizons spacecraft. In a paper published this week in the Journal Geophysical Research Letters, researchers said the spacecraft sees extra ultraviolet light — similar to that of what experts think a hydrogen wall in outer space should produce. It isn't the first time a spacecraft has seen ultraviolet light: NASA's Voyager also saw the wall back in 1992. New Horizons will continue looking for the hydrogen wall. "If the ultraviolet light drops off at some point, then New Horizons may have left the wall in its rearview mirror. But if the light never fades, then its source could be farther ahead — coming from somewhere deeper in space," researchers said in a statement. — LIVESCIENCE

3. President Trump's proposed Space Force could have trouble getting support, a former secretary of the Air Force said. Space Force was outlined Thursday by Vice President Mike Pence, who said the group would become a full branch of the military — joining the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. It would be led by a four-star general or an equivalent flag officer. Pence noted the close ties space programs have to military in other countries, including China and Russia. Former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said the creation of Space Force "will have a tough road" on Capitol Hill. In addition, a number of space and military experts likely are to oppose the idea. — NBC

1. A massive planet-sized object with an incredibly strong magnetic field has been found about 20 light-years from Earth. The object — known as SIMP J01365663+0933473 — has a magnetic field that is 200 times stronger than that of Jupiter's. It's also estimated to have a mass that's 12.7 times the size of Jupiter. For perspective, Jupiter's magnetic field is between 16 and 54 times stronger than that of Earth's. "This particular object is exciting because studying its magnetic dynamo mechanisms can give us new insights on how the same type of mechanisms can operate in extrasolar planets — planets beyond our solar system," lead study author Melodie Kao said. Research shows that the object does not orbit a star. — SPACE

2. SpaceX apparently will host a "Mars Workshop" this week at the University of Colorado Boulder. About 60 people were invited to the private event. Among those invited include scientists, engineers and some leaders of NASA's Mars exploration program. The invite, which asks people not to broadcast the event, claims to offer "active discussions regarding what will be needed to make such missions happen." SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wants to colonize Mars in the future. — ARS TECHNICA

3. NASA has extended the launch window for the Parker Solar Probe. The space agency said the probe's launch window now continues through Aug. 23, though NASA currently has launch scheduled for Aug. 11. The 45-minute launch window apparently will open at 3:48 a.m. The probe is expected to travel through the Sun's atmosphere, where it will face brutal heat. The spacecraft is expected to provide NASA with the closest observations of the Sun that any organization has completed. The spacecraft will come within 4 million miles of the Sun. — NBC

4. New research details the depth of Jupiter's colorful jet streams. In a paper published this week, researchers found that reach as far down as more than 1,800 miles. This likely is because the gas in the interior of Jupiter is magnetized. The planet's jet streams are more rigid and straight than Earth's because of the lack of continents and mountains altering their course. This makes the jet streams on Jupiter simpler. By studying Jupiter, not only do we unravel the mysteries in the interior of the gas giant, but we can also use Jupiter as a laboratory for studying how atmospheric flows work in general," co-researcher Jeffrey Parker said. — PHYS

5. NASA has OK'd SpaceX's “load-and-go” procedure. The plan would let SpaceX place astronauts into Falcon 9 rockets before fueling up in the final hour before launch. It's a similar plan SpaceX uses for uncrewed missions. In previous launches, an automatic countdown sequencer directs chilled kerosene and cryogenic liquid oxygen to be placed into the rocket before liftoff. “From a program standpoint, we went through a pretty extensive process where we laid out the different options for loading the crew, and assessing how the vehicles have been designed, and what the trades were,” said Kathy Lueders, NASA’s commercial crew program manager. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket will eventually power the Crew Dragon spacecraft when it is ready for orbit for a crewed mission. — SPACEFLIGHT NOW

4. Goodyear and Delta Faucet later this year will send products to the International Space Station for research. The companies announced the move last week. Delta Faucet said it planned to research eco-friendly shower heads, while Goodyear will study more fuel-efficient tires. The two companies are among a growing list that send research items to space. NASA astronauts conduct the research free of charge to the private entities. The space agency said it offers about $7.5 million worth of services for free to third party companies. — CNN

5. A "hothouse Earth" could threaten the habitability of the planet, a new study suggests. Researchers at Stockholm Resilience Centre, the Australian National University and other institutions determined that the average global temperature could increase 6 to 8 degrees and sea levels could increase from 30 to 200 feet higher than normal. An author of the study said, "Our study suggests that human-induced global warming of (3.6 degrees) may trigger other Earth system processes, often called ‘feedbacks,’ that can drive further warming – even if we stop emitting greenhouse gases." — USAT

1. NASA on Thursday released updated commercial flight schedules that delay Boeing and SpaceX's first crewed test flights. SpaceX now will launch an uncrewed test mission in November — three months later than previously scheduled. Elon Musk's company will fly a crewed demonstration flight that will include two astronauts in April 2019 — four months later than previously planned. Boeing's uncrewed test flight now will occur later this year or early next year with a crewed flight set for mid-2019. The company said its delayed plan was due to a problem with the CST-100 Starliner static-fire test in June. — SPACENEWS

2. NASA and Elon Musk are at odds over a recent space agency study saying Mars isn't hospitable with current technology. NASA this week said "transforming the inhospitable Martian environment into a place astronauts could explore without life support is not possible without technology well beyond today's capabilities." The Red Planet does not retain enough carbon dioxide to put back into the planet's atmosphere to warm Mars, the space agency says. Covering the news, Discovery Magazine used the headline, "Sorry, Elon. There's not enough CO2 to terraform Mars," to which Musk replied, "There's a massive amount of CO2 on Mars adsorbed into soil that'd be released upon heating. With enough energy via artificial or natural (sun) fusion, you can terraform almost any large, rocky body." — CNBC

3. The lowest-frequency fast radio burst ever has been discovered, scientists said in a recently released report. The frequency —known as FRB 180725 — was typical in terms of length and other characteristics, scientists said. It's unclear where the frequencies come from. Some experts think the frequencies could come from neutron stars in extreme environments, and other experts think they could be signs of alien life. — NEWSWEEK

4. NASA next week will launch its Parker Solar Probe with its mission to the Sun. The spacecraft, which is expected to launch Aug. 11, will orbit the sun and shield itself from temperatures that could reach as high as 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The probe will seek information and data that could lead to a better understanding of the Sun and the entire galaxy. “By understanding our Sun in this way, [it will] connect the dots between how the Sun works, how it affects the Earth and other worlds throughout the Solar System, and… how we look at planetary systems around other stars,” said Jim Garvin, NASA's chief scientist at Goddard Space Flight Center. — GIZMODO

5. Perseids meteor shower is set to peak Aug. 10-13, and this year's event is expected to be one of the best in years. The rate of bursts can be 150-200 meteors an hour. A better viewing is due, in part, to the Moon. "This year the Moon will be near new Moon — it will be a crescent, which means it will set before the Perseid show gets underway after midnight. The moon is very favorable for the Perseids this year, and that'll make the Perseids probably the best shower of 2018 for people who want to go out and view it. The Perseids are rich in fireballs, so the show should be even better," NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke said. — FORBES

1. With the technology available today, it's not possible to terraform Mars, a new NASA-backed study says. Terraforming is the process of transforming a planet so it can support human life. The study says the Red Planet does not retain enough carbon dioxide to put back into the atmosphere to warm it. NASA responded to the study, released Monday in Nature Astronomy, by saying, "Mars does not retain enough carbon dioxide that could practically be put back into the atmosphere" to terraform the planet. Carbon dioxide ice exists in the polar caps of Mars, which could be vaporized to double the pressure of the atmosphere. But doing so would offer atmospheric pressure of about 1.2 percent of that of at the sea level of Earth. This doesn't preclude building pressurized bases for human life, however. — MASHABLE

2. A radioactive molecule surrounds a bright nova — itself a remnant of two stars that collided almost 350 years ago. The material is known as 26-aluminum monofluoride or 26AIF, and is made up of an unstable radioisotope of aluminum. It is the first of its kind to be observed in space. A team of astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and the Northern Extended Millimeter Array radio telescopes observed the remains of the stars — known as CK Vulpeculae. "The first solid detection of this kind of radioactive molecule is an important milestone in our exploration of the cool molecular universe," lead researcher Tomasz Kamiński said. — PHYS

3. A new report suggests there are downsides to NASA either privatizing the International Space Station or continuing to fund the base for at least another decade. The report, issued by NASA Inspector General Paul Martin, questions "whether a sufficient business case exists under which private companies will be able to develop a self-sustaining and profit-making business independent of significant federal funding." In the audit, Martin questions whether a private company would want to take on the International Space Station's annual operating costs, which could increase to $1.2 billion in 2024. The White House has said it wants to end funding of the space station by 2025, but some senators have pushed back against that plan. — ARS TECHNICA

4. NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel is warning against setting dates for crewed commercial space flights. The space agency has planned a Friday press conference to announce the astronauts who will be part of test and mission flights from Boeing and SpaceX. It's not yet known if NASA will announce a delay in the schedule that currently allows for uncrewed test flights to occur in August with crewed tests beginning in November and December. “We see both continued progress and a large volume of work ahead” for the commercial crew program, safety advisory panel leader Patricia Sanders said. Boeing had a technical issue recently that the company referred to as an "anomaly." — SPACENEWS

5. NASA's TESS spacecraft has begun its search for exoplanets. The space agency said the spacecraft started its search July 25. A data transmission is scheduled for August. TESS, which stands for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, follows Kepler, which has found 2,650 confirmed exoplanets in nine years with more expected to be discovered after data is researched. TESS is expected to find exoplanets closer to Earth, which then would allow for other telescopes to do more research. TESS launched in April. — ENGADGET