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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Space Policy & Advocacy Program Quarterly Report - July 2018
The Planetary Society's Space Policy and Advocacy team publishes quarterly reports on their activities, actions, priorities, and goals in service of their efforts to promote space science and exploration in Washington, D.C.
LightSail 2 updates: Launch date slips, environmental test complete, new video released
LightSail 2's ride to space won't happen until at least November 30, as SpaceX works through a list of other payloads in line to fly first.
Mastcam-Z Team Blog: A Special Team Photomosaic
Mastcam-Z will help the Mars 2020 rover explore the surface of Mars. Dozens of amazing scientists and engineers from across the globe contribute to the development of Mastcam-Z. This year, the team photo was taken with our very own Mastcam-Z testbed unit.
Planetary Society Volunteers are Candles in the Dark
After a bewildering day at AlienCon, a New York Times reporter found hope at The Planetary Society, courtesy of volunteer Sean Marquez.
LightSail 2 team completes key mission review and dress rehearsal
The LightSail 2 team gathered in Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for a Mission Readiness Review (MRR) and Operational Readiness Test (ORT).
Planetary Society asteroid hunters help find rare type of double asteroid
A global team of astronomers has found a rare type of asteroid, where two equal-mass objects circle each other in a never-ending dance as they hurtle through the solar system.
Planetary Defense in the Moroccan Mountains
A little-known observatory is s helping usher an Arab astronomy renaissance.
Let's check in on The Planetary Society's asteroid hunters
The Shoemaker NEO Grant program funds advanced amateur astronomers who help determine if nearby asteroids will hit Earth. Here are some collected reports from our asteroid hunters.
Will an asteroid hit Earth? Your questions answered.
The Planetary Society presents a list of Frequent Asteroid Questions (FAQs).
New report explores threat from near-Earth asteroids
How dangerous are near-Earth asteroids, and what will we do if we find one headed toward Earth?
NASA's 2019 Budget Takes Shape
The Senate and House have now released details of how they would fund NASA in 2019. Check out the good, bad, and ugly in these proposals and learn what happens next.
Reaching Higher for Space
We humans have always looked to the night sky and pondered our place in the cosmos.
A Planetary Vacuum Successfully Takes a Rocket Ride
Rocket science met planetary science in the California desert when PlanetVac, a new planetary surface sampling technique, was successfully tested on a Xodiac rocket.
NASA is beloved; the Moon, not so much
A new poll shows broad support for space exploration in the United States. But sending astronauts to the Moon ranks as the lowest priority among the public.
Mastcam-Z team blog: We've got flight hardware!
Right after the last Mastcam-Z team meeting a year ago (link here to last two blog posts), our team finalized the design of the cameras, and then the fantastic voyage of creating Martian panoramic zoom cameras began.
An 'Exploration Exhibition' to launch the new Planetary Science Caucus
We helped launch the new Planetary Science Congressional Caucus in Washington, D.C., with an exploration exhibition to highlight the range of academic, scientific, and industry partners engaging in planetary exploration. Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye and its Board of Directors were there to welcome members of Congress and hundreds of staff and policy experts.
LightSail 2 launch slips to Fall
The second flight of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket is now scheduled for no earlier than October 30, 2018.
Pew pew! Lasers will help determine where LightSail 2 is
The International Laser Ranging Service, or ILRS, will lend its services to the LightSail 2 mission.
Introducing Space Advocacy 101
Space Advocacy 101 is a new online course to help space fans become empowered space advocates.
Space grade electronics: How NASA’s Juno survives near Jupiter
Take a look at how electronics of spacecraft are built to survive the harshness of space environments.